Published: 28.10.2026
Iceland’s government has approved a bill that would extend the standard route to permanent residence from four to six years and tighten family-reunification conditions. The proposal is not yet law; it also includes age, cohabitation and housing requirements for spouses and partners, as well as the removal of au pair permits for non-EEA nationals.
According to sources, the bill is still at the parliamentary stage, so the current four-year qualifying period has not automatically changed. If adopted, applicants would need to plan for two additional years before permanent residence, while family migrants would face added age, cohabitation and housing conditions. The proposal is most relevant to non-EEA nationals, families planning reunification and people relying on a long-term settlement route. Prospective applicants should monitor the bill, but changing an existing plan solely because of a proposal would be premature.