Iceland visa guideThe Iceland tourist visa is a Schengen short-stay visa (type C) for holidays, allowing up to 90 days in any 180-day period across the Schengen area, with Iceland as your main destination. You fill in the online application at visa.government.is, then hand in the signed printout, the Schengen form and your documents, and give fingerprints, at VFS Global, which has Iceland centres in Jalandhar, Chandigarh and New Delhi. The Embassy of Iceland in New Delhi decides, usually within 15 calendar days of receiving a complete file.
Iceland's checklist sets a money test of 8,000 ISK a day for a hotel stay, wants the insurance policy rather than the card, and gives 5 days to email any missing document.
Do Indians need a visa for Iceland, and which one?
Yes. Iceland is in the Schengen area, so an Indian passport holder needs a Schengen short-stay visa, type C, for a holiday there. It allows up to 90 days in any 180-day period across all Schengen countries. It is not an e-visa, but Iceland does ask for two forms: an online application on the government portal visa.government.is, and the printed, signed Schengen application form that you hand in at VFS Global with your documents and fingerprints.
The Embassy of Iceland in New Delhi decides. Iceland issues visas through its own embassies in only five cities, London, New Delhi, Beijing, Tokyo and Washington D.C., and New Delhi is one of them. In some cases the Embassy forwards a file to Iceland's Ministry for Foreign Affairs, which then decides.
Do not expect a multiple-entry visa on your first application. Iceland says it is generally not granted the first time, and that applicants must show a need to travel frequently, lawful use of earlier visas, their economic situation and a genuine intention to leave. Multiple-entry visas can then run from six months to five years. Indians also benefit from the EU's cascade rules: after two Schengen visas obtained and lawfully used within the previous three years, a two-year multiple-entry visa can be issued, normally followed by a five-year one.
Iceland tourist visa at a glance
- VisaOnline form plus printed form
- Schengen short-stay visa, type C
- Longest stayCounted across all Schengen states
- 90 days in any 180-day period
- Who decidesSome files go to the Ministry for Foreign Affairs
- Embassy of Iceland, New Delhi
- Centres near Punjab
- VFS Jalandhar, Chandigarh, Gurugram, New Delhi
- Money to show4,000 ISK a day if a third party pays
- 8,000 ISK a day in a hotel
- Normal decision timeOnce the Embassy has the file and every document
- 15 calendar days
Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Iceland (island.is), Embassy of Iceland in New Delhi and VFS Global, checked 14 Oct 2026
Where do applicants from Punjab apply?
At VFS Global, the Embassy of Iceland's official partner in India. Punjab is well served: VFS runs Iceland visa centres in Jalandhar and Chandigarh, with Gurugram and New Delhi nearby. The others are in Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Cochin, Goa, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, Puducherry and Pune, all open Monday to Friday. Every file goes to the Embassy in New Delhi.
Who handles Iceland visas in India is a common question, because the Danish Embassy's FAQ still lists Iceland alongside Denmark among the countries Indians can apply for at VFS. Iceland's own government lists the Icelandic Embassy in New Delhi, through VFS Global, for every Indian city, and VFS India runs a separate Iceland website. Use the VFS Iceland site and its checklist.
The steps, in order:
- Online application. Fill it in on visa.government.is, choosing India and your VFS city. Print it and sign the printout.
- Appointment. Book at the VFS centre you chose. The Embassy warns that in the peak season it can take several days to get one.
- Submission. Bring the signed online printout, the completed Schengen application form, your passport and the documents on the checklist. VFS staff tick each item and you sign the checklist's last page.
- Biometrics. Fingerprints and a photo at the centre.
VFS also offers optional services such as form filling and "Visa at your doorstep". They cost extra and do not affect the decision. To see how dates are opening up, check our Iceland appointment availability page.
Which documents depend on your situation?
The common checklist is printed further down this page. Iceland uses a single Embassy checklist for tourism, business and family visits, and what changes between applicants is the proof of income:
Employed
- What the Embassy's checklist asks for
- Pay slips for the last three months, the employment contract, and a holiday approval or leave letter from your employer
Self-employed or company owner
- What the Embassy's checklist asks for
- Certificate of registration of the company with its GST number, the business bank account statement, and an income tax return that is barcode verifiable
Student
- What the Embassy's checklist asks for
- A certificate from the institution where you are enrolled
Sponsored
- What the Embassy's checklist asks for
- Proof of sponsorship, a letter from the sponsor and a copy of the sponsor's photo ID; a marriage certificate if your spouse is the sponsor
Retired
- What the Embassy's checklist asks for
- Pension statements for the last three months, and proof of regular income from property or a business
The money test. Iceland states the figure. Your bank statements must show that, for the entire trip, you have 8,000 ISK a day if you stay in a hotel, or 4,000 ISK a day if a third party bears the costs of the stay. A 10-day hotel trip therefore needs 80,000 ISK. The proof is your original personal bank statement for the last three months, every page stamped and signed by the bank, plus ITR acknowledgements for the last two assessment years.
Everyone shows a statement. The statement is required from all applicants regardless of sponsorship. The account may be in your name or your sponsor's; if it is the sponsor's, attach a signed sponsorship letter and a signed copy of the sponsor's passport.
Children under 18. A child travelling with one parent needs the other parent's written consent, certified by a notary, or a court order or other proof of sole custody. A child travelling alone needs notarised consent from both parents. Add copies of both parents' passports, or their photo ID cards.
Visiting relatives or friends adds the host's invitation and proof of the relationship; the Iceland family visit visa guide covers that route.
How much is the Iceland visa fee for Indians?
The visa fee is €90 for adults, which VFS listed as ₹9,810 on 14 October 2026, and €45 (₹4,905) for children aged 6 to 11; under-6s pay no visa fee under the EU Visa Code. VFS adds a service charge of ₹3,161 (€29), GST included. You pay both at the centre in cash or by card, the rupee amounts follow the current exchange rate, and neither the visa fee nor the VFS fee is refunded if the visa is refused. Our filing fee is shown at the top of this page.
How long does it take, and when should you apply?
Usually 15 calendar days. The clock starts when the Embassy has received the application from VFS and all requested documents are in, so courier time from your centre is not counted. It runs longer when the Embassy needs an interview or more documents, and in the busiest months.
When to apply:
- Earliest: up to six months before the trip, as the Embassy reminds applicants.
- Peak season: March to June. The Embassy advises those travelling then to plan ahead and apply as early as possible, partly because VFS appointments can take several days to get.
- Latest: VFS recommends at least two weeks before travel. Allow three or more if you apply from Jalandhar or Chandigarh, so the courier days fit.
If VFS marks a document as missing, you have 5 calendar days from your appointment to email it to the Embassy. Send it to both visa.nde@utn.is and visa@utn.is, with your name as it appears in your passport as the subject, your passport number and your VFS city in the email, and PDF attachments only. Watch your spam folder while the file is open.
Why do Iceland visas get refused for Indian applicants?
Iceland decides under the EU Visa Code, and its checklist adds conditions you sign at VFS. These are the points where Indian holiday files go wrong.
Statements that do not reach the krona figure
Iceland's checklist gives the number: 8,000 ISK a day for a hotel stay, 4,000 ISK a day if someone else bears the costs. A statement that falls short, has unstamped pages, or shows money parked just before applying, invites a refusal for insufficient means.
Missing papers not emailed in time
You sign that the Embassy may decide without documents not sent within 5 calendar days of your appointment, and that the decision may be to your disadvantage. Have everything ready before VFS, not after.
An insurance card instead of the policy
The checklist says in capitals that an insurance card is not sufficient. The policy must show the period of validity, the coverage area and the whole trip, with cover of at least €30,000 in all Schengen countries.
Iceland is not really the main destination
You also sign that Iceland cannot examine your application if you will stay longer in another Schengen state. A week in Paris with three days in Reykjavík belongs with France, not Iceland.
Documents that are not genuine
The checklist states that an application will be refused if falsified or forged documents are submitted. Booking printouts, bank letters and leave letters must be real and checkable.
Every standard Schengen refusal ground is explained on our Schengen refusal reasons page.
Tips for a stronger file
- Do the sum in krónur. Multiply your nights by 8,000 ISK, or by 4,000 ISK if your host or a sponsor pays, and make sure three months of statements clear it comfortably.
- Get every statement page stamped. Iceland wants all pages stamped and signed by the bank, not just the first.
- Flight reservation with a PNR. The round-trip reservation must show the PNR number and your name. Add the intra-Schengen flight, train or car booking if you travel on.
- The policy, not the card. Ask your insurer for the full policy document with dates, coverage area and the €30,000 minimum. See our Schengen travel insurance explainer.
- Write a cover letter. Purpose of travel, duration, the names of anyone travelling with you, and your transport and accommodation details, matching the bookings day for day.
- Self-employed? Use a verifiable ITR. The checklist asks for an income tax return that is barcode verifiable, with the GST registration and business bank statement.
- Photo. No more than six months old, white background, 35 × 45 mm, with your face filling 70 to 80% of the frame.
- Answer the Embassy's emails fast. It may ask for more documents, call you about your statements or invite you to an interview.
Can you appeal an Iceland visa refusal?
Yes, within 30 days from the date of the decision. The appeal goes to Iceland's Visa Appeals Board by email to appeals@utn.is. It must be a written statement of grounds in Icelandic, with the reference number (the ISL number at the top of the refusal letter), your full name, nationality and the date of the refusal, plus proof that you have paid the appeal fee of €300 by bank transfer to the Ministry for Foreign Affairs.
Note what the Board looks at: it decides only on the documents that were available when the original decision was made, so you cannot fix a weak file by adding papers to an appeal. If the refusal was about money, a missing document or the insurance, a fresh application with a stronger file is usually the better route. Check your dates with our refusal deadline tool, and for other trip types start at the Iceland country page.
Official sources
- Apply for a visa to Iceland (Schengen visa), Ísland.is, Ministry for Foreign Affairs
- Where to apply for a Schengen visa to Iceland, Ísland.is
- Multiple-entry visa, Ísland.is
- Appeals for visa refusal to Iceland, Ísland.is
- Online visa application, Government of Iceland
- Visa to Iceland, Embassy of Iceland in New Delhi
- VFS Global Iceland India: tourism visa fees and processing
- VFS Global Iceland India: visa application centres
- VFS Global Iceland India: home
- Before you apply for your visa, Embassy of Denmark in India
- European Union adopts more favourable Schengen visa rules for Indians, EU Delegation to India
- Visa Code, consolidated text (EUR-Lex)
