The right to bereavement grant is established on the day a parent suffers a child loss and expires 24 months later.
The period of a bereavement grant may begin from the 1st day of the month in which the parent suffers the loss.
Legal domicile in Iceland
The parent must have legal domicile in Iceland upon the loss of a child, stillbirth or miscarriage. The parent must also have had legal domicile in Iceland for the last 12 months before that time.
Exemptions
If a parent has been residing in another EEA country for a period of 12 months before the loss of a child, it is taken into account that the parent had legal domicile in Iceland at the time of the loss of a child.
The condition is that the period of insurance has not been more than one month in that country.
In these cases, the parent must apply for a U1 certificate so that the institution can obtain information about insurance periods in other countries.
Parents who have received a residence permit in Iceland* for the first time may be entitled to a bereavement grant.
This may be the case even if the parent has not had a legal domicile in Iceland for the last twelve months before the birth of the child, initial adoption or permanent foster care.
The condition is that it has not been more than twelve months since the granting of a residence permit.
* on grounds of international protection or on humanitarian grounds.
A derogation from the requirement of domicile may be granted when:
Parent moved temporarily from his legal domicile due to study abroad.
The parent temporarily moved his legal domicile and is studying remotely at an Icelandic school at the time.
The requirement is to have been domiciled in Iceland for at least 5 consecutive years prior to the move.
From 2023
The Act on Grief Support applies to parents who suffer a child loss, or a stillbirth or miscarriage on or after 1 January 2023. Then the Act on Grief Support first came into force.
Those entitled
Parents.
Guardians.
Those who have been parents of the child for more than the last 12 months before the loss of the child.
A step-parent or foster parent who has been registered as cohabiting or married to the child's parent or guardian, or has been with the child in foster care, for more than 12 months before the child's death.
You can send an email to: if you want more information on the right to grief support.
