The usage of all core services on Ísland.is will grow in 2024 and it is therefore important to ensure that this increase will be felt all the way - that users know and choose digital solutions over paper processes.

Along with increased usage of the application system Ísland.is, payments through the Payment system on Ísland.is have increased. 2024 was a record year; the country’s citizens paid for various services on Ísland.is in over 122.000 times regardless of service provider.

One of the indicators that Digital Iceland uses to evaluate the actual results of digitalisation relates to the ratio between manual and digital processing. The reason for monitoring the transition from manual to digital processing is to ensure that the investment that is behind the digitalisation processes is actually producing the desired results. When a service is available on Ísland.is, it normally takes time for its use to become fully digital.

This table shows the change between years in payments for services that can be found on Ísland.is. The percentage shows what is paid for by an institution manually, for example, through a post office or by transfer, and then payments for the same service through the payment system Ísland.is.

An homestay permit is an example of a service that has never existed on paper and has therefore been 100% digital since its inception. Another example of digital services that require payment is the application of criminal records, but of the 16,717 criminal records issued in 2024, 88% of the processing was completely automated and digital.

Payment services simplify the lives of those who need to apply for service, as they no longer need to show up at a designated place to pay for the service requested. Similarly, the streamlining within institutions results in fewer payments that need manual registration and accounting.

Today, it is only possible to pay for services through the payment system Ísland.is with a credit card, but an update of the system is underway, which adds the option to have a payment claim sent to a local bank. It is estimated that this update will take off in the spring of 2025.

The payment system Ísland.is is a collaboration between the Financial Management Authority and Digital Iceland.