You must apply for a renewal of your residence permit at least four weeks before the expiry date of the previous permit.

If you apply for a renewal of a residence permit after the expiry of the period of validity of the previous permit, your application will be treated as if it were your first residence permit.

The renewal period shall be a maximum of 90 days from the time that complete documentation has been received, except for more complex applications that require further processing. If you send complete supporting documentation with an application, the processing of the application generally takes a shorter time.

If you continue to meet the requirements for a residence permit, it is renewed. After you receive a response, you must attend a photo op, processing by the Directorate of Immigration or the sheriffs of a foreign capital area. Remember your passport to prove who you are! The residence permit card will then be sent to your home.

If you do not meet the conditions for renewal of your residence permit, your application is rejected. This means that you will not be granted the residence permit you apply for. Refusals of applications for residence permits are administrative decisions in writing, which can be appealed to within 15 days from the date you receive the refusal. More information on these is given here.

Application for renewal is the second step in digitalizing the services of the Directorate of Immigration. First digital application was the application for Icelandic citizenship.

Umsókn um endurnýjun er næsta stóra skrefið í stafrænni vegferð Útlendingastofnunar á eftir stafræn umsókn um íslenskan ríkisborgararétt.

Applicants must register with an electronic ID to open the application, but instructions for applicants can be found on