Parents who have not accumulated enough work history (including stay-at-home parents) may be entitled to a flat-rate fæðingarstyrkur (childbirth grant) instead, provided they have been domiciled in Iceland for the 12 months preceding the birth. Students who have been in full-time study for at least six of the preceding 12 months also qualify for a grant. The amounts are lower than income-based payments.
Self-employed parents are eligible on the same terms, though the reference period and calculation method differ slightly (based on calculated remuneration from the preceding tax year).
Unpaid parental leave
In addition to the 12 months of paid leave, each parent has the right to take up to 13 consecutive weeks of unpaid leave from work to care for a child under the age of eight. Your employment contract and all accrued rights remain intact during both paid and unpaid leave.
How to apply
Applications are submitted through island.is. You must apply at least six weeks before your expected due date, and your employer must be notified at least eight weeks before. The Directorate of Labour can be reached at faedingarorlof@vmst.is or by phone at +354 515 4800.
After the birth: postnatal care and support
The Icelandic system does not end at delivery. Postnatal support is structured and publicly funded.
After giving birth at a hospital or birth centre, most families are discharged within hours. A midwife then visits your home in the days following delivery, free of charge. These visits cover the health of both mother and baby, and provide guidance on breastfeeding and early newborn care. The scope and duration of home visit services varies by region (typically up to around six weeks), so ask your prenatal midwife what is available in your area.
Once the midwife home visits end, the well-child care team at your local healthcare centre takes over. A separate follow-up exam for the mother is scheduled 6–10 weeks after delivery.
Infant and early childhood care (ungbarnaeftirlit) is provided at no cost to all parents. A nurse (and occasionally a paediatrician) monitors the child's development through a schedule of examinations from birth until the child begins primary school. Vaccinations begin at the 10–12 week visit.
Registering your baby and getting a kennitala
When a baby is born in Iceland, the hospital or midwife sends a birth notification directly to Registers Iceland (Þjóðskrá Íslands). If the mother is registered in the National Registry, the child is automatically registered and assigned a kennitala.
If both parents are foreign nationals and the mother is not registered in the National Registry, the child is allocated a system ID number but is not formally registered. Contact Registers Iceland to clarify your situation.
Paternity. If the parents are married or in registered cohabitation (sambúð), the mother's spouse is automatically listed as the child's other parent. If the parents are not married or in a registered partnership, paternity must be formally declared. The mother has a legal obligation to identify the father, and a feðrunarviðurkenning (statement of paternity) must be submitted to Registers Iceland.
Custody. Married or cohabiting parents automatically share joint custody. If the parents are not married or in a registered partnership, the mother holds sole custody by default. Joint custody can be arranged by agreement, but it does not happen automatically when paternity is established.
For more on the kennitala and why it matters for every part of daily life in Iceland, see our kennitala guide.
Naming your child in Iceland
Iceland has naming laws unlike anywhere else in the world. Understanding them before the birth will save you confusion and potential delays.
A child must be named within six months of birth, either through a christening in a registered religious association or by notification to Registers Iceland. The name must appear on the official register of approved Icelandic names, or you must apply to the Mannanafnanefnd (Personal Names Committee) for approval. A fee applies for rulings on new names.
Names must conform to Icelandic spelling and grammar conventions and must not be likely to cause the bearer embarrassment. No child may have more than three given names.
The patronymic system. Iceland does not use family surnames in the way most countries do. Instead, children receive a patronymic (based on the father's first name) or matronymic (based on the mother's first name), followed by the suffix -son or -dóttir. For example, a daughter of a man named Magnús would be Magnúsdóttir. A son would be Magnússon. Since 2019, individuals officially registered as non-binary may also use the gender-neutral suffix -bur (child of).
If the parents are not married or in a registered partnership when the child is born, the child receives a matronymic by default. A patronymic requires that paternity has been formally established.
Foreign parents. Patronymics can be formed from foreign names. A father named David could give his child the surname Davidsson or Davidsdóttir. The name can be adapted to Icelandic spelling conventions, but this is not required. Parents who hold a family surname can also pass it to their child. Foreign nationals may also give their child a name not on the approved list, though rules still apply.
These rules generate real practical complications. Families travelling abroad sometimes face confusion at border control because children have different last names from their parents. It is worth carrying supporting documentation when you travel.
Citizenship and residence rights
A baby born in Iceland to two foreign parents does not automatically receive Icelandic citizenship. Iceland follows jus sanguinis (citizenship by descent), not jus soli (citizenship by birthplace).
Your child receives Icelandic citizenship at birth only if at least one parent is an Icelandic citizen. For children born after 1 July 2018, this applies regardless of the parents' marital status, as long as paternity has been confirmed under the Children's Act.
If both parents are foreign nationals, the child's right to stay in Iceland depends entirely on the parents' residence status:
If the mother is an EEA/EFTA citizen with legal domicile in Iceland, the child is registered in the National Registry based on the birth notification from the hospital.
If the father (but not the mother) is an EEA/EFTA citizen with legal domicile, the parents must contact Registers Iceland to complete the child's registration.
If either parent holds a temporary residence permit, a residence permit application for the child must be submitted to the Directorate of Immigration.
If a parent holds a permanent residence permit, a permanent residence permit application must be filed for the child.
Plan for this before the birth. Permit processing takes time, and having the documentation ready will avoid unnecessary delays in registering your child and accessing services.
For a broader overview of pathways to citizenship, see our Icelandic citizenship guide.
Child benefits
Barnabætur (child benefits) are income-linked payments from the Icelandic government to parents of dependent children under 18. They are calculated and paid by Iceland Revenue and Customs (Skatturinn) based on the parents' tax returns.
No application is required. Since 2025, child benefits are paid automatically in the birth year, with the first payment arriving in the quarter following the birth. Payments then continue quarterly: 1 February, 1 May, 1 June, and 1 October.
The amount depends on household income, marital status, and the number of children. Higher-income households receive less, and some receive nothing. Additional benefits apply for children under seven. The system is income-linked and means-tested, so the amounts vary significantly between families. Skatturinn provides an online calculator (in Icelandic) to estimate your entitlement.
To receive child benefits, you must be domiciled in Iceland or have stayed in the country for more than 183 days in a 12-month period, and the child must be registered as living with you.
The daycare gap
Parental leave in Iceland lasts 12 months. Municipal daycare (leikskóli) typically does not accept children until they are 18–24 months old. The gap between the end of parental leave and the start of daycare is a real, practical problem that nearly every family having a baby in Iceland faces.
There is no universal right to subsidized childcare from the end of the parental leave period, unlike in several other Nordic countries.
To bridge the gap, many families use a combination of strategies. Some parents spread their leave part-time over a longer period to extend coverage (at reduced monthly payments). Others rely on private dagforeldri (day parents/childminders), who typically operate from their homes or municipality-owned facilities and care for children aged 6–18 months. Municipal subsidies for day-parent services vary by location. In some areas, infant preschool programmes operate within existing leikskóli facilities.
Waitlists for daycare in Reykjavík can be long. Apply as early as possible, ideally up to 12 months before you need the spot. Each municipality sets its own rules for registration and subsidies. Monthly daycare fees are typically 30,000–50,000 ISK (as of 2025), with discounts for siblings and single parents. For a broader look at household expenses, see our cost of living guide.
For more on how the daycare system works, see our daycare guide. Our first 30 days checklist also covers early registration steps for families with children.
Frequently asked questions
Is prenatal care in Iceland free?
Yes, if you have been legally domiciled in Iceland for at least six months and are covered by Icelandic health insurance. Prenatal exams, blood work, and the standard 19–20 week ultrasound are all included. The optional early ultrasound at 11–14 weeks carries a fee.
How long is parental leave in Iceland?
Each parent receives six months, for a combined total of 12 months. Up to six weeks per parent can be transferred to the other. Leave must be used before the child turns 24 months old. Payments are 80% of average salary, capped at 900,000 ISK per month for children born in 2026.
Does my baby automatically get Icelandic citizenship if born in Iceland?
No. Iceland uses citizenship by descent, not by birthplace. A child born in Iceland to two foreign parents does not receive Icelandic citizenship. The child's right to reside in Iceland depends on the parents' immigration status.
Can I choose to have a home birth in Iceland?
Yes, for healthy, low-risk pregnancies between 37 and 42 weeks with a single baby in the head-down position. Two midwives attend. Home births are not available in all parts of Iceland, so check with your prenatal midwife about local options.
What happens if I'm not yet covered by Icelandic health insurance when I give birth?
You may need to pay for maternity care out of pocket or through private insurance. Non-EEA nationals in their first six months of domicile are not automatically covered. Contact Icelandic Health Insurance (Sjúkratryggingar Íslands) early in your pregnancy to confirm your coverage.
How do I name my baby in Iceland?
The child must be named within six months of birth. Names must be on the approved register or be submitted to the Personal Names Committee for approval. Iceland uses a patronymic system rather than family surnames. Foreign parents may use names not on the register, but rules around Icelandic spelling conventions still apply.
Last updated: March 2026
You have three options for where to deliver in Iceland: a hospital, a birth centre, or at home. The choice depends on your health, risk factors, and personal preference, and you can change your mind at any point during pregnancy.
Iceland's parental leave system is one of the most generous and egalitarian in the world. Both parents receive independent, non-transferable leave, and the system is designed to encourage equal participation in childcare from day one.