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A step-by-step guide to getting health insurance in Iceland as a new resident, covering the six-month waiting period, EEA right transfers, mandatory private insurance, and registration at island.is.
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Health insurance in Iceland is residency-based and publicly funded. Once you qualify, the state covers the majority of your medical costs. But there is a catch that trips up nearly every new arrival. A six-month waiting period before public coverage begins.
During that gap, you are either uninsured or relying on private coverage. How you handle those first six months depends on where you are moving from and what type of residence permit you hold.
This guide walks through the full registration process, from your first day in Iceland to full public coverage, including who can skip the waiting period, what private insurance costs, and what documents you need at each step.
Table of contents
Everyone living in Iceland needs health coverage. The public system, managed by Iceland Health (Sjúkratryggingar Íslands), covers all legal residents who have been domiciled in the country for at least six consecutive months.
If you have not yet reached that six-month mark, you are not covered by the public system and must pay the full, unsubsidised cost of any medical care you receive. For context, an uninsured GP visit costs several times more than the 500 ISK an insured resident pays (as of 2026).
The path to coverage depends on your nationality and your previous insurance status. There are three main scenarios:
Non-EEA citizens (including Americans, Canadians, and UK citizens without prior EEA insurance) face the full six-month wait. Private medical cost insurance is mandatory as a condition of your residence permit.
EEA, UK, and Swiss citizens who were publicly insured in their previous country can transfer those rights and potentially skip the waiting period entirely.
People moving from a Nordic country (Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland) who registered domicile there less than 12 months ago are automatically covered from the date they register in Iceland. No application needed.
The waiting period begins when Registers Iceland (Þjóðskrá Íslands) records your legal domicile. Not when you arrive in the country, not when you receive your kennitala (national ID number), and not when you submit your health insurance application. The clock starts on the date of domicile registration.
Six months after that date, non-EEA citizens who did not transfer rights from another country are automatically covered. You do not need to do anything additional once the period ends, though submitting your application early is still recommended (more on that below).
During the waiting period, you are responsible for the full cost of any medical care. Hospital stays, specialist referrals, and imaging are all billed at full tariff rates, which are significantly higher than insured rates.
There are limited medical exemptions to the waiting period. Iceland Health may grant early coverage for sudden serious illness, life-threatening conditions in certain cases, kidney dialysis patients, and people who have fled war or natural disasters. These are assessed case-by-case and require a medical certificate.
Submit your application through island.is one day after Registers Iceland has recorded your new legal domicile. This timing matters: the system will not accept applications submitted on the same day as registration.
Here is the step-by-step process:
1. Register your domicile. This happens at Registers Iceland when you move to Iceland. EEA citizens can register in person or online. Non-EEA citizens must have an approved residence permit first. You will need your passport, proof of housing in Iceland (a rental contract or confirmation letter), and your residence permit if applicable.
2. Get your kennitala. Your kennitala is assigned as part of the domicile registration process. It usually arrives within a few days. This number is required for your health insurance application. See our kennitala guide for the full process.
3. Submit the health insurance application. Go to island.is/en/apply-for-health-insurance and complete the online form. You will need your kennitala and, if you are transferring rights from an EEA country, your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) details or S1 certificate.
4. Wait for processing. Iceland Health reviews your application and, for EEA citizens, contacts the insurance institution in your previous country. Processing times vary. Simple cases (Nordic transfers) may take days. EEA transfers can take weeks depending on how quickly the other country's institution responds.
5. Receive confirmation. Once approved, you are insured from the applicable date (either the six-month mark or, for successful transfers, from the date of domicile registration). Your status is visible on My Pages at island.is.
While your application is being processed, you are not yet covered. If you need medical care during this gap, you can present your EHIC from your previous country (if you have one) and pay the same reduced rates as insured residents. Alternatively, pay the full cost and apply for reimbursement from Iceland Health once your insurance is confirmed.
Our first 30 days checklist walks through the full registration sequence, including healthcare, banking, and everything else you need to do after landing.
If you were covered by public health insurance in an EEA country, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Greenland, or the Faroe Islands before moving to Iceland, you can transfer those rights. This is the most common way to skip the six-month waiting period.
The process works through the application for health insurance on island.is. When you submit your application, indicate that you were insured in your previous country. Iceland Health will then contact the insurance institution there to verify your coverage.
You will need either a valid European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) from your previous country or an S1 certificate. The S1 confirms you were covered by health insurance in the issuing country and requests that Iceland provide coverage at that country's expense.
Submitting a copy of your EHIC (front and back) with your application speeds up processing.
Once confirmation is received from your previous country, your health insurance in Iceland is backdated to the date your legal domicile was registered. That means any medical costs you paid during the processing period can be reimbursed.
Only public insurance counts. If you only had private health insurance in your previous country, you do not qualify for the transfer and will face the standard six-month wait.
Spouses and children of EEA citizens who are already covered by Icelandic health insurance may also be entitled to immediate coverage without the waiting period. Include their details in the application.
Temporary workers from the EEA posted to Iceland by a foreign employer can remain insured under their home country's system. Apply for an A1 certificate (confirming social security coverage) and an S1 certificate in your home country, then submit the S1 to Iceland Health. Once registered, you have the same rights as locally insured residents.
If you are moving to Iceland from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, or Finland and it has been less than 12 months since you registered domicile in that Nordic country, you are automatically covered by Icelandic health insurance when your domicile is registered. No separate application is needed. This applies regardless of your nationality.
For people who have lived in a Nordic country for more than 12 months, submit the standard application with your EHIC to transfer rights. The process is generally fast because of the established Nordic social security coordination agreements.
Iceland Health recommends including a copy of your EHIC with the application even for Nordic transfers, as it speeds up processing.
If you cannot transfer rights from a previous country, you need private medical cost insurance (sjúkrakostnaðartrygging) for your first six months. For non-EEA citizens, this is not optional. It is a legal requirement tied to your residence permit.
Four Icelandic insurance companies offer this product:
Provider | Website |
|---|---|
Sjóvá | |
VÍS | |
TM | |
Vörður |
The policies are standardised around the same legal framework (Act No. 112/2008 on Iceland Health). Key terms across all providers (as of 2026):
Term | Details |
|---|---|
Coverage period | Up to six months, starting on your arrival date in Iceland |
Minimum insured amount | 2,000,000 ISK |
Deductible | 50,000 ISK on combined costs covered by the insurance |
Premium | Varies by age; a flat fee for the full six-month period |
The premium is determined by your age at the time of purchase. You must pay it in full before receiving the insurance certificate. Exact pricing varies by provider, so request quotes from at least two companies before purchasing.
You can buy the insurance online before arriving in Iceland. Most providers accept international credit cards. You will need a scanned copy of your passport to complete the application.
If your plans change and you need to cancel before arriving, notify your insurer by email before the insurance period begins. The premium will be refunded minus a small administrative fee (typically 5,000 ISK as of 2026).
Private medical cost insurance is designed to mirror the public system's coverage during the waiting period. It covers GP visits, hospital stays ordered by a physician, specialist consultations, and related medical services.
It does not cover:
Dental care or cosmetic surgery (unless resulting from a covered emergency)
Pregnancy, obstetric care, or pregnancy-related illness
Pre-existing conditions (symptoms that appeared before the insurance took effect)
Injuries from high-risk sports
Illnesses related to alcohol or drug use
Damage caused by natural disasters (earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, avalanches)
The pregnancy exclusion is significant. If you are expecting or planning to start a family shortly after moving to Iceland, prenatal care costs will not be covered during the waiting period unless you qualify for a transfer of EEA rights. For more on maternity care in Iceland, see our guide to having a baby in Iceland.
To make a claim, you must provide confirmation from the Directorate of Immigration that your residence permit was valid on the date of the medical service.
International students must have health insurance covering at least 2,000,000 ISK for the duration of their residence in Iceland. This is a condition of the student residence permit. The standard medical cost insurance from any of the four Icelandic providers satisfies this requirement for the first six months. After six months of legal residence, public coverage applies automatically.
Students who held public insurance in an EEA country before moving can transfer those rights just like any other EEA resident.
Icelandic students returning from studies abroad and registering their domicile within six months of completing their studies can apply for immediate coverage by submitting confirmation of their studies along with their health insurance application.
Digital nomad visa holders must have health insurance covering at least 2,000,000 ISK as a condition of the visa. Since the digital nomad visa is a temporary long-stay visa (up to 180 days, non-renewable) and does not lead to permanent residency, holders do not enter the public health insurance system. You remain on private coverage for the entire duration of your stay. See our digital nomad visa guide for full requirements.
For a broader look at the student visa process, see our student visa guide.
Once your six-month waiting period ends (or your EEA transfer is confirmed), you enter Iceland's public health insurance system. From that point, the state subsidises the majority of your healthcare costs.
As an insured resident, you pay small co-payments for most services. A standard GP visit during working hours costs around 500 ISK (as of 2026). Specialist visits, lab work, and imaging are all subsidised, with costs varying by service.
Iceland operates a monthly cost cap (greiðsluþátttökukerfi) that protects against high medical expenses. Once your out-of-pocket spending in a given month reaches the ceiling, further care that month costs very little or nothing. The current cap for general adults is 37,794 ISK per month, with lower caps for children, the elderly, and people with disabilities (as of 2026). Source: Iceland Health co-payment system.
Prescription medications are subsidised through a separate 12-month bracket system. You pay full price for your first medications, then progressively less as your cumulative spending increases. The maximum out-of-pocket for medications is 62,000 ISK over a 12-month period for general adults (as of 2026), after which prescriptions are fully covered. Source: Iceland Health medicines co-payment.
For a full breakdown of healthcare costs, co-payment brackets, and what services are covered, see our healthcare guide.
Your first step after gaining coverage: register at a heilsugæslustöð (healthcare centre) through island.is. This assigns you a primary care centre where you can see a GP, get referrals, and access vaccinations and screenings. If you do not choose one, you are automatically assigned to the centre nearest your legal address.
If you work in Iceland, you almost certainly belong to a trade union. Union membership is near-universal (around 90% of workers are covered by a collective agreement), and with it comes access to a sjúkrasjóður (sickness fund).
These funds are separate from the public health insurance system and provide supplemental benefits that the state does not cover, or covers only partially. The specifics vary by union, but common benefits include partial reimbursement for physiotherapy and rehabilitation, psychologist or therapist sessions, dental care, eyeglasses, and stays at health centres. Some funds also offer childbirth benefits.
Most sickness funds require that you have been a paying member for at least 6 to 12 months before you can claim benefits. Reimbursement rates are typically around 40% of costs, up to a set annual maximum that varies by fund and service type.
Check with your union early. Many foreign workers do not realise these benefits exist until months after they could have started using them. Your employer deducts union dues automatically from your salary, so you are paying into the system from day one.
If you are unsure which union you belong to, ask your employer. Major unions include VR (retail and office workers), Efling (general workers), and SGS (public employees). Workers in tourism, hospitality, and food service are typically members of Matvís.
Our complete guide to the Icelandic healthcare system covers dental care, mental health services, maternity care, and more. For an overview of your broader rights and protections as a worker in Iceland, see our worker rights guide. For a full walkthrough of the setup process as a new resident, start with our moving to Iceland guide.
Is health insurance mandatory in Iceland?
For non-EEA citizens, yes. Private medical cost insurance is a legal requirement for your residence permit during the six-month waiting period. EEA citizens are not legally required to purchase private insurance, but going without coverage during the waiting period means paying full price for any medical care.
How much does private health insurance cost during the waiting period?
The premium is a flat fee for six months, determined by your age. The minimum insured amount is 2,000,000 ISK, and the deductible is 50,000 ISK. Request quotes from Sjóvá, VÍS, or TM for current pricing.
Can I use my European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) in Iceland?
Yes, but in different ways depending on your situation. If you are visiting temporarily, your EHIC entitles you to the same reduced rates as insured residents. If you are moving permanently and were publicly insured in an EEA country, your EHIC helps prove your previous coverage when applying to transfer your rights through island.is.
What if I need emergency care during the waiting period?
Call 112 for emergencies. Hospitals will treat you regardless of insurance status. You will be billed at uninsured rates, which are significantly higher. If you have private medical cost insurance, submit the bill to your insurer (subject to the 50,000 ISK deductible). If you later gain public coverage and the care was medically necessary, you may be eligible for partial reimbursement from Iceland Health.
Does the public system cover dental care?
Not for adults aged 18 to 66. Dental care for children under 18 is free when registered with a family dentist. Pensioners and people with disabilities receive partial reimbursement. Adults pay out of pocket, though your union's sickness fund may offer partial coverage.
When should I apply for health insurance?
One day after your legal domicile is registered with Registers Iceland. Do not wait until the end of the six-month period. Applying early starts the process and, for EEA citizens, can result in immediate coverage once your previous insurance is confirmed.
Last updated: March 2026
