Iceland
Iceland Long-Term Visa for Remote Workers: health insurance requirements
Yes: health insurance is required
Iceland's long-term visa for remote workers lets visa-exempt non-EU/EEA/EFTA nationals stay and work remotely for up to 180 days (90 if applied for after already entering Schengen). It does not renew and you cannot reapply within 12 months of a previous Icelandic long-term visa. The income bar is high and health insurance valid in Iceland is a hard requirement.
The requirements at a glance
| Local-licensed insurer required | No: compliant international IPMI is accepted |
|---|---|
| Accepted proof | Insurance policy document showing it is valid in Iceland or the wider Schengen Area for the full visa period, covering medical treatment, emergencies and hospitalisation, and stating coverage amounts and geographical validity. Submitted with application form L-802 to the Directorate of Immigration. |
Confirmed monthly income of ISK 1,000,000 (commonly cited as roughly $7,000 to $8,000), or ISK 1,300,000 with a spouse or partner. Work must be location-independent for a foreign employer or clients, with no Icelandic companies or clients. Applicant must be visa-exempt for Schengen and not have held an Icelandic long-term visa in the past 12 months.
Our take
The insurance condition is unusually strict in wording: the Directorate states plainly that ordinary travel insurance is not accepted and that you need long-term health cover valid in Iceland or Schengen for the entire stay, covering treatment, emergencies and hospitalisation. Get a policy that names Iceland and the duration, and that spells out coverage limits.
No fixed minimum sum is published in the official guidance, which is a trap if you anchor to a small number. Given that serious cases are flown by air ambulance and the most specialised are sent abroad, the figure that actually protects you is high, and the policy must include repatriation and medical evacuation, not just in-country treatment.
What happens if you get it wrong
Buying a standard short-trip travel insurance policy and assuming it qualifies. The remote-work visa guidance specifically rejects travel insurance and wants long-term health cover, so a holiday policy can get the application refused.
Choosing a policy with no or weak evacuation and repatriation cover. With only two advanced-care hospitals in the country and routine air transport for serious cases, a treatment-only policy leaves the most expensive part of an Icelandic emergency uninsured.
Interactive
Verified pricesWhat would it cost in Iceland without insurance?
You pay, out of pocket
$1,500–$8,000
A serious private admission or common surgery.
Bars to scale. A flight home is in another league.
That is the bill you carry alone. Insurance exists for exactly this.
See what cover costsTypical private-care estimates for illustration, not a quote. Actual bills vary by hospital, city and severity.
FAQ
Yes, in effect. It is the long-term visa for remote workers: up to 180 days for visa-exempt non-EU/EEA/EFTA nationals, with a high income requirement and mandatory long-term health insurance.
Yes, strictly. You must hold health insurance valid in Iceland or Schengen for the whole stay covering treatment, emergencies and hospitalisation. The Directorate is explicit that travel insurance is not accepted and it must be long-term health cover.
No specific minimum sum in ISK or EUR is published in the official guidance. The policy must state its coverage amounts and where it is valid, so buy generously rather than to a fixed number and make sure evacuation and repatriation are included.
Up to 180 days if you apply from your home country before travelling, or up to 90 days if you apply after entering Schengen. It does not renew, and you cannot reapply within 12 months of a previous Icelandic long-term visa.
Confirmed income of ISK 1,000,000 a month for a single applicant, or ISK 1,300,000 with a spouse or partner, commonly cited as roughly $7,000 to $8,000 a month.
Reviewed by Lukas Schönberg, Founder & researcher, Nomad Insurance Broker OÜ
Nomad Insurance Broker OÜ (Estonia) is an information and matching platform, not currently registered as a regulated insurance intermediary in any jurisdiction. See /how-it-works for the full disclosure.
Source: work.iceland.isLast verified
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