Iceland business visa
Iceland sits inside the Schengen Area, and that single fact shapes your whole trip. As an Indian passport holder you cannot land and sort out papers there; you need a short-stay uniform Schengen visa (Type C) in hand before you fly. There is no visa-on-arrival and no e-visa. The visa covers the reasons people usually go to Reykjavik for work: meetings, contract negotiations, trade fairs, conferences and site visits. Once issued, it lets you move across the entire Schengen area for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. One rule decides which country you apply through: Iceland must be your main destination, meaning where you spend the longest stretch, or, if two stays are equally long, the first Schengen country you enter.
You lodge the application in India at a VFS Global centre, and the Embassy of Iceland in New Delhi is the office that decides. VFS runs centres in New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata, Pune, Hyderabad and other cities. Your fingerprints and photo are taken there and stay valid for 59 months, so if you gave biometrics for a Schengen visa inside that window you may skip that step. Plan on roughly 15 days for a decision once your file reaches the embassy, though it can stretch to 45 in some cases; the timeline is the embassy's to set, not ours. One requirement is non-negotiable: travel medical insurance of at least EUR 30,000, valid across Schengen for the full trip.
Who this visa is for
- ✓Indian passport holders travelling to Iceland for business meetings, contract negotiations, trade fairs, conferences or site visits for up to 90 days in any 180-day period
- ✓Applicants holding a written invitation or confirmation from an Icelandic company or business host with its contact details
- ✓Applicants for whom Iceland is the main destination (longest stay) or, for equally long stays, the first Schengen country of entry, so that Iceland's mission is responsible
- ✓Applicants who can show sufficient funds, an income-tax record, and ties to India showing intent to return before the visa expires
- ✓Applicants holding travel medical insurance with a minimum of EUR 30,000 cover valid throughout the Schengen area for the whole stay
Visa options for Iceland
Uniform short-stay Schengen visa (Type C)
The standard business visa for Iceland: up to 90 days in any 180-day period for meetings, negotiations, conferences and site visits, valid for travel across the entire Schengen area.
Single-entry Type C
Permits one entry into the Schengen area for a single business trip; the visa is used up once you exit, even if 90 days are unused.
Multiple-entry Type C
Allows repeated entries within the visa's validity subject to the 90/180-day rule. For frequent, bona-fide business travellers with a good visa history, multiple-entry visas can be issued with validity of up to 5 years.
Documents typically required
- ✓Schengen visa application form, completed and signed (pre-registered and printed through the Icelandic Directorate of Immigration online system)
- ✓Passport issued within the last 10 years, valid at least 3 months beyond your planned departure from the Schengen area, with at least two blank pages, plus your previous passports
- ✓Two recent passport photographs, 35 x 45 mm on a white background (not more than 6 months old)
- ✓Invitation or confirmation letter from the Icelandic host company stating its contact details, the purpose of the visit and the dates
- ✓Cover letter from your Indian employer on letterhead confirming your position, the purpose of travel, approved leave and who bears the trip costs
- ✓Personal bank statements for the last 6 months and proof of income-tax return (barcode-verifiable ITR)
- ✓Flight tickets showing the PNR and the traveller's name
- ✓Proof of accommodation in Iceland covering the whole stay (hotel bookings, or a statement that the host covers it)
- ✓Travel medical insurance valid across the Schengen area for the entire stay, with a minimum of EUR 30,000 cover for accident, illness and medical emergency evacuation (an insurance card alone is not accepted)
- ✓Biometrics (fingerprints and photo) given in person at the VFS Global centre, unless you provided them for a Schengen visa within the last 59 months
Your exact checklist depends on your profile — we confirm it during your case analysis. Every visa decision rests with the embassy or consulate.
Indian residents lodge the application and give biometrics in person at a VFS Global centre, which forwards it to the Embassy of Iceland in New Delhi for the decision. The visa fee is EUR 90 for adults (EUR 45 for children aged 6-12), and VFS Global charges a separate service fee of about INR 2,900; neither is refunded if the visa is refused. An Iceland Schengen visa is issued for a specific main-destination trip: you must actually spend the most time in Iceland (or enter Schengen through Iceland first), or the application can be refused for using the wrong mission.
Frequently asked questions
Do you guarantee the visa?
No. The decision rests solely with the Embassy of Iceland and the Icelandic immigration authorities. What we do is give you a frank, honest assessment of your case and prepare the strongest possible application. Over the last 2-3 years our applications have a 97% success rate, but no consultant can guarantee an outcome.
Where do I apply for an Iceland business visa in India, and should it go through Iceland?
You apply at a VFS Global centre in India (New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata, Pune, Hyderabad and other cities), and the Embassy of Iceland in New Delhi takes the decision. Go through Iceland only if it is your main destination, the country where you will spend the most time, or, when stays are equally long, the first Schengen country you enter. If your longest stop is elsewhere, apply through that country's mission instead.
How long can I stay, and where can I travel on this visa?
You get up to 90 days in any 180-day period, and you can move freely across the whole Schengen area, not just Iceland. It is meant for business activity such as meetings, negotiations and conferences. It does not let you take up employment in Iceland.
How long does the Iceland business visa take?
Count on about 15 days once the embassy has your file. It can run to 45 days in some cases, say during peak season or when extra documents are requested. The Embassy of Iceland in New Delhi is the one deciding, so apply well ahead of your travel date.