Iceland tourist visa
Iceland travels on the same document as Paris or Rome: the Schengen short-stay visa (Type C, uniform visa), good for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Iceland is a full Schengen member, so this one sticker also opens all 29 Schengen countries. The rule for where you apply is simple. Apply through Iceland's mission when Iceland is your main destination, meaning where you will spend the most days, or, if your days split evenly, wherever you first enter the Schengen area.
Here is the quirk that catches people out. Iceland runs directly staffed embassy visa sections in just four cities worldwide, and New Delhi is one of them, so every Indian applicant is handled by the Embassy of Iceland in New Delhi. You lodge your file at a VFS Global Iceland Visa Application Centre in India, and VFS forwards it to the embassy. The embassy takes the decision, sometimes after a further check with the Icelandic Directorate of Immigration (Utlendingastofnun).
Who this visa is for
- ✓Indian passport holders travelling to Iceland for tourism, sightseeing or visiting friends and family for up to 90 days in any 180-day period.
- ✓Iceland is your main Schengen destination (the country of longest stay) or, where days are equal, your first point of entry into the Schengen area.
- ✓Passport valid for at least three months beyond your planned departure from the Schengen area, issued within the last ten years, with at least two blank pages.
- ✓Travel medical insurance of at least EUR 30,000, valid across the whole Schengen area for the entire trip.
- ✓Sufficient funds for the stay and clear ties to India (employment, business, family, property) showing you will return.
Visa options for Iceland
Single-entry short-stay (Type C)
Permits one entry into the Schengen area; the visa is exhausted once you leave, even if fewer than 90 days were used.
Multiple-entry short-stay (Type C)
Allows several entries within the visa's validity, with total stay capped at 90 days in any 180-day period; issued at the consulate's discretion based on travel history.
Tourism / visiting friends and family
The purpose category most Indian leisure travellers apply under, supported by hotel and tour bookings or a host's invitation and proof of private accommodation.
Documents typically required
- ✓Completed and signed Schengen visa application form.
- ✓Passport valid at least three months beyond your intended departure from the Schengen area, issued within the last ten years, with at least two blank pages, plus copies of any previous visas.
- ✓Two recent passport photos, 35 x 45 mm, meeting Schengen/ICAO specifications.
- ✓Travel medical insurance covering all Schengen states with minimum EUR 30,000 cover, valid for the whole trip.
- ✓Flight tickets and a day-by-day travel itinerary; for multi-country trips, proof of intra-Schengen transport.
- ✓Proof of accommodation for the full stay (hotel bookings; or a host's invitation and proof of private accommodation if staying with family or friends).
- ✓Personal bank statements for the last three months showing sufficient funds for the trip.
- ✓Proof of employment and an employer's letter confirming approved leave and return to work; the self-employed provide business registration and tax returns; students provide a letter from their institution.
- ✓Cover letter stating the purpose of travel and itinerary.
- ✓Proof of ties to India (employment, business, property or family) demonstrating intent to return.
Your exact checklist depends on your profile — we confirm it during your case analysis. Every visa decision rests with the embassy or consulate.
Because Iceland keeps a visa-issuing section only in New Delhi, every Indian application is decided there, whichever VFS Global city you submit in. Schengen rules let you apply up to six months before travel, and no later than 15 days before departure. Apply early, as peak-season processing can run well past the usual two weeks.
Frequently asked questions
Do you guarantee the visa?
No, and no one honestly can. 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 profile and build the strongest, best-documented application possible. Over the last 2-3 years our applications have seen a 97% success rate, but every case is decided on its own merits by the consulate.
Which embassy and VFS centre handle my Iceland visa in India?
You submit at a VFS Global Iceland Visa Application Centre in India: New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and other cities. VFS then forwards your file to the Embassy of Iceland in New Delhi, the only Icelandic mission serving India, and that embassy makes the decision.
How long does processing take?
The embassy normally decides within about 15 days of receiving your file from VFS. It can take longer if more documents are requested or the case needs further checks, and in exceptional cases up to 45 days. Apply well before your travel date.
Can I visit other Schengen countries on an Iceland visa?
Yes. The uniform Schengen visa lets you move across all 29 Schengen countries for up to 90 days in any 180-day period, provided Iceland stays your main destination for the trip.