Useful links

Below are some useful links to organisations that offer services for immigrants:

The Directorate of Immigration (Útlendingastofnun)
The Directorate operates under the Ministry of the Interior and is tasked with the processing of residence permits, visas, citizenship applications and requests for asylum. The website provides information on the residence permit application process, which is very useful for staff applying from outside the EU.

ENIC/NARIC Iceland
The Icelandic ENIC/NARIC Information Center provides you with assessments of your non-Icelandic degree, diploma or certificates and offers information about international recognition of qualifications. The assessments are in a form of a brief statement explaining what your foreign qualification corresponds to in Iceland, that is which educational level and if possible, which field of study.

The Multicultural and Information Centre (Fjölmenningarsetur)
Here you can obtain information regarding immigration issues, rights and obligations, Icelandic society, Icelandic lessions, interpreting and translation services and more. This information is available in 8 different languages: Icelandic, English, Thai, Spanish, Lithuanian, Russian, Polish and Croatian. There is also a telephone service available in these same languages. The telephone number for information in English is (+354) 450 3090.

The Intercultural Center (Alþjóðasetur)
The Intercultural Center provides immigrants with interpretation and translation services. By law, immigrants have a right to interpretation services at teacher-parent meetings in primary schools and preschools, during treatment at hospitals and clinics and during police interrogation. You can also order interpretation/translation services for other reasons online or by phone. The telephone number for the Intercultural Center is (+354) 530 9300 and the emergency number is (+354) 651 9300.

Ísland.is
This website provides a wealth of information on Icelandic society and public services in both English and Icelandic. You can find information on many issues such as human rights, the school system, health services, municipalities, businesses and industry, etc. This website also hosts the Icelandic National Portal login service where it is possible to manage personal information and apply for various services using special access key called IceKey.

The number for emergencies is 112.
You should call this number immediately if any emergency arises. There is no charge and all persons regardless of status are entitled to emergency assistance. The telephone number is open every day at any hour.

Below are links to useful services regarding health & safety. We also recommend services listed on the island.is website on accidents, traumas and emergencies.

Medical and psychological services

Off-hour medical clinic (Læknavaktin) tel. 1770
If you need to see a doctor outside the opening hours of regular clinics (i.e. evenings, nights and weekends) you can seek the services of Læknavaktin at Smáratorg 1, 200 Kópavogur (about 10 mins from Reykjavík). In case of a medical emergency, call 112.

The Red Cross Helpline tel. 1717
The Red Cross Helpline 1717 is a toll-free number open 24 hours a day for those who need assistance due to grief, anxiety, fear, depression and/or suicidal thoughts.

Travel

Safetravel.is
Travelling in Iceland can be perilous if you are ill-prepared and unfamiliar with conditions. It is not umcommon for tourists to land themselves in dangerous situations, even if they are experienced. If you are planning to travel within Iceland, we strongly recommend that you read the information on the website above. There you can find weather updates and warnings as well as general guidelines for travel in Iceland.

You should always exercise caution when travelling in Iceland, whether you are hiking, walking, driving, swimming, or riding. Be aware that terrain and weather conditions are unique and may be very different from what you are accustomed to, even if you are a seasoned traveller.

Note that driving off-road is illegal and perpetrators can expect to be heavily fined or even imprisoned. Remember to respect speed limits at all times and take appropriate caution when driving in bad weather conditions, which are common in Iceland. See this video: Driving in Iceland with Elfis – Drive safe!

Violence and abuse

For Reykjavík local police, the telephone number is 444-1000 for matters not requiring immediate assistance.

For emergencies, always call 112.

Emergency clinic for victims of sexual abuse tel. 543 2094
The Emergency clinic is located at Landspítali National Hospital in Fossvogur, 108 Reykjavík. It provides medical and psychological services for victims of sexual abuse or sexual assault as well as legal counselling. Full confidentiality is provided.

In case of sexual assault, it is best to seek assistance immediately by calling the emergency clinic, tel. 543 2094. However, you can also go straight to the clinic if you are unable to call first. Currently, the clinic‘s website is only available in Icelandic. We apologise for the inconvenience.

Women‘s Shelter (Kvennaathvarf) tel. 561 1205
The Women‘s shelter provides accommodation and counselling for women and children who are victims of domestic  and/or sexual violence.

Useful websites