The Útlendingur’s Guide To Getting Shit Done — Are you ready to be an Íslendingur?

Have you lived in Iceland for seven consecutive years*? Then, my fellow immigrant, you may be interested in Icelandic citizenship.

Back in my day, would-be citizens had to show up in person to that bureaucratic abyss known as Útlendingastófnun, but it turns out they like seeing us about as much as we like seeing them, so the process has been digitised.** Just head to UTL.is and click “Ríkisborgararéttur” — or switch to English and click “Icelandic Citizenship.” We’re not here to judge.

You’ll need a documents at the ready: a copy of your current passport, a certificate of your legal registration in Iceland, an Icelandic language test certificate, foreign criminal record certificates,*** 12 months of payslips, three years of tax returns, and a certificate from your municipality confirming you haven’t received financial assistance.

Most of those things are easy enough to obtain. You presumably have a passport on hand, proof of your legal registration can be obtained on Skra.is and the tax returns from RSK.is. For the language test, contact Mímir to find out when they’re holding sessions. As for the criminal record checks, that’s a bigger headache the more countries you’ve lived in — you’ll need one from everywhere you lived in since you were 15.

Once you have those documents and 27.000 ISK at the ready, complete the online application form and settle in for the long wait. In six to 18 months, you may just be an Icelandic citizen.

* less if you’re married to or cohabitating with an Icelander

** ÚTL will still need some originals dropped in their mailbox

*** you’ll need a criminal record check from every place you lived since you were 15