útlendingastofnun
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Directorate Of Immigration Employee Shares Clients’ Information
On December 20, Gímaldið media reported that a Directorate of Immigration (ÚTL) employee had breached confidentiality when sharing personally identifiable information of its clients. According to Gímaldið, the employee shared the clients’ names on an Instagram close friends list, photographing handwritten task…
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Surge Of Applicants Causing Student Enrolment Difficulties At Icelandic Universities
This year, applications for student visas in Iceland were up by 40% from 2024, according to the Directorate of Immigration (Útlendingastofnun). The Grapevine has been contacted by phone and email regarding difficulties for international students that seemed greater than in past years.…
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The Many-Splendored Joys Of A Trip To ÚTL
The couches give way till you can feel the lumps underneath. The long queues are managed by a workforce too few in number and silently weeping. You’ve gotten to relax here for a few hours now. You love it here. You can…
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Palestinian Family Reunification No Longer Prioritised
The Directorate of Immigration (ÚTL), in collaboration with the Ministry of Judicial Affairs, no longer prioritises Palestinian applications for family reunification. Palestinian applicants have received priority since October 2023. Authorities have granted 160 residence permits to Palestinians on the grounds of family…
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Fabricating A Migrant Crisis
Iceland’s immigration policy unleashed and unmasked In December 1938, the Salinger family – Erich, Gertrud and eight-year old Steffi – penned a letter to Icelandic authorities. In it, they explained they were seeking refuge from the rise of persecution of minorities – specifically…
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Alþingi Passes Controversial Immigration Law
Alþingi passed a bill on international refugees Wednesday evening, with all members of the coalition government parties – the Independence Party, the Progressive Party and the Left Greens – voting in favour. All members of the Centrist Party and the People’s party…
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Foreigners On Expired Visas Will Not Be Deported From Iceland
Foreigners who have expired visas and residence permits in Iceland will not be deported until the travel restrictions become less stringent, RÚV reports. A government spokesperson added that until travel between other countries returns to normal, no one will be kicked out…
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Fury And Ire And The Office Of Immigration
In 2017, legislation was passed requiring immigrants to provide further proof of identity at the discretion of the agent processing their case. In 2018, I moved to Iceland with my wife, who is Icelandic. Last week, I received a request from Útlendingastofnun…
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Icelandic Man Isn’t Granted Icelandic Citizenship
The Directorate of Immigration recently refused to grant Icelandic citizenship to a man who was born in Iceland from an Icelandic woman, RÚV reports. Eggert Einer Níelson, who lives in Ísafjörður with his family, was born in Reykjavík in the 50s but…
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11 Year Old Girl And Handicapped Afghani Father To Be Deported Thursday
Haniye Maleki, and elven year old girl from Afghanistan and her father will be deported on Thursday, reports RÚV. The father and daughter were informed of the deportation at a meeting with the Directorate of Immigration and the police this morning. The…
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Man Denied Citizenship For Speeding Ticket Gets Verdict Overturned
Last month, Bala Kamallakharan, who has lived in Iceland for the past eleven years, had his application for citizenship turned down due to a speeding ticket, but now the Directorate of Immigration (UTL) has reversed its decision, granting him Icelandic citizenship. Bala,…
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Albanian Family Deported In The Middle Of The Night
An Albanian family, which includes an infant boy with a heart condition, were deported from Iceland late last night. The deportation, which took place on International Human Rights Day, has sparked harsh criticism from the public and politicians alike, and a petition…
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Domestic Violence Survivor Given 30 Days To Leave Iceland
A survivor of domestic violence who divorced her abuser has been given 30 days to leave the country, or face deportation and a return ban of 2 years. A protest has been planned demanding she be allowed to stay in Iceland. Amanda…
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Domestic Violence Survivor May Be Deported
An American citizen who divorced her Icelandic ex-husband now faces deportation for “not having enough ties to the country”. “My life is here, and there is nothing for me in the US,” she told us. In September 2011, American citizen Amanda Wood…
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Lampedusa Survivor Wrongfully Imprisoned, Says High Court
On Tuesday, the High Court ruled in favor of Ethiopian citizen Firaol Taresa against the Capital Area Police, releasing Taresa from custody until his imminent eviction to Italy. This was reported by RÚV. Taresa, reportedly a survivor of the 2013 Lampedusa shipwreck,…