Traveling to Iceland

In the wake of a spike in new COVID-19 infections in Iceland the Government of Iceland announced a stricter regime of measures against the COVID-19 pandemic that took effect throughout Iceland from midnight, Wednesday 24 March 2021.

Most gatherings will be limited to 10 people, not counting children born in or after 2015. Junior schools (age 6 to 16), music schools, senior schools and universities will be closed until the beginning of the Easter holidays. Activities of many types involving more than 10 participants will be prohibited.

The Government of Iceland is planning to allow travelers who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or have a confirmed previous COVID-19 infection to enter Iceland without being subject to border measures, such as presenting a negative PCR-test, screening and quarantine, if they fulfil certain requirements. These exemptions come into force on 6 April and you can read more about them on the Government's website. For information about certificates and a list of authorized vaccines please visit the website of the Icelandic Directorate of Health. Please note that as of yet the NHS Covid vaccination cards do not fulfil the criteria set forward by the Directorate of Health in Iceland.

Please also note that travel restrictions still apply to all third-country nationals, i.e. persons who are neither citizens of EU/EFTA nations, who do not have a valid certification of a vaccination or a prior Covid infection  — regardless of whether they require a visa or are permitted to travel within the Schengen area without a visa. This means that the travel ban still applies to US and UK citizens. These rules are expected to be in place until further notice and we will announce when the travel ban is expected to be lifted on our website and social media channels (@IcelandinUK).

New measures will be put in place from 1 April that require passengers coming from certain countries to quarantine in a quarantine hotel. Further information on how this will be executed, and if the UK is one of those countries, is uncertain at this moment.

For travelers that are exempt from the travel ban (Schengen citizens) the following applies:

• A negative PCR test is required prior to departure when travelling to Iceland.
• Passengers must undergo a PCR test at the border upon arrival.
• Passengers are required to undergo a five-day quarantine upon arrival.
• A second test is conducted on day five. If the second test is negative the quarantine is lifted.
• Children born in 2005 and later who travel with a parent/guardian will have to quarantine on arrival in the country but are exempt from testing requirements prior to and after arrival. The parent/guardian has his/her the first border test and the child is released from quarantine when the parent receives a negative result from the second test (usually after 5–6 days). Information on requirements for children: https://bit.ly/2NuUoRf
• Starting 1 April, 2021, all children born 2005 and later will be subject to a PCR test at the border, but are not required to quarantine if traveling with fully vaccinated parents or guardians (These new rules will expire at the end of April).