GoIceland Visa Requirements

Visa Entry

Iceland is a Schengen Agreement country. Chinese mainland citizens must obtain a visa before traveling to Iceland. Holders of Hong Kong or Macau SAR passports are eligible for visa free entry into Iceland, with a maximum stay of 90 days per 180 days.

Customs epidemic prevention and control

Necessary daily necessities can be carried upon entry.

According to Icelandic law, people over the age of 20 can purchase alcoholic beverages at specialty stores, and people over the age of 18 can purchase cigarettes. Identity documents may be required for purchase.

To bring one of the following items into the country, a permit must be provided: communication equipment such as cordless phones, remote controls, radios, etc. (mobile phones are not restricted); Fishing equipment, riding gear, and corresponding clothing; Fireworks and ammunition; Live animals; Drugs (only a small amount of drugs can be carried, otherwise the customs may require passengers to present a doctor's certificate); Unless permitted, only a small amount of flowers and plants are allowed to be carried.

Prohibited from carrying the following items: drugs and dangerous drugs; Raw meat, raw smoked ham, raw ham, raw poultry, etc; Raw milk, raw eggs; Various weapons, bladed daggers, folding blades, sticks, bows, handcuffs, etc.

The Icelandic government announced that from February 25, 2022, all entry epidemic prevention measures will be completely cancelled. It is not necessary to register information in advance or submit certificates such as COVID-19 Test and Vaccine for entry into Iceland. Relevant information can be accessed on the Icelandic epidemic information website（ https://www.covid.is ）Search.

Residency and Naturalization

When the applicant meets the conditions of residence, funds, and no criminal offenses, they may submit a naturalization application to the Ministry of Justice. The approval authority will make a decision after listening to the opinions of the immigration agency and the police station in the applicant's location.

Iceland's risk level is blue (low risk)

public security

Iceland has good public security and is one of the countries with the lowest crime rates in the world. However, there are occasional incidents of theft, robbery, and violent crimes in the local community. Please pay attention to protecting personal and property safety.

Before coming to the ice, you can inform your family or friends in China of your contact information and detailed itinerary, and maintain smooth daily communication with your family. Please keep your passport and other important documents safe (copies and electronic scans of passport and other important documents must be kept for backup and stored separately from the original passport).

Special reminder: Please keep your identity documents (Chinese passport, foreign residence card, etc.) and belongings safe. In case of loss or theft, please contact the Icelandic police in a timely manner for assistance in finding them. If a foreign residence card is lost or expired, please inquire directly with the relevant country's embassy in Iceland for information on reissuing. Special reminder to Chinese international students traveling to the UK for ice tourism to pay attention to bringing their BRP residence card. As the UK is not a Schengen area country, any problems with the BRP card may prevent you from returning to the UK in a timely manner and may affect your studies and travel back to the UK. If you have any questions regarding Icelandic visas or residency, please consult the Icelandic Immigration Office directly. If your Chinese passport is lost or damaged, please promptly log in to the Chinese Consulate APP to apply for a replacement online, and contact our embassy to make an appointment to arrange a visit.

natural disaster

Iceland is an island nation that is influenced by a temperate maritime climate throughout the year. The average temperature in the capital Reykjavik in July is 10.6 degrees Celsius, with the highest temperature reaching over 20 degrees Celsius. The average temperature in January is around 0 degrees Celsius. Summer has longer sunshine hours, making it more suitable for tourism. The winter weather is harsh and unpredictable, with extremely short sunshine hours, and frequent natural disasters and accidents.

Iceland is located at the junction of the Eurasian Plate and the American Plate, with complex geological conditions and frequent geological activities such as volcanoes and earthquakes. On average, a volcanic eruption occurs every 5 years in history. In 2010 and 2011, the Eyjafjallaj ö kull and Grimm volcanoes erupted successively, and the volcanic ash had an impact on the European aviation and tourism industries. Iceland's Reykjanes Peninsula volcano has erupted five times in the past year, reminding Chinese citizens and tourists in Iceland to raise their safety awareness.

Special reminder: When visiting natural scenic areas such as the Reykjanes Peninsula volcano area, central highlands, southern cliff waterfalls, black sand beaches, airplane wreckage, glaciers, etc. in Iceland, it is important to pay attention to safety. Pay close attention to weather conditions, be sure to bring sufficient food and warm clothing when traveling, report important information such as itinerary arrangements, emergency contact phone numbers, travel insurance to family members in China in advance, and prepare for emergencies such as blizzards, earthquakes, volcanoes, and their secondary disasters.

FDA

Maintain good food safety records, with pure water quality, no pollution, and tap water that can be consumed directly.

Urgent Help

Iceland emergency hotline: 112

Reykjavik Police Station, the capital of Iceland, phone number: 4441000

Iceland Medical Assistance Hotline: 1770

Iceland information inquiry hotline: 1818

Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Global Link Protection and Service Emergency Call Center Phone:+ 86-10-12308

The 24-hour hotline for the Chinese Embassy in Iceland is+354-4160128

air traffic

There are no direct flights between China and Iceland, and connecting flights are available in countries such as Denmark, the Netherlands, Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Finland, as well as the United States and Canada. Icelandair has launched flights between Iceland and the European and North American continents, as well as providing domestic services within Iceland.

land transport

Iceland has no trains. Travel is usually by car, and tourist buses can reach the main tourist attractions. Iceland has complex road and climate conditions, with rugged mountain roads and sparse population in many areas. Especially in winter, the nights are long and the days are short, with heavy rain, snow, and fog. The road surface is prone to snow and ice accumulation, and traffic accidents occur frequently, with gusts of up to 10 levels. It is recommended to choose travel time carefully, strengthen safety awareness, pay attention to weather and road information, and ensure travel safety. If renting a car for self driving, please understand and follow Iceland's traffic rules in advance, be sure to travel together, pay attention to weather changes, choose a reputable car rental company and a road with good road conditions, and carefully check the condition of the car before picking it up; Alternatively, choose a reputable travel company and board a professional tour bus to ensure travel safety. It is recommended to enable global roaming on your mobile phone before leaving the country or purchase a local SIM card upon arrival in Iceland for use in case of emergency. Generally speaking, the fewer highway code numbers, the better the road conditions. For example, Highway 1 has good road conditions, while Highway 468 with three digits is poor. Before traveling, you can log in to the website of the Icelandic Roads and Coasts Authority "www.road.is" to learn about Iceland's road conditions and precautions. Please check the weather conditions before traveling, do not travel blindly, and do not drive on the road without sufficient confidence.

The vehicle should drive on the right side (left-hand drive), and the front and rear lights should be turned on 24 hours a day. When driving, be careful and focused, especially on curves, gravel roads, dirt roads, and winter ice and snow roads. Strictly abide by traffic rules, follow road traffic prompts, pay attention to vehicles in front, behind, left, and right at all times, eliminate drunk driving, fatigue driving, and speeding behavior, strictly prohibit the use of mobile phones while driving, and drivers and all passengers must fasten their seat belts throughout the journey. The speed limit within the city is generally 30-50 kilometers per hour, while outside the city it is 90 kilometers per hour, with heavy penalties for speeding. There are still many one-way roads and bridges on the ice, so be extra careful and pay attention to yielding to oncoming vehicles. Wilderness areas outside of Icelandic highways are not allowed to enter, otherwise high fines will be imposed.

Holders of a valid Chinese motor vehicle license are allowed to drive motor vehicles in the local area during short-term visits (non residential) in ice. It is recommended to have an English translation of the license with you.

Special Reminder: Please pay attention to travel safety, closely monitor local real-time weather forecasts and official safety warning information, and adjust travel arrangements in a timely manner according to the situation. Try to choose group tours for winter travel, avoid individual self driving trips, and follow the advice of local tour guides. In case of severe weather, the trip should be terminated decisively, and if necessary, the police should be called for help in a timely manner. Proactively carry out on-site self rescue to ensure that nothing goes wrong.

water communication

In summer, there are passenger ships traveling between Norway, Denmark and other places. Ferry services are available to travel to tourist attractions such as Xiren Island.

Urban transportation

The urban public transportation system in the capital region is well-developed, making travel more convenient. There are relatively few bus trips from the capital region to other areas, which is inconvenient. You can search public transportation websites to learn about public transportation information: https://straeto.is/en .

Taxis in the capital region wait year-round at airports, city centers, and major hotel entrances, and can be booked by phone（ https://visitreykjavik.is/taxi ）.

major city

1、 Reykjavik

Located at the southwestern end of Iceland, Faxa Bay is the capital and largest city of Iceland, the political, cultural, educational, and trade center of Iceland, and the northernmost capital in the world. Founded in 874, the city was officially established in 1786 and became the seat of Danish rule in 1801. In 1904, Denmark recognized Iceland's internal autonomy and Reykjavik became the seat of the autonomous government. In 1918, Denmark and Iceland signed a joint act, in which Denmark recognized Iceland as a sovereign state subordinate to the Kingdom of Denmark. In 1940, Nazi Germany occupied Denmark, and relations between Iceland and Denmark were severed. In June 1944, Iceland officially announced the dissolution of the Icedan League and established the Republic of Iceland, with Reykjavik as its capital.

Reykjavik is located on the southwest coast, surrounded by mountains to the north and east. Due to the abundant geothermal resources and the prevalence of hot springs, the hot water pipelines laid in the city provide hot water and heating for citizens all year round, resulting in fresh air and clean environment throughout the city. Lei City is also known as the "smoke-free city".

2、 Akureyri

The largest city and port in northern Iceland. The city is backed by snow capped mountains and faces a blue lake, with beautiful scenery. It is known as the "Athens" of northern Iceland and is also known as the "Garden City on the Arctic Circle".

Commodity prices

Iceland's main products are fishery products and wool textiles.

The local price level is relatively high, and most of the food needs to be imported. The food tax is 11% and the goods and services tax is 24%, making it one of the countries with higher tax rates in the world.

1 US dollar can be exchanged for approximately 136.6 Icelandic krona (as of July 2024).

1 RMB can be exchanged for approximately 18.8 Icelandic krona. (July 2024).

Financial service facilities are relatively complete, foreign credit cards can be used, and foreign currencies can be exchanged at airports and city centers.

Insurance Medical

The medical and health conditions are good, but the medical expenses are high. It is recommended that Chinese citizens who visit ice for a short period of time choose reputable insurance companies to purchase necessary international travel personal safety and medical insurance.

Customs taboos

Do not ask about the age of women. 85% of Icelanders believe in the Lutheran faith and avoid the 13th and Friday. They generally do not hold important events on the 13th and cannot have 13 people dining together. When meeting Icelanders, shake hands generously, without bowing or bowing, and do not put one hand in your pocket. When people get married, they first go to the church to hold a wedding ceremony with a strong religious color. Pay attention to the funeral of the elderly after their death, and hold solemn mourning ceremonies.

Icelandic surnames are unique: men usually add the word 'son' after their father's name, while women add 'dottir' after their father's name.

Major holidays in Iceland:

January 1st: New Year's Day

Thursday before Easter: Maundy Thursday

Friday before Easter: Good Friday

From the end of March to April: Easter Day

June 17th: National Day

First Monday of August: Merchant's Day

December 24th: Christmas Eve

December 25th: Christmas Day

December 26th: Boxing Day

Communications Power

Voltage: 220V, socket with two-phase circular holes. The telephone and network are relatively developed, and both 4G and 5G mobile phones can be used. Airports, hotels, and public places have free WiFi.

contact information

Icelandic government website: www.government.is

Iceland Meteorological Information Website: www.vedur.is

Iceland Traffic Information Website: www.road.is

Iceland Emergency Rescue Information (Rescue Team) Website: www.safetravel.is

Icelandic Red Cross website: www.raudikrossinn.is

Icelandic Immigration Agency website: www.utl.is

Icelandic Civil Defense Emergency Management Agency website: www.almannavarnir.is

Icelandic Health Agency website: www.landlaeknir.is

Icelandic Transport Authority website: www.icetra.is

Icelandic National Tourism Board website: www.ferdamalastofa.is

Icelandic National Radio website: www.ruv.is/english

Iceland Keflavik International Airport website: www.isavia.is/keflavikurflugvollur

Icelandic Public Transport Information Website: https://straeto.is/en

Icelandic Consumers Association website: https://ns.is/en/

Icelandic Airlines website: www.icelandair.is

Domestic routes in Iceland: http://www.airiceland.is