Moving to Iceland

Fyrstu skrefin/First step - Multicultural Information Centre – Fjölmenningarsetur

Multicultural Information Centre (Fjölmenningarsetur) runs the website www.mcc.is which has important information for everyone moving to Iceland. Their offices are open on weekdays 9 am – 4 pm. You can obtain information regarding immigration issues, Icelandic society, Icelandic language lessons, your rights and obligations, interpreting and translation services, and more at the MCC.

Multicultural and information Centre:

Kennitala/ID number:

An ID number (ID No., kennitala) is a ten-digit personal identification number. Only one person can have each number. The first six digits are the person's date of birth in question. After that, there are four additional digits, for example, a person born on 17 July 1966 will be allocated ID No. 170766 and four additional digits.

The application for a national ID number, you can find on the website: https://skra.is/english/people/change-of-address/moving-to-iceland/

Íslykill – a special authentication token IceKey

To use certain public services or obtain information from municipal authorities, government, companies, and private bodies over the Internet, you often will need a special authentication token called the Íslykill/IceKey.

IceKey is a password that is linked to ID No. (kennitala) of an individual or legal entity. No matter what age the person is, any company or person can get an IceKey.

The IceKey can be ordered from the Registers Iceland or getting by the website: https://island.is/islykill .

The applicant can decide whether to have it sent to his online bank account, by mail to his domicile, or have it sent to an embassy for those living abroad.

Electronic ID – Rafrænt skilríki

Electronic identification, also known as electronic certificates or electronic ID, is designed for electronic communication and is issued in collaboration with Icelandic authorities. If you have a smartphone, you can get your electronic ID activated at the local bank or from Auðkenni ( https://www.audkenni.is/ ). Before getting it, you have to check if your phone SIM card supports electronic IDs.

Electronic ID is safe and comfortable. All you have to do is remember one PIN instead of several, and it's used to access all service sites like banks, municipal authorities, public institutions, companies, etc.

The additional function of the electronic ID is an electronic signature, which it's equivalent to your signature. You can use it to authenticate yourself and sign electronic documents.