ID numbers
- Every person living in Iceland has a personal ID number (kennitala) that is a personal identifier used widely in Icelandic society.
- As an EEA or EFTA citizen, you may stay in Iceland for three to six months without being registered.
- If you are an EEA/EFTA citizen who intends to work in Iceland for less than 3 months you can get a so called system ID number.
- Information about ID numbers and the application process by Registers Iceland can be found here.
ID number
Every person who lives in Iceland is registered at Registers Iceland and has a personal ID number (kennitala) which is a unique, ten-digit number. Your personal ID number is your personal identifier and is used widely throughout Icelandic society. ID numbers are necessary to access a wide range of services, like opening a bank account, registering your legal domicile and obtaining a home telephone.
To apply for Icelandic ID number, you must fill in an application called A-271 that can be found here.
As an EEA or EFTA citizen, you may stay in Iceland for three to six months without being registered. The time period is calculated from the day of arrival in Iceland.
The first six digits of a national ID number show the day, month and year of your birth. Connected to your the national ID number, Registers Iceland maintains vital information on your legal domicile, name, birth, changes of address, children, relationship status, etc.
System ID number
If you are an EEA/EFTA citizen who intends to work in Iceland for less than 3 months you need to contact the Iceland Revenue and Customs regarding the application of a system ID number.
Only public authorities can apply for a system ID number for foreign citizens and applications must be submitted electronically.
Please note that a copy of passport or legal travel ID must be included in the application and the ID must be valid at the time the application is submitted.
System ID number is only issued to individuals who intend to stay less than 3-6 months in Iceland or do not intend to stay in the country at all. This registration does not grant any rights in Iceland.
