The Schengen Area is an area comprising 26 European states, based on the Schengen Agreement, a treaty between the Member States, with the purpose of ending internal border checkpoints and controls within the area. Iceland has been a Member State of the Schengen Area since 2001.
Citizens from more than 100 countries, that have not been exempted from obtaining a Schengen visa, wishing to visit Iceland or any other Schengen Member State, must apply for a Schengen visa before entering the external borders of the Schengen Area. A Schengen visa enables its holder to enter, freely travel within, and leave the Schengen Area from any of the Schengen member states, for up to 90 days within any 180-day period.
The Ministry of Justice is responsible for the Schengen cooperation and oversees the coordination of the category in Iceland. The Ministry of Justice has appointed the Icelandic Directorate of Immigration as the central authority with respect to the issuing of Residence Permits and short-term visas, commonly referred to as Schengen visas to Iceland. The Ministry of Justice has appointed the Ministry for Foreign Affairs as a collaborator with the Directorate of Immigration, in issuing Schengen visas to Iceland in selected embassies abroad. The Ministry for Foreign Affairs is also responsible in establishing and maintaining representation agreements with other Schengen Member States, on Iceland’s behalf.
Iceland has made representation agreements with 9 other Schengen Member States on processing applications for a Schengen visa to Iceland and issuing visas in more than 100 places where Iceland does not have a Diplomatic Mission. The Nordic countries have a close cooperation in Schengen visa matters and Embassies and Consulates General of Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland represent Iceland in many locations. Furthermore, Iceland is represented by Germany, France, the Netherlands, Portugal and Lithuania.