Do Indian passport holders need a visa for Iceland?
By Prajjwal Kohli · Travel Content Writer, Tripmojo · Updated
Yes. India is on the EU list of nationalities that require a visa to cross the external Schengen border, and Iceland is in the Schengen area. Indian citizens need a Schengen short-stay visa before travelling. It costs 90 euros, allows up to 90 days in any 180-day period, and must be applied for through Iceland’s consulate or its appointed visa centre.
Quick facts
Visa required- Visa required
- Yes, a Schengen short-stay visa
- Cost
- EUR 90 for adults, EUR 45 for children aged 6 to 11
- Maximum stay
- 90 days in any 180-day period
- Apply from
- Up to 6 months before travel
- Apply by
- At least 15 calendar days before you travel
- Children under 6
- Fee waived
Entry requirements
- An Indian passport issued within the last ten years and valid for at least three months beyond your intended departure from the Schengen area.
- A Schengen visa obtained before travel. There is no visa on arrival in Iceland.
- Travel medical insurance covering at least 30,000 euros for the whole of the stay.
- Confirmed accommodation and return travel, plus evidence of enough funds for the trip.
- Biometrics, meaning fingerprints and a photograph, given in person unless you have provided them for a Schengen visa in the previous 59 months.
How to apply for a Schengen visa for Iceland
Apply to Iceland if it is your main destination or your first point of entry into the Schengen area. This matters: applying to the wrong member state is a common reason for refusal, and Iceland is often one leg of a longer European trip rather than the main one.
Applications can be lodged up to six months before travel and, as a rule, no later than fifteen calendar days before. Given how appointment availability behaves in Indian cities during the summer, six months early is the practical advice rather than the theoretical limit.
The fee is 90 euros for adults and 45 euros for children aged six to eleven, with under-sixes exempt. It is paid when you lodge the application and is not refunded if the visa is refused.
Good to know
- You may see claims that Indians need ETIAS for Europe. They do not, and will not. ETIAS is an authorisation for nationalities that are exempt from needing a visa in the first place. Because India is on the visa-required list, a full Schengen visa is and remains the requirement, and any site selling Indians an ETIAS for Iceland is selling something that does not apply to them.
- The 90 days is counted across the whole Schengen area, not per country. Two weeks in Iceland and six weeks in Spain both come out of the same allowance, calculated on a rolling 180-day window rather than per calendar year.
- A Schengen visa issued by Iceland is valid throughout the area, but the rule about applying to your main destination still binds. Applying to whichever consulate has the earliest appointment is a well-known shortcut and a well-known reason for refusal.
Frequently asked questions
Do Indians need a visa for Iceland?
Yes. India is on the EU visa-required list and Iceland is in the Schengen area, so Indian citizens need a Schengen short-stay visa before travelling.
How much does a Schengen visa cost for Indian citizens?
Ninety euros for adults and 45 euros for children aged six to eleven. Children under six are exempt. The fee is not refunded if the application is refused.
Do Indians need ETIAS for Iceland?
No. ETIAS applies only to nationalities that do not need a visa. Indian citizens need a Schengen visa, which ETIAS does not replace.
How long can Indians stay in Iceland on a Schengen visa?
Up to 90 days in any 180-day period, counted across the entire Schengen area rather than per country.
When should Indians apply for an Iceland Schengen visa?
You can apply up to six months before travel and must apply at least 15 calendar days before. Apply early, because appointment availability rather than the decision is usually the constraint.
Related pages
Sources
Every fact on this page was checked against the official sources below on .
- Regulation (EU) 2018/1806, Annex I — third countries whose nationals require a visa to cross the external borders; India is listed (eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2018/1806/oj/eng)
- Regulation (EU) 2018/1806, recital 35 — the Regulation is a development of the Schengen acquis for Iceland and Norway, which is why Iceland applies the EU list
- Regulation (EC) No 810/2009 (Visa Code), consolidated to 11 June 2024, Article 16 — EUR 90 adult fee, EUR 45 for children 6 to 11, waived under 6
- Visa Code, consolidated, Article 1 — stays not exceeding 90 days in any 180-day period; Article 9 — applications lodged up to 6 months and as a rule no later than 15 calendar days before travel
- Visa Code, consolidated, Article 12 — travel document valid at least three months beyond intended departure, issued within the previous 10 years, two blank pages; Article 13(3) — fingerprints reused if given for a Schengen visa in the previous 59 months; Article 15(3) — travel medical insurance of at least EUR 30,000
Entry rules change without notice and the official source is always the authority. Confirm with the embassy or immigration portal before you book.
