Visa Insurance Requirements for Iceland

When studying abroad in Iceland, international students will be required to hold valid student visas, approved through the Icelandic Directorate of Immigration. Although international travel and immigration are typically low hassle affairs in this country, there are a series of requirements associated with procuring a student visa for study abroad in Iceland that an international student must meet prior to arriving in the country. It is therefore advisable to begin all application processes as early as possible to ensure the Directorate has had time to both review and accept the application of a potential international student by the time the semester is set to begin--the deadlines for submission are July 1st (fall semester) and November 1st (spring semester).

Student Visa Requirements

The requirements for obtaining a student visa for study abroad in Iceland include: application, proof of enrollment at a university, a criminal background check, means of financial support covering the duration of stay, and a valid passport. There are also visa insurance requirements for Iceland of which international students must be aware.

Icelandic Healthcare

The Icelandic healthcare system is among the top in the world. After six months of legally residing in the country, international students can register for standard Icelandic national health insurance. Under the national plan, international students would have access to reduced cost or no cost healthcare from any of the nation's general practitioners. However, since there is a required period of residence totaling six months, international students must purchase valid international health coverage, as per Iceland visa insurance requirements. According to the visa insurance requirements for Iceland, a potential international student must show that they hold coverage that is specifically valid in Iceland, and at an amount that covers at least 2,000,000 Iceland Krona (roughly $16,000) for the duration of stay.

Insurance for International Students

When studying abroad in Iceland, insurance for international students is very important. Due to the robust nature of the public healthcare system in the country, there are practically no private healthcare providers or facilities in Iceland. Those visitors to Iceland without the coverage of a valid policy will only be afforded emergency treatments in hospitals, and will face increased fees and wait times associated with visits to general practitioners. Moreover, unlike some other countries, there is a specific visa insurance requirement for studying abroad in Iceland.

In addition to the specific Iceland visa insurance requirements, it is always a good idea to purchase international coverage when studying abroad. There are a number of plans and providers available to choose between for those students interested in studying abroad in Iceland. Whereas any plan that is specifically valid in Iceland will certainly provide the coverage required access to some of the world's finest healthcare, there are a number of expenses (such as non-emergency dental work) that are not covered under Iceland's national plan; this means that international students will need to have obtained coverage from their particular provider in order to be reimbursed for those procedures and treatments that are not covered under Iceland's national plan. Options like dental coverage and emergency transportation coverage exceed the visa insurance requirements for Iceland, but are always an excellent idea to obtain.