The countries of Western Europe are especially attractive to foreign citizens, especially those who live in the territories of the former Soviet Union. Moreover, the residents of the newly formed states view Europe not only from the perspective of a tourist, but also a potential citizen. Not all European powers are equally attractive in this regard, for example, there are much fewer requests on how to obtain Icelandic citizenship than on the topic of how to become a citizen of Germany or France.
And yet it is interesting to know what features Icelandic legislation has in the field of acquisition or loss of citizenship, what conditions are set for potential applicants for Icelandic citizenship, whether there is a simplified procedure for obtaining rights.
How to quickly get Icelandic citizenship
The current legislation on Icelandic citizenship is based on a law passed in 1952, as amended in 1982 and 1998. In addition, intercity agreements have been concluded between this country and the so-called Nordic states, which include Finland and the Scandinavian countries. Today, there are the following conditions for obtaining Icelandic citizenship: by birthright; by law of origin; naturalization.
The method of obtaining citizenship rights on the basis of "descent" means that a child born in any country of the world to Icelanders is automatically considered a citizen of Iceland. The same procedure will apply to the birth of an illegitimate child from an Icelandic mother, also regardless of the place of birth of the future citizen of Iceland.
If the child was born in the country from a foreign mother and father, an Icelandic citizen, out of wedlock, then the procedure for obtaining citizenship by a child is somewhat different. First, it is necessary to establish paternity, on the basis of this, the procedure for obtaining the citizenship of the country is carried out. If the father is Icelander, the child also gets the opportunity to become a citizen of the country, the father is a foreigner, the issue of the citizenship of the newborn is resolved through other procedures.
Naturalization in Iceland is the main route for foreigners
The naturalization process in Iceland is in many cases similar to what can be found in the practice of many states. Citizenship is granted based on the decision of the President of the country, but each case has its own provisions of the law on citizenship and other regulatory documents. In the list of the main conditions that are imposed by legislation on a potential applicant for Icelandic citizenship: the period of residence in the territory of the state; a stable source of income, a job or a bank account.
With regard to the length of stay, the law allows for a breakdown - from three to seven years, depending on certain circumstances. The term of seven years is set for future citizens who receive rights on a general basis, not belonging to any privileged category. The list of "beneficiaries" includes residents of the countries of the Scandinavian Peninsula and Denmark (an agreement has been signed with the countries), for them the period of residence in Icelandic territory has been reduced to four years.
Another category of persons who receive citizenship after three years are the spouses of Icelandic citizens. But there are additional conditions: the marriage must last at least 4 years, and the second spouse's Icelandic citizenship has a period of at least five years. It is possible to shorten the period for obtaining citizenship while in a civil marriage, in which case cohabitation must be recognized by the authorities, last at least five years (as well as for obtaining citizenship on this basis).
For the same five years, refugees need to live in Iceland before they have the opportunity to become full citizens of the local society. True, they must first obtain official refugee status. Shorter periods are established for persons who do not have citizenship - three years. And the record in this category is "set" by former persons of Iceland, who for some reason have lost their citizenship. They only need a year of living in their native land to be able to resume the procedure for obtaining citizenship.
Among other important conditions for obtaining the rights of an Icelandic citizen is the existence of a livelihood. You can become a citizen of this island European state if you have a permanent job, have a bank account, and have tangible property in Icelandic territory.
Among the original opportunities for obtaining the rights of a citizen of Iceland is the filing of a petition, in this way someone who does not fall under any other legal grounds can become a full member of society. The most striking example is the petition filed by Robert Fischer, world chess champion known for his eccentricity.
