Moving to Iceland

Multicultural Information Centre (fjölmenningarsetur) 

(Fjölmenningarsetur) runs the website www.mcc.is that has important information for everyone moving to Iceland.  

You can obtain information regarding immigration issuesIcelandic societyIcelandic language lessonsyour rights and obligationsinterpreting and translation services and more at the MCC. 

Phone:  450 3090  

Email: mcc@mcc.is  

Their brochure about the first steps in Iceland is in many languages and is both for EEA & EFTA citizens and non EEA & EFTA citizens 

Multicultural and information Centre 

Tel: 450-3090 (Icelandic/English), 470-4702 (Thai), 470-4705 (Spanish), 470-4706 (Lithuanian), 470-4707 (Russian), 470-4708 (Polish), 470-4709 (Serbian/Croatian). 

Address: Árnagata 2-4, Ísafjörður 

The website www.island.is can also be very useful.  

Íslykill - Special authentication token

To use certain public services or obtain information from municipal authorities, government, companies and NGOs over the Internet, you often will need a special authentication token called the Íslykill 

Íslykill is a password linked to the ID No. (kennitala) of an individual or legal entity. Íslykill cannot be issued to a person who has only a system ID No. The Íslykill can be ordered from Registers Iceland. The applicant can decide whether to have it sent to his online bank account, by mail to his domicile or for those living abroad, have it sent to an embassy. 

Kennitala - ID number

An ID number (ID No., kennitala) is a ten-digit personal identification number. Only one person can have each number. The first six digits are the date of birth of the person in question. Thereafter there are four additional digits. Example: A person born on 17 July 1966 will be allocated the ID No. 170766 and then four additional digits.  

Housing benefit

Housing benefit takes the form of monthly payments intended to assist those who rent residential premises. Please check if you are entitled to housing benefit

Housing

For general information about housing in Iceland.

Icelandic National Registry

Council housing is available from Norðurþing, specifically, some council apartments are rented out to families with low income.

Renting

Private houses, apartments and rooms are constantly being rented out both for longer and shorter time. The local weekly advertising brochure Skráin (Húsavík) or Skeglan (ÖxarfjörðurMelrakkasléttaRaufarhöfnÞórshöfnBakkafjörður) is a good place to start the search or even to place an advertisement, check also the information boards in the local shops.   

Applying for other apartments owned by Norðurþing

Building a house

Building a house in Norðurþing. For all information about vacant building sites in the area 

Gaukur Hjartarsonbuilding officer 

Emailgaukur@nordurthing.is 

Buying a house

For information about apartments and houses for sale the local real estate agencies:  

Höfðaberg  

Lögeign

Websites that can be helpful:  

http://fasteignir.visir.is 

https://www.mbl.is/fasteignir/ 

https://fasteignir.frettabladid.is 

Electricity (rafmagn)

The distribution of electric power and the electricity are two different services so you will get two bills. RARIK runs the distribution of electric power in the area but there are a few power companies that you can buy Electricity from such as:  

Orkusalan

On

Orkubú Vesfjarða

 

Telephone, Internet and TV (sími, net og sjónvarp)

 

There are a few phone companies in Iceland such as:  

Vodafone 

Siminn 

Hringdu 

Nova 

The prices, services and offers are varied and it can be a good idea to compare them to find the best deal for youNote that home internet tends to be expensive and using mobile phone internet hotspot might be an economical alternative. Often it is good to contact them asking for the service you are looking for and get a packet deal for the service.