Current rules require all travellers arriving in Iceland from risk areas for COVID-19 to undergo 14 days of quarantine or choose screening for COVID-19 at the border. Currently, all countries and territories are defined as risk areas. All arriving travellers need to pre-register at covid.is Children born 2005 and later are exempt. See details at covid.is.
Screening after arrival entails a test at the border (PCR-test) and another test 5 days later if the first test is negative. Until results of the second test are received rules of quarantine need to be adhered to. If the second test is negative then quarantine is lifted.
Certificates of prior COVID-19 infection in Iceland (positive PCR test and/or presence of antibodies) have been accepted upon arrival in Iceland for exemption of testing and quarantine based on presumed immunity for SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19. According to the Icelandic government comparable foreign certificates from the EEA/EFTA-area will also be accepted from 10 December 2020 according to Act No. 1199/2020
A certificate here means documented results from a laboratory within the EEA/EFTA-area* or a confirmation from the Chief Epidemiologist in Iceland. Clinical diagnoses are not deemed valid.
Certificates may be in paper or electronic format. Border control will evaluate wether a certificate is valid and will consult a representative of the Chief Epidemiologist (health care worker) as needed. The final decision of whether a certificate is valid is at the discretion of the Chief Epidemiologist. If a passenger presents a document that is deemed invalid, i.e. if any of the necessary requirements are missing, the passenger must, as other arrival passengers, choose quarantine or double testing with shorter quarantine.
The following certificates are considered a valid confirmation of a previous COVID-19 infection:
- Positive PCR-test result for SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 that is older than 14 days.
- Presence of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 measured by ELISA serologic assay.
Rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs are not accepted (antigen or antibody tests).
A certificate is required to include the following details:
- Be in the Icelandic, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish or English language.
- First name and last name (as in travel documents).
- Date of birth.
- When test was performed (date).
- Where test was performed (country/city/address).
- Name of laboratory/issuer of certificate.
- Date of certifcate.
- Phone number of laboratory or responsible authority.
- Type of test performed (PCR-test or antibody test with ELISA/serologic assay**).
- Result of test (PCR-test positive for SARS-CoV-2 or antibodies present).
*and Andorra, Monaco, San Marino and the Vatican.
**EIA, ECLIA, CLIA, CLMIA are equivalent tests to ELISA