Can I appeal a negative decision?

If your asylum application is rejected, you have the right to submit an appeal to the Immigration Appeal Board. For this procedure, you are entitled to free legal aid. Note that the appeal must be submitted within 15 days after the decision rejecting your asylum claim was notified to you. However, if you are an applicant for international protection and are a citizen of a safe country of origin, the time limit for appeals is five days.

The Immigration Appeal Board can either require the Directorate of Immigration to make a new decision in your case or confirm the negative decision made by the Directorate of Immigration that had rejected your application.

When appealing the decision to the Immigration Appeal Board, until there is a final decision made by the Directorate of Immigration or the Immigration Appeal Board, you are entitled to stay in Iceland with the asylum-seeker status.

If your appeal is unsuccessful at all stages, you will have to leave Iceland. International Organization for Migration (IOM) provides support for Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration. You can contact them if you require assistance to return to your home country through 📧 [email protected].  

For more information regarding the asylum procedure in Iceland, you can visit the website of the Icelandic Government, which contains information in Icelandic and English.


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