If you are a refugee from Ukraine in Iceland, please visit the website of the Icelandic Government that contains important information in Icelandic, English or Ukrainian or call the Icelandic Multicultural Information Centre at ? +345 450 3090.
People arriving from Ukraine may be entitled to collective protection in Iceland. In particular, you may be eligible for collective protection in Iceland if you are:
- Ukrainian citizen, who resided in Ukraine before 24 February 2022,
- Holder of international protection, subsidiary protection or other residence permits for humanitarian reasons in Ukraine as of 24 February 2022,
- any of the two above-mentioned groups but were in Iceland on 24 February 2022 and had unresolved cases with the government or were in Iceland on the basis of a residence permit that cannot be extended,
- family member of any of the above regardless of whether the family members in question could safely return to their country of origin.
Under the Icelandic rules, the following persons are considered “family member”:
- Marital or cohabiting spouse, who was a part of the family in question on 24 February 2022,
- children and stepchildren under 18 years of age
- other close relatives who are partially or wholly dependent on the individuals listed above.
You can apply for collective protection before or upon arrival in Iceland. The Government of Iceland has provided all information here.
In most cases, the decision is made on the day of the application. In that case, you will be issued the decision granting collective protection, which you can use to prove your status.
After receiving a positive decision, you will receive details on how to collect your residence card. The residence permit based on collective protection is valid for one year at a time and may be extended for up to five years.
For more information about types of protection-related residence permits and rights and obligations, please visit the website of the Icelandic Government, available in Icelandic, English or Ukrainian. You can select one of these languages at the top of the website.
People who are not eligible for Collective Protection
If you do not qualify for collective protection, it may be possible for you to apply for asylum or remain in Iceland on other grounds, even if your visa waiver or visa has expired.
➡️Visit the Government website to find out how to apply for asylum.
If you are fleeing Ukraine and are in Poland, Hungary, Italy, Slovakia, Romania, or Bulgaria, please find on the Digital Blue Dot information about rights and services and where to find help. The site is also available in Ukrainian and Russian.
Pension Verification Requirement for Ukrainian Refugees
Due to recent legislative changes in Ukraine, all Ukrainian pensioners residing abroad must complete a verification procedure in order to continue receiving pension payments.
How to Complete Verification
You can complete the procedure through one of the following modalities:
- 1. Diia Application
- Via Diia Signature on the PFU web portal or the PFU mobile app (video guide is available here)
- 2. Videoconference Verification via the PFU Portal
- You may request a video call via the PFU portal or by calling the hotline: 0800 503 753.
- Calls are usually scheduled within 10–30 days and conducted via Google Meet, WhatsApp, Signal, Telegram, Viber, or Zoom.
- You will be asked to present your original passport/ID and pension certificate during the call .
- 3. Verification at a Ukrainian Consulate
- Visit the nearest Ukrainian consulate to confirm your identity and place of residence.
- You will receive a certificate of identity, which you can upload via the PFU portal to complete verification.
- 4. In-Person Verification in Ukraine
- If you are currently in Ukraine, you can visit any PFU service centre.
Please note: Due to the suspension of thousands of pensions in January 2026, long queues are currently reported nationwide.
- If you are currently in Ukraine, you can visit any PFU service centre.
Additional Requirement for Pensioners from Temporarily Occupied Territories (ToTs)
If you are from the ToTs, you must confirm that you are not receiving a pension from the Russian Federation, by doing one of the following:
- Selecting the relevant declaration box in your PFU online account
- Stating this explicitly during videoconference verification
- Sending a written declaration by email or postal mail to the PFU
After completing all steps, please verify that your PFU personal account reflects the correct date of verification and declaration. You may check this online or by contacting the PFU hotline (0800 503 753).
Need More Help?
For more information and technical support completing the verification process through the Diia app or PFU portal please contact the UNHCR Regional Contact Centre (RCC). Additional information will also soon be available via the Ukraine is Home website
