Leaders of Iceland and the UK reach an agreement on residence rights after Brexit

The leaders of Iceland and the UK have agreed that Icelandic citizens in the UK and British citizens in Iceland will retain their residence rights after Brexit, even in the case of a no-deal with the EU. Gudlaugur Thór Thórdarson, Iceland‘s Minister for Foreign Affairs, says that this has been a key concern for the Icelandic government and is pleased with the result. 

Katrín Jakobsdóttir, Prime Minister of Iceland, and Theresa May, UK Prime Minister, discussed bilateral relations between Iceland and the United Kingdom, international measures to prevent human trafficking and Brexit at their bilateral meeting in Oslo yesterday. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the annual Nordic Council session in the Norwegian capital this week.

At the meeting, PM Jakobsdóttir said that the Icelandic government was prepared to ensure that UK citizens could remain in Iceland after UK’s withdrawal from the EU, even in the unlikely event of a no deal between the EU and the UK. Equally, PM May confirmed that, whatever happens, Icelanders and other EEA EFTA citizens, who've made their life choice to be in the UK, will be able to stay in the UK.

Foreign Minister Gudlaugur Thór Thórdarson says securing the rights of Icelandic citizens living in the UK has been a key concern of the Icelandic government. He also wants British citizens living in Iceland to be able to stay in Iceland after Brexit. “British citizens enrich our society. We are therefore very pleased that an agreement between our countries will be put in place in any eventuality so that the rights of Icelandic and British citizens are protected,“ says Gudlaugur Thór Thórdarson.