Registering Cohabitation

People who live together at the same legal domicile and are not married and do not have an unlisted marital status may register themselves in cohabitation. The date that the registration takes effect according to Registers Iceland is determined by the date the request is submitted.

Foreign nationals who have an unlisted marital status with Registers Iceland may not be registered in cohabitation. In order to resolve this issue, the foreign national must provide Registers Iceland with the official documentation necessary to confirm their marital status, e.g., a certificate of marital status from their home country. Foreign certificates of marital status may not be older than six months.

There is currently no comprehensive legislation on cohabitation registered with Registers Iceland, so the rights of cohabitating couples vary depending on the issue at hand and individual circumstances. That said, registered cohabitation does impact how Registers Iceland determines a number of other designations, including paternity and custody of a minor.

After one cohabitating partner fills out the registration form it is necessary for the other partner to submit a consent form.