Iceland Visa Cover Letter for Indians: Sample and Format

The requirements below come from the Embassy's tourism, business and family-visit checklist hosted by VFS, as published on the official sources, checked on 15 October 2026. The Embassy of Iceland in New Delhi handles all Iceland visa matters for India. For fees, centres and processing, see our Iceland visa guide for Indian travellers.

Is a cover letter compulsory for an Iceland visa?

Yes. Unlike some Schengen countries, Iceland names the cover letter in its common document list, described as a letter 'stipulating the purpose of travel, duration, accompanying persons, transport and accommodation details'. It sits alongside the printed and signed Schengen application, the confirmation that you submitted the online form at visa.government.is, your passport, photo, insurance, bookings, employment proof, bank statement and ITR.

Business travellers carry two letters: their own, and a cover letter from their employer. The checklist says both the employer's letter and the signed invitation must confirm your identity, the purpose of the journey, and the period and place of the intended stay.

Which five details must the letter contain?

Build the letter around the five points in the checklist, then add two India-specific lines on your work and funding.

The funding line matters because Iceland sets a daily figure. Your original bank statement for the last three months, with every page stamped and signed by the bank, must show 8000 ISK per day for a hotel stay, or 4000 ISK per day if a third party bears the expenses. Every applicant submits their own bank statement, even when someone else is paying.

Sample Iceland visa cover letter (couple on holiday)

This sample covers a married couple travelling together. Replace every bracketed part, and make sure each date matches the online form.

To the Visa Section
Embassy of Iceland
33 B. S. Radhakrishna Marg, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi 110021

Subject: Schengen visa application for tourism, [full name], passport no. [number]

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am applying for a short-stay Schengen visa to visit Iceland for tourism from [date] to [date], a total of [number] nights. I will travel with my wife, [name], passport no. [number], who is submitting her own application.

We will fly from [city] to Iceland on [date] and return on [date], as shown in the attached flight reservation (PNR [number]). We will stay at [hotel] in [town] from [date] to [date] and at [hotel] in [town] from [date] to [date]; the reservations are attached.

I have worked as [designation] at [company], [city], since [month, year]. My employer has approved leave from [date] to [date]; my employment contract, leave letter and pay slips for the last three months are attached.

I will pay for the trip from my savings. My bank statement for the last three months, stamped and signed by [bank], and my income tax return acknowledgments for the last two assessment years are attached. We hold travel medical insurance from [insurer] covering all Schengen countries for the whole trip.

We will return to India on [date], and I will rejoin work on [date].

Enclosures: online application confirmation, signed application form, photograph, passport copy, travel insurance, flight reservation, hotel reservations, employment proof, bank statement, ITR acknowledgments.

Yours faithfully,
[Name], [signature], [date], [mobile], [email]

How should you adapt the letter to your situation?

The proof-of-employment line changes with your profile, and so should the paragraph about work.

• Self-employed: mention your business name and GST registration; attach company registration including the GST number, the business bank statement and ITR.
• Student: name your institution and course; attach the enrolment certificate.
• Sponsored: name the sponsor and relationship; attach the sponsor letter and the sponsor's photo ID, plus your own bank statement.
• Retired: state the pension source; attach pension statements for the last three months.
• Travelling with a child under 18: mention the notarised consent of any non-travelling parent and attach copies of both parents' passports or ID.

What changes for business trips and family visits?

For a family or friends visit, your host completes Iceland's online invitation form (Invitation Letter for visitors) on island.is, and the online guarantee form for visits if they sponsor you. If you are visiting a spouse in Iceland, attach the marriage certificate or proof of cohabitation. Your cover letter should name the host, their relationship to you and the address where you will stay.

For business, keep your own letter short and let the employer's cover letter and the signed invitation from the Icelandic party carry the detail. All three should agree on dates and place of stay.

What happens after you hand in the letter?

You lodge the file at one of 16 VFS Global centres, from New Delhi and Gurugram to Kochi and Puducherry, and pay the visa fee of INR 9900 (EUR 90) plus the VFS service fee of INR 2900. If something is missing, it must be emailed to the Embassy within 5 days of your VFS appointment. A decision usually takes 15 calendar days from the Embassy's receipt, not counting transport time, and may be extended in specific cases.

Avoid these cover-letter slips:

• Dates that differ from the online form at visa.government.is
• Leaving out accompanying persons, which the checklist names explicitly
• Citing a travel insurance card instead of a policy; the checklist says an insurance card is not sufficient
• Claiming funds your bank statement does not show

European Commission data shows a refusal rate of 25.7% for Schengen applications lodged at Icelandic consulates in India in 2025 (2,793 visas not issued; 10,906 applications lodged), up from 16.3% in 2024. That is the share of all applications refused, not a prediction for yours.

Yatra For Fun's India office in Gurugram drafts cover letters and prepares the flight reservation, hotel bookings and itinerary they describe. Packages run from INR 1,000 for a flight reservation to INR 3,000 for a reservation, hotel, itinerary and cover letter. WhatsApp +91 95230 91018 or use our contact page.

Frequently asked questions

Who should an Iceland visa cover letter be addressed to?

Address it to the Visa Section, Embassy of Iceland, 33 B. S. Radhakrishna Marg, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi 110021. The Embassy handles all Iceland visa matters for India through VFS; the honorary consulates in Chennai and Kolkata have no published visa role.

Does each family member need a separate Iceland cover letter?

The cover letter is listed among the documents for each application, so every applicant's file should include one. Family members travelling together can describe the same trip and name each other as accompanying persons.

Is a cover letter needed for an Iceland long-stay (D) visa?

The VFS checklist for a Long Term (D) visa lists only the approval letter and a valid passport. You first apply to Iceland's Directorate of Immigration, which then asks you to visit VFS for biometrics and passport submission.

How much money should my Iceland cover letter mention?

Iceland's checklist asks that your bank statement show 8000 ISK per day for a hotel stay, or 4000 ISK per day if a third party bears your expenses. State who pays and let the stamped three-month statement prove it.