After-birth checklist for parents in Iceland
After birth in Iceland, parents must move through child registration, possible ID confirmation, naming, paternity or custody steps where relevant, postnatal healthcare, leave administration, and childcare planning.
Last updated: May 2026
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- Registering the birth and the name has a deadline — six months for the name.
- A midwife visits you at home in the first days after you leave hospital, where that's offered.
- Your child gets a kennitala, and it matters for almost everything else that follows.
- Your parental leave payment needs to be applied for — it isn't automatic.
Post-birth task checklist
Birth registration and ID
- □Confirm birth notification sent to Registers Iceland by the hospital
- □Receive child's kennitala (Icelandic ID number)
- □Confirm child is registered in your municipality
Namegiving (deadline: 6 months after birth)
- □Choose a name that is on the approved Icelandic names list (Mannanafnaskrá)
- □If the name is not on the list, apply to the Personal Names Committee
- □Confirm custody and paternity status if surname options are affected
- □Submit name registration with Registers Iceland before the six-month deadline
Paternity and custody (where relevant)
- □Declare paternity formally if not done before birth
- □Confirm custody arrangement if required for naming or leave applications
- □Understand how paternity affects surname options
Parental leave administration
- □Submit parental leave application on Ísland.is before leave begins
- □Ensure employer confirmation of leave period is provided
- □Review estimated payment timeline from Fæðingarorlofssjóður
- □Check your child benefit (barnabætur) — it's calculated automatically from your tax return in most cases, but a separate application is needed if there isn't enough information on file yet
Postnatal healthcare
- □Schedule postnatal midwife visit
- □Register child with a GP at your local healthcare centre (heilsugæsla)
- □Follow the vaccination and development check schedule
Childcare planning
- □Confirm preschool application status in your municipality
- □Check waitlist position and expected allocation timing
- □Arrange day-parent care if a leave-to-childcare gap is anticipated
Looking after yourself, not just the baby
- □Book the standard postpartum checkup — it happens 6 to 10 weeks after birth
- □Take the midwife's home visits in the first days after discharge if your region offers them; ask your health centre if you're not sure
- □It's normal to need more support than you expected — say so to your midwife or GP rather than waiting it out
Key deadlines after birth in Iceland
6 months
Naming deadline
Child must be officially named with Registers Iceland within six months of birth.
Before leave
Parental leave application
Application must be submitted on Ísland.is before the leave period begins, not after.
First year
Preschool application window
Most municipalities require applications well before the child reaches preschool age. Check your municipality's timing via Vagga.
Add these tasks to your timeline
Every task on this checklist, placed against your child's actual birth date.
Vagga is an informational planning assistant. It does not replace official government, healthcare, legal, financial, or medical advice. Always confirm deadlines and requirements with the relevant Icelandic authority or professional. Learn more →
Frequently asked questions
Who registers the birth in Iceland?expand_more
When does a child get a kennitala in Iceland?expand_more
When must a child be named in Iceland?expand_more
What if paternity has not been declared after birth?expand_more
Your next step
- Start my timeline
The name has a six-month deadline. Put it in your timeline.
- See the group
Other parents in their first weeks
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Read next: Childcare in Iceland
Related tools and guides
Official sources
Vagga is a planning tool, not a government authority. Always confirm details on the official Icelandic sources below.
Track every after-birth task in one timeline
Add your child's birth date and see naming, leave, and childcare tasks organized by deadline.
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