Photo by Julia StaplesThis year, applications for student visas in Iceland were up by 40% from 2024, according to the Directorate of Immigration (Útlendingastofnun). The Grapevine has been contacted by phone and email regarding difficulties for international students that seemed greater than in past years. The connotations for some students may be that they will not be able to enrol in classes for the autumn semester. In addition, those students who also need a visa to travel to Iceland cannot apply for one until their residency permit has been processed. The visa application process itself takes time, which may potentially cause further delays for some students.