MPs propose charging long-term residents for interpreting

Independence Party MP Diljá Mist Einarsdóttir says a bill has been submitted to Iceland’s parliament proposing that people who have lived in the country for at least three years pay for interpreting services. In an opinion article published by mbl.is, she says the proposal would preserve exceptions required by specific laws and international obligations.

Recent parliamentary questions have highlighted the cost of interpreting services for foreign residents, Einarsdóttir writes. Questions she submitted in February 2025 concerned interpreting for foreign prisoners, while questions from Nanna Margrét Gunnlaugsdóttir and Snorri Másson in April and May 2025 covered education, employment and healthcare.

The total cost of interpreting services for the Ministry of Health and its agencies from 2020 to 2024 was about ISK 1.6 billion, she says.

Icelandic is the official language of public authorities, Einarsdóttir writes, although some laws require interpreting for people who do not understand Icelandic. Those laws do not always specify who pays. She also points to challenges facing Icelandic, including its small number of speakers and the impact of digital development, and says the growing number of foreign citizens calls for more support for Icelandic-language teaching and for the language’s place in society.

Criminal cases are governed by specific rules requiring police and prosecutors to provide an interpreter, with the cost paid by the state. Einarsdóttir links those rules to the right to a fair trial and Iceland’s international obligations. Separate legal provisions also apply to interpreting in civil cases.

She says other countries distinguish between general access to interpreting and specific guarantees linked to fair legal proceedings. In Denmark, a fee may be charged for interpreting in healthcare after three years of residence. She also cites Poland, where Polish is the official language of public administration and interpreting rights largely relate to legal proceedings and international obligations, and Germany, where rules on sharing costs are linked to length of residence.

The proposed bill would establish a general principle of collecting interpreting costs from individuals who have lived in Iceland for three years or longer, subject to exceptions under specific laws and international obligations, including in criminal cases. Einarsdóttir argues that taxpayers should not have to fund interpreting for foreigners in every interaction with public authorities.