Immigration Authorities Uphold Ban on Unlicensed Tour Guide

2026-03-04 - 09:55

A British national has been barred from entering Iceland for two years after authorities found he had been providing tourism services without the necessary permits. As reported by RÚV, the man is a British citizen of Chinese origin in his late forties, and was recently stopped by police in Selfoss while transporting five passengers in a coach. What's the Story? Two-year re-entry ban issued to a British citizen after authorities found he had been operating tourism services in Iceland without a work or residence permit Stopped by police in Selfoss while transporting five Chinese tourists who had booked the service via social media Decision by the Directorate of Immigration upheld by the Immigration Appeals Board after the man appealed the ban Photo: Golli. Iceland Review. Permit breach case Upon stopping the suspect, officers determined that the man had been operating within Iceland’s tourism sector without holding either a work or residence permit. During questioning, the man told police that the passengers were employees of a British company and that he was driving them on behalf of his employer. Investigators later established that the company in question was owned by the man himself and that the passengers were Chinese tourists who had discovered the tour service through a social media advertisement. He also stated that he was unaware a permit was required to run tourism services in Iceland. However, investigators found that he had already applied for a temporary work permit, which had not yet been approved. When asked how many times he had visited Iceland, the man initially said he had travelled to the country once. Examination of his passport indicated otherwise, showing seven entry stamps in 2023, four in 2024 and one in 2025. Authorities fined him for illegal business activity. The decision to impose a two-year re-entry ban was later upheld by the Immigration Appeals Board after he appealed a ruling by the Directorate of Immigration. More information about Iceland’s tourism sector can be found in this Iceland Review travel coverage.