The Icelandic Human Rights Centre offers free legal advice appointments for immigrants on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10:00-16:00. The services of a translator are provided, if requested at booking, also free of charge. The appointments take place at the Centre which is located on Túngata 14, 101 Reykjavík (the building is called Hallveigarstaðir and also houses the Canadian Embassy). Appointments can be conducted over the phone or through a video call when needed.
Please note the following:
-
Appointments must be booked ahead of time. Appointments should be made via telephone or email. You can never get legal counselling by coming to the office without a pre-arranged appointment. Appointments are made by calling us on 552-2720 or by sending an email to info@humanrights.is.
- If you need a translator, you need to tell us when you book your appointment.
-
The appointments are 50 minutes maximum.
-
Please note that appointments for legal advice are sought after and that the earliest available appointments are usually in a few weeks. If you require urgent assistance you may need to seek the services of an attorney. However, if the urgency pertains to a deadline for an administrative appeal, we may be able to instruct you via email if the deadline is before your appointment - the reasoning can usually be submitted at a later date, once you have had your appointment.
-
We can only provide advice, information and basic assistance on legal matters, for example with writing up an administrative complaint or appeal. We cannot assist with the filling of forms.
-
We are not attorneys. The Centre cannot take on the cases of individuals and act as their personal lawyer or representative in any way.
-
It may be necessary for individuals to seek the services of an attorney for a full resolution of the matter they bring to the Centre's legal counselling.
-
The Centre does not refer individuals to particular attorneys, nor can we recommend particular attorneys, beyond providing information on the specialization that the attorneys themselves provide.
- If you intend to apply for Icelandic Citizenship and have questions regarding that process, please consider reading our information page on how to apply for an Icelandic Citizenship.
In order to get the most out of your legal counselling session, please keep the following in mind:
-
It's advisable to bring with you all relevant documents, preferably in an accessible format, such as a printed physical copy.
-
It's good to have a clear idea of what you want to ask about and to keep the recounting of events to a minimum so your time is used well.
-
Arrive in a timely manner, especially if there is a translator booked for your appointment.
-
Set a reminder of the time and date of your appointment in your phone or diary. The Centre will not send you a reminder before your appointment.
- Please let us know with as much notice as possible if you cannot attend your appointment or you do not need legal counselling anymore. This will enable us to give the appointment to someone else. It will also minimize your waiting time if you need a new appointment.