Speeding up processing at the border
A temporary annex that will house an arrivals border for passengers traveling to Iceland from outside the Schengen Area has opened. This border expedites and improves the processing of passengers entering the region in accordance with new European regulations.
The new space considerably improves the flow in the terminal by attempting to prevent long queues at border control, with shorter waiting times and increased efficiency.
The building is designed to be used temporarily until a new, permanent facility opens in the coming years. All material used is designed to be reused in accordance with the KEF+ and Isavia’s sustainability goals.
The building is one story high and is located on the east side of the South Building. It was opened when the new European regulation came into effect.
What are our goals
Centralized system
A new methodology is employed to keep track of arrivals, departures, and the length of stay of non-Schengen residents.
No need for a passport
The new border control eliminates the need to stamp passports. Registration instead requires photos and fingerprints in order to improve border control.
Focus on reuseable material
Since the airport is in constant development, the need for a specialised border building is only temporary. Sustainability is a guiding light in construction and will therefore be reused when the border control moves elsewhere.
Opening 2023
The building opened in May 2023, once the new European regulation for the external Schengen border came into effect.
A centralised system speeds things up
The European Union has brought into effect a new method for registering passengers’ journeys to and from Iceland. Additionally, this method keeps track of information regarding the refusal of entry of citizens from outside of the Schengen Area and determines criteria for processing through the entry/exit system from a law-enforcement perspective.
This centralized system keeps track of arrivals, departures, and the length of stay of non-Schengen residents. The new border control eliminates the need to stamp passports. Registration instead requires photos and fingerprints in order to increase quality and improve border control.
Temporary annex in numbers
Surface area 1,700m2
The surface area of the one-story building would comfortably fit 6 full-size tennis courts.
Length 46m
The building is 46m long, which is similar to the length of Keflavík's Sports Hall.
Width 38m
The expansion measure 38m wide, which is several meters more than the length of the Sports Hall in Sandgerði.
Height 10m
The height is 10m. The old lighthouse on Garðskagatá, by comparison, is over 12m.