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This section is intended for reference only. We strongly recommend that you contact the embassy directly for the most up to date information that pertains to your specific situation.

Norway is a member of the Schengen countries. The 15 Schengen countries are: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Greece, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain and Sweden. With a Schengen visa, you may enter one country and travel freely throughout the Schengen zones.

For EU and EFTA (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland) citizens, an officially approved ID card (or a passport) is sufficient for entry. There are no border controls between these countries. A visa granted for any Schengen member is valid in all other countries that have signed and implemented the treaty.

The limit to your stay begins as soon as you enter any country in the Schengen Area and is not reset by leaving a specific Schengen country for another Schengen country, or vice-versa.

Passport

You must have a valid passport to travel abroad. A passport is an official government document that certifies one's identity and citizenship. The process and cost associated with getting a passport can be high, so start the process at least six months before you plan to leave. Your passport must be valid 6 months beyond intended stay.

Visa

A Norwegian visa is a stamp or endorsement placed by officials of Norway on a passport that allows the bearer to visit Norway. Visas are obtained from the Embassy or consulates of Norway for your visit. A visa takes anywhere from 2 days to 15 days to process in the Norwegian Embassy or Consulate.

As of January 2010 only the nationals of the following non-EU/EEA/Swiss countries do not need a visa for entry into the Schengen Area:

• Andorra
• Antigua and Barbuda
• Argentina
• Australia
• Bahamas
• Barbados
• Bermuda
• Brazil
• Brunei
• Canada
• Chile
• Costa Rica
• Croatia
• El Salvador
• Guatemala
• Honduras
• Israel
• Japan
• Macedonia
• Malaysia
• Mauritius
• Mexico
• Monaco
• Montenegro
• New Zealand
• Nicaragua
• Panama
• Paraguay
• Saint Kitts and Nevis
• San Marino
• Serbia
• Seychelles
• Singapore
• South Korea
• United States
• Uruguay
• Vatican City
• Venezuela

or

• British National (Overseas)
• Hong Kong SAR passport holder
• Macau SAR passports

These visa-free visitors may not stay more than three months in half a year and may not work while in the EU.

NOTE:
British subjects with the right of abode in the United Kingdom and British Overseas Territories citizens connected to Gibraltar are considered "United Kingdom nationals for European Union purposes" and therefore eligible for unlimited access to the Schengen Area
British Overseas Territories citizens without the right of abode in the United Kingdom and British subjects without the right of abode in the United Kingdom as well as British Overseas citizens and British protected persons in general do require visas.
However, all British Overseas Territories citizens except those solely connected to the Cyprus Sovereign Base Areas are eligible for British citizenship and thereafter unlimited access to the Schengen Area.

Macedonian, Montenegrin and Serbian nationals need a biometric passport to enjoy visa-free travel

Serbian nationals with passports issued by the Serbian Coordination Directorate (Serbs residing in Kosovo) still do need a visa.

Apply for a Visa

How to apply for a Visa:
• Fill out visa application form completely and legibly
• Submit two recent passport-size photos
• Submit passport or travel documents, which must be valid for at least three months after the expiration date of the visa to be applied for. All parties to the Schengen Agreement must recognize the passport or travel documents.
• Proof of nationality of the country you belong to.
• Proof establishing the purpose of trip (letter of invitation, official invitation, participation in group travel).
• Proof that you can and will continue your trip after your visit to the Schengen countries (a confirmed flight reservation and itinerary should be submitted with the visa application; after the visa is approved you will need to show an original airline ticket).
• Travel health/accident insurance.
• Proof of sufficient funds (bank statements for the last three months)
• Proof of accommodations, i.e. hotel reservation. If you are staying with family or friends, an official letter of invitation should be submitted which is signed by the concerned family members or friends and notarized by the local authorities in the relevant Schengen country.
• If the applicant is a minor travelling alone, written consent of the parent(s) or guardian having custody of the child. The signatures on this document must be notarized.

Visitor Visa

1. Visitor's visa may be granted for tourist visits, family visits, official assignments, business trips, study trips or other purposes.
2. The visa is granted for a maximum of three months.
3. You must have a valid passport or other approved travel document.
4. You must be able to return lawfully to your country of origin, or another country for which you have a residence permit.
5. You must have enough money to cover your travel costs to and from the Schengen area, and to pay for your stay in the area. If the person you are staying with guarantees your travel costs, cost of your board, lodging and return fare, if you do not have a round-trip ticket, it might be enough. You might be stopped at the border if it is proved that you do not have enough money or an approved guarantee.
6. You must not be registered in the Schengen Information System (SIS)as an alien who is to be refused entry into Schengen territory.

A visitor's visa is valid for entry and a stay during the period of time stipulated in the visa. Entry is generally permitted only once.

The application for a Schengen visa can be accessed online at: http://www.udi.no/

Airport Transit Visa

Nationals of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Iran, Iraq, Nigeria, Pakistan, Somalia and Sri Lanka must have a special airport transit visa if you are to stop in Norway on your way to another country outside the Schengen area. This visa will only allow you to stay in the airport's transit zone and does not entitle you to enter Norway. This visa is not required if you have resident permit in an EEA state or belong to following countries: Andorra, Canada, Japan, Monaco, San Marino, Switzerland or the USA.

National Visa

If you do not satisfy the conditions for being granted a visa into the Schengen area, you may be granted a national visa for entry into Norway only. this type of visa is only granted when it is required for humanitarian reasons or national considerations or under international commitments.

Residence Permit

If you intend to stay in Norway for more than 90 days, or if you are going to work while in Norway, a residence permit is necessary. The applicant has to stay in his/her home country until the permit has been granted by UDI.

A Residence Permit will mainly be granted for the following purposes:
Family Immigration
Work
Study

Residence in Norway through Family Immigration

Family immigration means that a family member living abroad is allowed to come to Norway to live with his or her family. The permit is granted for one year at a time. After three years, you may apply for a full settlement permit.

There is usually a housing and income requirement (equal to pay grade 8 of the National Pay Scale). For the exact amount, check UDI's website.

Residence Permit (EU/EEA/EFTA Nationals)

Permits for citizens of EU/EEA/EFTA countries are slightly different. There are special rules for employees from Poland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Romania and Bulgaria. Consult the UDI site about these situations.

A permit is not required for nationals from EU/EEA/EFTA countries who stay in Norway for up to three months, work in Norway for up to three months, work in Norway but commute to another EU/EEA/EFTA country at least once a week or EU/EEA/EFTA nationals who are seeking employment in Norway may reside in Norway for six months.

Work Visa

In general, you must hold a residence permit to be entitled to work in Norway.

In order to receive this type of Visa, an individual must have a formal work agreement that is sponsoring his or her relocation to Norway. People who are in Norway with a Visitor's Visa may stay in the country while their work permit is being processed, but cannot begin work until the proper permit is processed and approved.

Anyone applying for a work permit must submit documentation:
• A passport or approved ID card
• A fully filled in application form with signature and passport photograph must be submitted.
• Employees must submit a filled-in certificate of employment (separate form) or a contract of employment showing pay, scope and duration of the work
• Self-employed business operators must submit a description of the activity. Further may be required, depending on what type of activity is involved. Documentation of registration in the Bronnoysund Register Center should also be enclosed

All documentation must be originals or certified copies with translations into Norwegian or English.

Skilled Worker/Specialist Visa

Skilled workers/specialists are persons who are trained in a particular field or have special qualifications needed in Norway. The skilled worker/specialist training must be documented by a certified translation into Norwegian or English. To apply for a work permit as a skilled worker/specialist, the applicant must have a concrete job offer, and the work permit will only be valid for a particular job and particular place of employment. The permit is normally granted for one year at a time and is renewable. Wages and terms of employment may not be less favorable than the current collective pay agreement or those that are normal within the trade or profession in Norway.

There are several different divisions of Skilled workers
• Researcher with own funds
• Skilled jobseekers
• Seafarers on board foreign ships
• Service provider, self-employed contractor
• Work on the continental shelf
• Service provider, seconded employees
• Ethnic cooks
• International companies
• Self-employed persons

For less common examples and information about Skilled Workers, consult the UDI Skilled Worker site.

After three years, the skilled worker/specialist has the right to apply for a settlement permit. Once the skilled worker/specialist has been granted a settlement permit, they may seek other places of employment. Skilled worker/specialists may apply for other types of residence or work permit from Norway.

Study

Students must similar documentation to those applying for a work permit, but in addition must supply:
• documentation of admission to an approved educational institution
• documentation or declaration that subsistence is ensured
• proof of health insurance or European Health Insurance Card

Settlement Permit

A settlement permit may be available if you lived in Norway for three years consecutively and currently hold a residence or work permit issued with a view to permanent residence in the country and which constitutes the grounds for a settlement permit. This applies to persons who have been granted asylum, residence on humanitarian or protection grounds, family reunification of a work permit as a skilled worker/specialist. The permit will always indicate whether or not it constitutes the grounds for settlement. Once you have been granted a settlement permit, you cannot lose it, even if the grounds for the original permit no longer pertain, for example due to unemployment or divorce.

If you are a national of an EU/EEA country and wish to apply for a settlement permit, you must satisfy the same requirements.

A request for a settlement permit can be made to the police in Norway no later than one month before your residence or work permit expires. If your application is submitted on time, you have the right to continued residence on the same terms as before until your application has been decided.

Documents needed for a settlement permit
• Application form with photograph (a passport sized photograph)
• Copy of passport (also of previous passports if you have had more than one passport while you have had a permit to work or reside in Norway)
• Overview of any trips taken abroad during the last three years
• It is usually required that persons granted their initial work or residence permit after September 1, 2005 must complete Norwegian language instruction.

A complete checklist for documentation requirements can be found at:
http://www.norway.org.vn/

After applying, applicants will receive automatic notification in the mail that the immigration authorities have the application. This notification includes information about case processing times.

If you leave Norway after having been granted a settlement permit, a sticker is placed upon the passport to represent the settlement permit. To renew, you can go to the police station rather the re-apply.

If you live abroad for more than two years consecutively, or more than two years in total during a period of four years you may lose your settlement permit.

Norwegian Citizenship

In order to apply for Norwegian citizenship, you must complete form GP-7053 B (Application form for Norwegian citizenship). The police and foreign service missions can provide guidance about completing the forms.

Documents needed to apply:
• Birth certificate if you were born abroad (for children who apply, the birth certificate must show the names of the parents)
• Marriage certificate/ confirmation of cohabitation/ partnership certificate (only applies if you are married, are a cohabitant or a registered partner)
• List of entries to and departures from Norway
• A tax certificate
• A police certificate of good conduct if you are more than 15 years old (will be enclosed by the police)
• A copy of all the pages in old and new travel documents (passport or other types of travel documents) for the last ten years

Everyone who applies for Norwegian citizenship after September lst, 2008 must be able to document that they have completed 300 hours of Norwegian language tuition or be able to document adequate knowledge of Norwegian or Sami. This applies to everyone regardless of when they were granted residence permits.

For any questions pertaining to Visas, feel free to consult your the Norwegian Embassy, or the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration.
Phone +47 23 35 16 00
Email ots@udi.no