r/Norway • u/starkicker18 • Nov 03 '24
Important warning: Reddit is not an appropriate place to get accurate immigration information.
However, this is a common topic on this subreddit and the old stickied post is several years old now. This post is here to help direct people to the proper information. Please read the entire guide and use the links provided to see out answers to your specific questions. Any questions you may have that cannot be answered from this guide or the links provided cannot be answered by redditors on this sub and should therefore be directed to an appropriate immigration expert.
Disclaimer: I am not a professional; I neither work for UDI, nor am I an immigration lawyer. I have spent a lot of time studying and researching the rules and regulations. What follows is a rough guide only meant to serve as a starting point; use the info here to conduct your own research. With that said:
Despite what movies might portray, moving abroad is not just a matter of packing bags and showing up. Immigration is usually a long, often expensive process, and there are many criteria that you must meet to be legally resident in Norway. There are three general categories of permits that will allow you to remain in Norway beyond a regular tourist/visitor visa:
Temporary Residence Permit:
This is your first step. These permits are contingent on you (worker or student) or your reference person (family immigration) meeting certain requirements; are usually temporary; and will need to be renewed (usually biannually, but some are more/less frequent). You must have this permit if you wish to remain in Norway beyond your visitor visa (ie: >90 days).
Permanent Residence Permit:
This can be applied for only if you have been legally living in Norway for three years (or more in some instances) with a residence permit that forms the basis of permanent residency; you must meet the requirements for your current residence permit (ie: still employed, still are married to a person with residency rights, etc...); you meet the language requirements; pass a citizenship test; have an income over a certain threshold; and you have not been convicted of a criminal offence. This allows you to stay in Norway permanently (no need to reapply; but you will need to renew your card every 2 years for third-country nationals and 10 years for EEA/EU citizens).
Note: income requirement is based on the person applying, not the family member/sponsor. If you are married and here under family immigration rules, it is you, the applicant, who must demonstrate that you can support yourself in Norway by meeting the minimum income requirements.
Citizenship:
This is an optional step. You do not need to apply for citizenship; however, if you want to, you can qualify for Norwegian citizenship after a period of time (usually >7 years). This has many requirements, but the biggest is the language requirement.
Note: While Norway now allows dual citizenship, your country of origin may not allow dual citizenship.
Note: Norway does not allow citizenship based on heritage. One or both of your parents need to have citizenship (and not have given it up previously) in order for you to qualify for citizenship based on birth. There are a lot of complicated rules surrounding citizenship by birth. Use this to determine if you qualify for citizenship. NB: Norway does not offer citizenship by investment (ie: having a lot of money to invest in exchange for residency or citizenship).
Note: When you apply for citizenship, you must still meet the requirements for permanent residency (income requirement being the biggest).
The remainder of this post will focus on the temporary residence permits, since by the time you are ready for PR or citizenship you will be an immigration pro. How you qualify for immigration to Norway and how easy the process will be depends on a few factors
If you are an EU/EEA citizen (or Swiss) you have the right to reside in Norway for 3 months without any other obligations. After 3 months you will need to demonstrate that you are meeting your treaty rights. Those treaty obligations are:
NB: The last three require you to have sufficient funds to support yourself and your family and have comprehensive medical insurance for the duration of your stay. See FAQ below for more info.
The right of residence for longer than three months also extends to the EEA/EU citizen’s immediate family (spouse/partner, children, other dependents), regardless of their nationality, so long as the EU/EEA citizen is meeting their treaty obligations and neither the citizen nor the family member is a threat to public policy, security, or health. All of this is explained in Article 7 of the Directive on Free Movement.
It is important to note that people immigrating under this route do not qualify for the benefits found in the Introduction Law, which include, among other things, the right to free language lessons.
Your options for moving are not as simple or easy as above. I am using an applicant from the US as the default here. You should consult UDI (Norwegian Immigration Board) or the Norwegian Embassy in your country for the most up-to-date information for your specific nationality.
Generally speaking you need a reason to be in Norway. These reasons are:
These are most often spouses/cohabitants, but may also include children or parents under some circumstances.
The process for application is relatively straightforward with a little bit of reading on UDI's website and some document gathering.
Note on income sources: under this route of family immigration, it is the onus of the sponsor to demonstrate that they make a sufficient income to support the family. This means that, regardless of the financial situation, the sponsor must make the minimum income; the third-country national's income/savings are not taken into consideration.
There are other circumstances that may require additional documentation (ie: evidence of military service). Check UDI for all the documents you'll need.
Family members who are granted residence based on this route will qualify for free language classes as part of the introduction act (link above).
NB: the rules may change if you have lived with the Norwegian citizen legally in another EEA/EU country. If this is the case, you may be allowed to choose between family immigration under Norwegian national law or residence card as a family member of an EU citizen (see above). Also see the differences between the two immigration schemes here.
If you are engaged to a Norwegian you can apply for a fiancé permit which will allow you to come into Norway for the purposes of getting married in Norway. You must be married within 6 months. After you are married you will have to apply for family immigration with your spouse (process described above). You can read about getting married in Norway here.
Only some people can apply from Norway. Others will have to apply from their home country via the embassy or consulate. Make sure you check with UDI to learn more.
There are many types of working permits. UDI’s webpage will outline all the possibilities available to you but the most common are skilled worker and seasonal worker.
Skilled workers are those who:
Additionally, you must have received a concrete job offer from an employer in Norway, the job must normally be full-time (UDI will, at the time of writing, accept 80%), the job must have the same pay/conditions that is normal in Norway, and the job you are offered must require the qualifications as a skilled worker (and you must be qualified for the job).
If you do not fall into this category, you may qualify as a seasonal worker; however this route is considerably more difficult, usually temporary (<6 months), and your employer must prove that they cannot fill the position with a worker from Norway or the EEA/EU. You will need to be employed 100%, you will need a concrete job offer before you apply, and the job must be deemed season or holiday stand-in.
Those citizens who qualify as a skilled worker and who are coming from a country with a visa-free agreement with Norway you may be allowed to come to Norway as a skilled job seeker.
NB: You cannot work while you are searching for a job. This means that once you have a concrete job offer, you will need to apply for a residence permit as a worker and you cannot start working until your application has been approved.
Some international companies may post workers in Norway. You will still need a resident permit for workers; however, many companies will help with this process.
As of 2023, Norway no longer offers free tuition for international students (outside of the EEA/EU). This means that students from non-EU/EEA countries will need to pay tuition.
In order to qualify for a study permit, you need:
First and foremost, you need to be accepted to a recognized education institution, for example: university. The program of study must be full time (generally 60 stp / year). Few undergraduate programs offer education in English; therefore, the majority of programs will require Norwegian language proficiency (B2 level) before you can study.
You need to pay tuition either full or per semester. If you pay only the first semester, you need to demonstrate that you can pay the second installment. Your funding can come from a variety of sources including loans, own funds, or grants. In addition, you will need to demonstrate to UDI that you have sufficient funds to support yourself for the duration of your study. These need to be in a Norwegian bank account or in an account arranged by the education institution (you will have to talk to the school about this).
Your funding cannot be fully supporting by working while studying as there is a limit to the number of hours you are allowed to work. As an international student, you are only allowed to work 20 hours / week while studying.
Finally, the situation in your home country needs to be such that UDI believes you will return home when your studies are finished.
A study permit does not form the basis of Permanent residency. After you are finished your studies, you will have a small grace period to look for a job, however, if you do not receive a contract of employment, you will be expected to return home / leave the country.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| 1. Do I really need to learn the language to live in Norway? | This is a frequently asked question on the subreddit (see this post for example). Some people can survive in Norway with only English, however, if you do not speak fluent English or if you wish to stay long term, you should learn the language. Your job opportunities, socialization opportunities, and immigration opportunities are limited if you do not learn the language. It is a significant part of integration into the country, and most people will expect a passable level of Norwegian skills after a few years of living here. If you want to get permanent residency, you need A2 level Norwegian (with a few exceptions); if you want citizenship, you need B1 (with a few exceptions). |
| 2. How do I learn the language? | r/norsk is a good start. Additionally, almost every municipality has an adult education centre where they offer Norwegian courses. If you are in the immigrant group who have both the obligation and right to Norwegian language learning, then these classes are often free for a set number of hours/years. If you only have the obligation, then these classes will not be free and you will have to pay. In addition to adult education centres, there are private institutions online or in person that you can take. Additionally there is a wide range of tools online and offline that can help you learn. |
| 3. Does Norway need XYZ workers? | This is a frequent question on this subreddit. Try the search function. Otherwise, do a search of finn.no or nav.no and see if there are a lot of positions for the job you are searching for |
| 4. What's the job market like in ZZZ town/city? | Check finn or nav to see what is available in the area you are interested in. Then considering looking at the unemployment rates. |
| 5. How do I get my education approved? | The directorate for higher education for most education. Helse Norge for health care workers. You do not need to wait until you are in Norway in most instances to have your education approved. It is a good idea to have all education from high school to university approved as you never know if you need to document that you have completed high school. It is important to note that not all education from outside of Norway will be approved on a 1:1 basis and you may find you are missing credits or even your whole degree might not be approved. |
| 6. I have lots of work experience from my home country, but not formal education, can I qualify as a skill worker? | Generally, no. There are exceptions for highly skilled workers in professions that are in demand. Additionally, these positions must not be able to be filled with Norwegian workers, European workers, or others living in the country. |
| 7. What documents from home should I bring | While it may not be required for most applications, from experience, it is a good idea to get a certified copy of some important documents from back home. Getting certified (and potentially notarized) copies of diplomas/transcripts, your birth certificate, divorce proceedings, etc... will potentially save you a lot of time, money, and annoyance as trying to get these things while you are abroad is much, much harder. |
| 8. Can I get a digital nomad visa? | No such thing exists in Norway at the time of writing. In order to work in Norway, regardless of where your place of employment is located, you need to have the right to work in Norway. This means a residence permit that allows for work, permanent residence, citizenship, or are a member of the EU/EEA and have worked out the tax obligations of working in one country while residing in another. |
| 9. I work from home / am self-employed, can I visit Norway on a tourist visa and work there? | No. A tourist visa does not grant you the right to work in Norway. Lying to the immigration board or the border patrol upon entry could result in a ban from the Schengen area for up to 5 years. |
| 10. I think Norway is a beautiful place and I love the culture. I am nearing retirement age, so how can I retire in Norway? | Depends. Are you an EEA/EU citizen? If so, meet your treaty obligations (see the above post under "self-sufficient") and move to Norway. Are you a third-country national? You cannot retire in Norway unless you have a legal right to already live in Norway. There is no option to be a self-sufficient third-country national in Norway. |
| 11. I am an EU/EEA citizen who wants to live in Norway as a self-sufficient person. What kind of health insurance do I need to qualify for "comprehensive sickness insurance"? | Honestly, no one knows. "Comprehensive sickness insurance" is up to each individual nation to decide what is "comprehensive." There is no private health insurance that is as comprehensive as a national insurance system. If a nation decides that "comprehensive" = the same coverage as national health system, then that leaves loopholes for immigration departments to deny applications. It is a matter of record that Norway has been warned by EFTA many times with regards to recognizing citizens' treaty rights (esp for non-economically active citizens). That said there is a European precedent - C-413/99 Baumbast. In this case, the EU courts found that, as long as the citizen is not a burden on the state, it would be disproportionate to refuse to recognize a citizen's right to reside in another member state. But there is no checkbox on immigration applications saying "I will not / am not a burden on the state's welfare system." Many people have been rejected on the basis of lacking comprehensive sickness insurance. Until someone challenges these rejections all the way up to the European court system, there is no need to clarify what "comprehensive" means. Note: sufficient funds in this scenario can come from any source including a third-country national's savings/income/other documented source (you may need to prove the sponsor has access to this money). |
| 12. What city should I move to? | First and foremost make sure you have the right to move to Norway. After that, your options are usually limited based on the immigration route you are following - most often connected to where your family, school, or job is located. If you are free to move wherever you'd like, then find a spot that seems to suit your lifestyle best. |
| 13. My grandparent(s) moved to XXX from Norway. Can I get citizenship? | No. Citizenship rules are based on parents, not heritage. Read the section on citizenship and take the checklist test to see if you qualify. |
| 14. I can't open a bank account because I don't have a D number. I cannot get a D number because I don't have an address. I can't rent an apartment without a bank account [screams into the void] | Yes, we know. it's a chicken and egg problem that makes the situation particularly hard for people arriving. Some landlords will be flexible and put the deposit in their own account, but this puts you at risk of losing that money if that landlord is not trustworthy. Similar situation exists for students. Right now there are no good answers, but there are workarounds. You can also ask to be verified on Finn which might help with getting responses. |
| 15. How do I find a house / apartment? | finn.no is pretty much the go-to source for anything in Norway, but especially finding housing. hybel.no is another source |
| 16. I found a job / employer who is interested in hiring, but they prefer people who already have a work permit. How do I get a work permit so a job will hire me? | Another catch 22, unfortunately. You need the job first. There's no chance you can get a permit without a job. However, some people may have the right to come to Norway to search for work. Check UDI for further info |
| 17. My partner and I have been together for several years, but have not lived together long enough to qualify as cohabitants, how can we move to Norway together? | Live together longer or marriage are your only options. |
| 18. I have been waiting for a response from UDI for a long time how, when will I find out | You can read about UDI Waiting Times here. They are constantly changing and are usually quite long. Remember that there is a difference between local police / embassy times and UDI's waiting times. Waiting times are often a result of large numbers of applications, improper or incomplete information in applications, and applications that have higher priority (refugee and asylum, for example). |
| 19. Can I get priority on my application? | Maybe. But most do not get priority. |
| 20. I have foreign education, where can I get it approved? | NOKUT formerly did this, but it has now been transferred to the department of education |
r/Norway • u/behindtheitinerary • 3h ago
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Camping in autumn is another world here in Vesterålen 😍 It's hard not to love this time of year!
r/Norway • u/northcool • 2h ago
I’m sure this topic has been discussed here many times before, but I just want to vent a little anyway.
Is the Norwegian police a joke to the drug dealers around Grønland T-bane station? Almost every time I use the station, someone either approaches me to ask if I want to buy weed, or I see dealers hanging around. Sometimes, I take the metro from Jernbanetorget or Tøyen instead, simply to avoid them, even though Grønland is more convenient for me.
What annoys me is having to deal with this kind of unwanted attention from people openly engaging in illegal activities just to get where I need to go. I understand that some people might not care at all, but I imagine others find it just as uncomfortable and frustrating. Does any of you actually find it disturbing, or is it just me overreacting?
I also understand that arresting these individuals over and over again might not solve the problem in the long run. However, when the police seem to do very little about it, doesn’t that just encourage these dealers to continue operating so openly, without any apparent hesitation?
So, what’s the reason behind the police’s seemingly passive approach to this issue? I heard capacity is one reason, but that's such a weak excuse in my opinion. And do any of the political parties in Norway have concrete proposals to address open drug dealing in areas like Grønland?
r/Norway • u/elassie • 21h ago
I moved to Norway last year and as this will be my first winter driving in Norway, I’m seriously considering paying 7000 kr to take the glattkjøringskurs, since I’m in Northern Norway and very scared of winter, and I’d prefer being safe on the road.
At the moment, however, it is for me a big money-investment, so I’m curious to hear about people that have taken it.
EDIT: Thanks for all the quick and helpful tips. I’ll get the course if I manage to get an appointment with a driving school, if not I’ll try to at least find someone to be with me and practice there.
r/Norway • u/Quirky_Transition966 • 15h ago
I am in the US and while recently walking around Boston, I found a Norrona store. It seems like very good gear, but it's very expensive. So is another Norwegian brand Helly Hansen. Helly is so expensive, it's more like a lifestyle or status brand here, and Norrona isn't that well known.
I'm just curious, what does the average Norwegian wear?
r/Norway • u/OkBat6375 • 12h ago
I imagine this gets asked a lot so apologies if you’re sick of the question!
What’s the general attitude on tourists trying to speak very basic norwegian? Is it generally preferred that they just speak English instead (if they do speak English), or is attempting to communicate basics in norwegian seen as more respectful?
Genuine curiosity from an Australian coming to visit in January!
r/Norway • u/CmdrMcLane • 19h ago
r/Norway • u/omgyellowish • 1d ago
Har stabla ved for han far i mange år, men nå fikk vi en pall med mange kubber med hull i. Var også noe rødlig pulver på det ene.
Er det noen som kan forsikre meg om at dette ikke er termitter? Eventuelt hva det kan være? Bør jeg være bekymret for å infisere all den andre veden jeg har stablet hittil?
r/Norway • u/Pink_Assasin • 20h ago
In short I visited Norway bought a nice winter hiking hat and then lost it, and now I'm on a journey to get it back. The hat is very similar to a "lowe alpine classic moutain cat" in fact I'm pretty sure they are the same cut. However the cap I owned didn't have the logo on the forehead ( I placed my own green pin there) and had two flag patches on its sides as well as a chin string and this eye catching blue color that I couldn't find on models online.
Which brings me here, I'm curious if someone from Norway could try looking it up and maybe have less souvernirish results as well as maybe this reaches some one who lives around Vossevangen, Vestland so they could check out the physical store I bought this cap in.
r/Norway • u/Desertedfoxx • 2h ago
Given how American the video game is (the themes, the characters, the Latin American influence, the culture), I wonder if it's popular in Europe. And what do Europeans think about it?
r/Norway • u/ohnag_eryeah • 19h ago
My friends who used Huawei for years said it was fine, but idk about now. BankID I know that the website support Huawei. From Vipps website they said that they dont support the app downloaded outside of playstore, it sounds a bit ambiguous so idk
r/Norway • u/Vast_Bit858 • 1d ago
Hallo,
moved to Norway last week. About a month before moving, I applied for around 50 construction jobs in Trondheim
Out of those applications, I got one interview and 4 replies asking me to contact them once I arrived in Norway. After arriving, I emailed those companies to arrange interviews... but received no responses
3 days after arriving, I received a job offer for a helper position paying 265 NOK per hour, which I already accepted. The role and pay are below what I was hoping for, as I have 2 years of construction experience, but I accepted the offer and will be starting on Monday
Now, some of the other companies have started replying.
If I receive a better offer, would it be considered acceptable to leave so soon after accepting my current job? Could this affect my reputation within the local construction industry?
Also, how much higher would the hourly pay need to be for you to consider switching?
Any advice is appreciated
Happy winter :)
r/Norway • u/Miao_Yin8964 • 1d ago
r/Norway • u/MoreTravelPlease • 19h ago
I will be in traveling in Northern Norway (Tromso, Narvik) and Sweden (Abisko, Stockholm) late December and early January for roughly 2 weeks. I will primarily be taking planes and buses to get between destinations and then walking with my luggage from public transport stops to my lodging. Does it make sense to use wheeled luggage given the season/weather, or would a large backpack (I have several) make more sense for my purposes? Thanks!
r/Norway • u/badboyzpwns • 23h ago
I love the cold but if its bad weather that impacts visibiltiy, I dont think I will go. What do you guys think, is it a good time to go?
Had a great week walking and exploring Norway. It was my first time, and hopefully not my last. I wrote more about all the trip, in case anyone wants to read it: https://www.luisnatera.photo/norway-hardangervidda-fjord/
r/Norway • u/IntelligentGap8204 • 1d ago
Any recommendations on great romantic activities in northern Norway. We’ll be doing a road trip from Tromso to Lofoten next week, or any must do activities in general would be helpful as well.
Also, any fire rings(pits) suggestions?
r/Norway • u/Individual_Fuel3084 • 1d ago
Hei! Jeg lurer på om noen har vært i en lignende situasjon eller vet hvordan reglene til Lånekassen fungerer.
Jeg vokste opp og gikk på skole i Norge, men på grunn av dokumentert sykdom fikk jeg ikke generell studiekompetanse. Jeg fikk kompetansebevis og kom senere inn på jusstudiet ved i England gjennom et integrert foundation year.
Jeg finansierte foundation year selv, og går nå første året på selve bachelorgraden. Jeg har søkt om støtte fra Lånekassen, men har fått beskjed om at jeg må ha generell studiekompetanse fra Norge for å få støtte til utdanning i utlandet.
Er det noen som vet om det finnes unntak i slike tilfeller, eller om foundation year kan vurderes som tilsvarende kvalifikasjon? Kan dokumentert sykdom ha noe å si for vurderingen?
Jeg er EØS-borger og har gått på skole i Norge, dersom det er relevant.
r/Norway • u/SomberDreamer • 15h ago
Hei! I’m an American from across the pond. The job market here is pretty bad. So bad, it took me 6 months to find a new role after consistently interviewing almost every week.
I’m wondering how much better things are across the pond as I have some friends in Norway.
r/Norway • u/robmedwil • 19h ago
Hi everyone!
My partner and I are both GPs in Belgium, and we've been considering moving to Norway for a year or two. We're attracted by the idea of experiencing life in a different country and, of course, enjoying Norway's beautiful nature. We'd love to hear from doctors who are currently working there and get a better idea of what the job is actually like.
We're open to working in either rural area or urban, so any experiences are welcome!
A few questions we're particularly curious about:
- Work-life balance: What does a typical working week look like? How many hours do you work, and roughly how many patients do you see per day?
- Salary: What can a GP expect to earn, approximately?
- On-call duties and home visits: How often are you on call, and how common are home visits?
We're also interested in anything else you think would be useful to know before considering such a move, whether it's about the healthcare system, working conditions, or everyday life as a GP in Norway.
We've read that becoming fluent in Norwegian is essential, which will certainly be a challenge in itself! ;)
Thanks in advance for sharing your experiences and advice. We really appreciate it!
r/Norway • u/Patient_Win5239 • 19h ago
How realistic is it to find a job in Norway with a foreign European bachelor's degree in law if I know Norwegian?
r/Norway • u/Super-Floor2712 • 2d ago
Norway, also known as Norway, has again been struck by the magic of the northern lights tonight.
Nord Troms
Taken from different locations to capture the fluid nature of this magic
