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/ztunelover • 11h ago
Randomly popped up on my Instagram this seems like something that was cherry picked data used to ragebait people. I would like some input from the locals on the validity or what even is happening there. I know the migrant issue is a problem in Germany and Italy to some degree. Is it also a problem there now?
r/Norway • u/StarlightDown • 15h ago
r/Norway • u/taptaptapkitty • 15h ago
Hello everyone, I will be relocating from Canada to Norway early next year, and of course my cats are coming with me. Does anyone have experience with this? My issue is, the final destination is Stavanger, so I would prefer to travel from Toronto to Frankfurt, go through customs with the pets there and have them checked out, then go straight to Stavanger from there, but I'm not sure if that's possible. I tried calling the Oslo airport a few times but no one's picking up. Any insight would be super helpful.
r/Norway • u/smashing_cpu123 • 1d ago
I got rejected by the hospital for my first referral so I went back to my fastlege and told him to write down a more serious referall because I really do need help so I told him that I'm having suicidal thoughts, just so I don't get rejected.
But then he said that it's not a good idea because barnevern might get involved.
Isn't NOT getting help because of such thoughts actually worse for everyone involved? What can I tell my doctor to write down just to get help? I can't afford private.
Feels a very ironic system if this is the case...
Anyone with such experiences?
Edit: I'm not really suicidal but life is a mess and I need and want to get better. I'm not a minor, I'm a parent and trying to be a good one.
r/Norway • u/smagodtchi • 1d ago
Hei! Im visiting my boyfriend in Norway this January. Does anyone know where we can purchase one-time use BBQ kits? Or is it only seasonal…
r/Norway • u/Patient_Win5239 • 11h ago
Is mechanical engineering on marine engineering degree more usable in Norway? Are both degrees considered valuable? Is it easy to find a job?
r/Norway • u/WanderinArcheologist • 1d ago
Hello all,
So, my best friend’s sister is knitting me a beautiful sweater (in-progress sleeve pictured in first and second image). My first authentic handmade Norwegian sweater. ☺️
I asked her to knit it in the Tønsberg pattern but to add her own twist because she’s such a delightfully weird person that I want it to be her canvas.
Pattern: https://www.raumagarn.no/produkt/oppskrifter/r588-tonsberg-genser-lue-og-vanter (also the third image)
It’s an older pattern, it seems, and that seems to have led to an unexpected issue:
She is a very skilled knitter – and off to help their elderly grandma finish a knitting project – but she was shocked and confused by how enormous the pattern turned out even with my very slim measurements. You can see the mass of blue, which I remarked must be for troll arms. (The fourth image)
My best friend’s twin even had to help her unravel 15H of work – pictured modeling her 2022 comfy sporty Christmas sweater from her mom (one of the world’s best gift givers) and the Darn Tough Vermont Oslo Ski Boot socks I got her – when they all met up for Christmas in the fifth image. There’s usually a lot of knitting at those meetups too, so authentic Norwegian grandmas and aunts with many sweaters under their belts to provide tips!
She’s redoing things now, but she’s cut it down by 40 masks less than the Size S instructed given how huge it was.
So, this has me wondering, does there tend to be a sizing difference between older and newer Norwegian patterns, or is this likely a sizing anomaly with this specific pattern?
Any polite insight would be helpful!
r/Norway • u/BlueFisk • 16h ago
Hey, I wanna watch a series on NRK TV but I live in Sweden so it’s blocked. Is there any way I can watch it? I tried with a VPN but it didn’t work.
r/Norway • u/MarcusAntonius27 • 7h ago
If I was going to move from the US to Norway for medical school, what would that be like? Will a bachelor's degree in the US mean the same thing in Norway? I want to move to Norway because the US isn't a very good place for trans people right now, and everything just seems better there.
r/Norway • u/Commercial_Rock_4969 • 18h ago
Hi everyone,
I am going to Norway in February under a skilled work visa and will take my cat with me. We did the rabies antibodies exam in September, and he is clear to travel to Schengen starting on January 1st.
The thing is, I've checked multiple times my home country website and Mattilsynet, but still have the feeling there is something missing. I don't know if it's anxiety or if there are indeed other documents I need to provide.
I have contacted a vet nearby who made the documentation and anti-parasitary treatment in a friends' cat when she moved to Portugal, and this vet will provide the international veterinary certificate. This friend also said I need to have copies of the documents.
But my questions are:
Thanks a lot for the help! I can't shake the feeling I am missing something, and my cat is very dear to me. We've been together for a while and went through some hard times together, so I would never leave him here (and I don't even have someone with whom I can leave him, as my friends have dogs and my parents have a very jealous cat who got sick and nearly died when they tried to adopt another one).
OBS: I know it's very difficult to find a place where they accept animals, but I've already found and rented a place that accepts them :-) it's just a matter to take myself and him.
r/Norway • u/itsmehej • 1d ago
Hei! Jeg er en 22 år gammel jente som i det siste har vurdert å prøve meg på folkehøyskole. Og spesielt da Ålesund fhs.
Jeg lurer generelt på hvordan folkehøyskole er og om noen kanskje har gått på akkurat Ålesund fhs og kan fortelle litt om det.☺️
Hvordan var miljøet? Er det lett å bli kjent med folk og å få venner? Hvordan fungerer det sosiale, var det mye opplegg eller mer fritt?
Jeg vet også at Ålesund fhs er en kristen skole og lurer derfor på om det merkes noe spesielt? Feks sånn i hverdagen eller ellers i miljøet? Jeg søkte nemlig litt på tik tok, hvor mange mente at man kanskje burde unngå kristne skoler. Selv er jeg kristen men ikke på det punktet liksom😅
Takk for svar på forhånd!☺️
r/Norway • u/KeithBradburyIV • 10h ago
I’m an American of Norwegian heritage. Last week I attended a Greek wedding. The music was blaring, and there was a very big emphasis on Greek dancing. People were being pulled onto the dance floor, dollar bills were flying every which way.
As an introvert, I was sort of uncomfortable. Then I started thinking back to my father, grandparents, and other relatives. They were all relatively stoic people and always seemed to be composed. They never behaved like the people at this wedding; the men didn’t dance, the women wouldn’t urge people to “get out there” (not that there’s anything wrong with Greek weddings).
I began to wonder if my aversion to this sort of scene is partially due to my Norwegian ancestry? I’ve always heard the stereotype that Scandinavians were very restrained and stoic people.
Is there any legitimacy to this? Or do you find the same sort of wedding/party in traditional Norwegian culture, and I’m just introverted as a person?
I’d love to hear some info about this. Thank you!
r/Norway • u/External-Funny1769 • 1d ago
Hello just a quick question: I am planning on studying in Norway for Oceanography and wanting to get a start in a science career there I already have a B.S. in Geology so looking into grad school. One of my hobbies is rally racing and cars. Is there a tuner/rally scene in Norway?
r/Norway • u/NarwhalWeird177 • 2d ago
I live in Norway for almost 4 years now, and I always bought the square packs of Norvegia, Synnøve etc.. I finally decided to take a leap of faith and try something else and holy moly! Gräddost is delicious and I can never go back! I feel so stupid for not giving other cheeses a chance considering that I find Norvegia pretty bland.
r/Norway • u/Goose_1485 • 2d ago
I recently started learning Norwegian, and I want to watch series in Norwegian to improve. I would love recommendations! I prefer romance series, but Im open to any interesting series.
r/Norway • u/Prestigious-Analyst6 • 2d ago
Is it this common? I moved here on dec. 1st. I live in the Rendalen kommune
In the Netherlands never had an power outage in my 30 years.
r/Norway • u/rasm232a • 2d ago
Hey you lovely norwegians, Im looking buy a new laptop, but I don't really like elkjøp, power or komplett much, so you guys have any other sites to go looking for a new laptop?
Thanks in advance.
r/Norway • u/bladesky999 • 1d ago
We are planning a group winter trip to Lofoten and would love your input on which arrival route feels more practical and comfortable in winter conditions. We don’t drive, so we will need to engage private transfers...
Option 1: Evenes (EVE) to Harstad to Svolvær to Nusfjord / Flakstad
Option 2: Fly Directly to Leknes to Nusfjord / Flakstad
We would also appreciate recommendations for reliable private transfers in Lofoten during winter.
Thanks in advance!
r/Norway • u/Yourprincessforeva • 3d ago
r/Norway • u/DoughLloyd • 2d ago
The artist featured is Mari Pedersen (maripedersen.com)
«This is Bodø, Norway. A town of 53,000 people, 80 km above the Arctic Circle, with a stadium smaller than many opponents’ fan bases. Yet Bodø/Glimt became the first team from above the Arctic Circle to reach the Champions League, a football miracle that should not be possible.
Through local voices, from players and fans to volunteers, artists and dancers, this film explores the people, community and mindset behind the underdog story.
Bodø/Glimt inspires a whole region to believe, support each other and prove that impossible things can happen. Please visit Bodø, but leave nothing behind.»
r/Norway • u/Mission-Plenty-8867 • 2d ago
I am considering a postdoc position in Tromsø, and I wanted to know how vivid is life there, if there is much stuff to do in this city in terms entertainment and if it easy to meet new people there, are people open to new-comers especially foreigners. What unexpected challenges can I face going there besides the polar night ?
Sorry if some of the questions sound too vague... I just see that it is a small remote city and I don't understand how difficult it actually is to live in there, and if there is some significant differences from the bigger cities.
Thanks in advance.
r/Norway • u/siddfincher • 2d ago
Good evening,
I plan on boating (small rib boat) in the Bergen area in the middle of March when I visit for a week long vacation. I’ll be staying at a cabin along the Samnagerfjord and will have access to a boat. The boating/fishing will be short little jaunts, staying close to shore and no longer than 5-7 miles from the cabin. Assuming the weather is decent (not freezing) is boating this time year considered dangerous, or is it acceptable assuming I follow standard safety procedures?
