There are several types of residence permits.
Everyone who has been granted a residence permit in Norway first receives a temporary residence permit, which expires. This can be, for example, a residence permit for protection (asylum), a residence permit for work, a family immigration permit, a residence permit for humanitarian reasons or a study permit.
You will then be able to apply for a permanent residence permit. It can be obtained after three years of continuous living in Norway. After obtaining this document, you will have the right to live and work in the country indefinitely. The residence permit will only need to be renewed every two years.
Documents required for a residence permit:
- Your passport. Attach copies of the page of personal information and all used pages (those with stamps or visas) together with the original passport.
- Cover Letter. Once you complete the online application, you will receive it by e-mail, and you will simply print it out and attach it to the application.
- Pictures of passport size. Images should be recent and have a white background.
- Proof of residence. Provide a rental agreement or other proof that you have a place to live after moving to Norway.
If you move to work:
- Employment offer form.
- Proof that your salary meets the income requirements.
- Proof of your academic qualifications.
- Certificate of previous work experience.
- Your resume.
If you are moving for study:
- Letter of acceptance.
- Proof that you have enough financial means to support your stay in Norway and pay for tuition.
If you are moving to join a family member:
- Proof of family relationships.
- Proof that your family member has or earns enough money to support you financially.
- Confirmation that your family member has not received social benefits for the past 12 months.
Applications are submitted online on the website of the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration.
If you want to live in Norway for up to 2 years, there is another option - Au Pair. This is a special program that allows you to live with a local family to get to know the country's culture better and learn Norwegian.
It is open to persons aged 18 to 30 who:
- unmarried;
- do not have children;
- had experience in child care;
- interested in studying the cultural customs of Norway.
Although the requirements for participation are the same for all nationalities, the requirements for admission may differ depending on your nationality. If you are from any EU / EEA / EFTA country, just look at the following signature.
Before completing the application, you need to check the application process for your country. This can be done on the UDI website.
Your host family can be:
- Married couple, partners or cohabitants with or without children, as well as one of the parents with children.
The family must be well acquainted with Norwegian society and speak Norwegian with the host.
If the person is in the host family of the same country of origin as the Au pair, you usually cannot be the host family. In rare cases, we may make an exception.
None of the host family may be a spouse, cohabitant, father, child, brother or sister, cousin or uncle / aunt.
You can read about the rights and responsibilities of family and candidates during your stay in Norway here.
To become a member, you usually need to find a host family yourself. This can be done through thematic sites.
If you are applying for the program for the first time, you need to have the following documents:
- passport and copy of all used pages;
- signed form from the application portal - more details on the link.
- passport photos taken recently;
- cultural exchange contract signed by you and your host family - details at the link.
- certificate that the host family has completed a specialized online course.
- a copy of the passports of the host family.
Before visiting the Embassy of the Kingdom of Norway in your country, check whether you need to draw up additional documents. Typical package of documents and additional information for those who want to follow the link.
Remember that a work visa is issued for this program.
To apply for Norwegian citizenship, you must have a valid residence permit in Norway. You must also meet a few other requirements, including:
- If you are married or have a registered partner or cohabitant with a Norwegian citizen, the time you have lived in Norway and the total time spent in the marriage of registered partners or cohabitants must be at least seven years. You must have lived in Norway for a total of at least three years in the last ten years. At the time of the decision, you must still be married, registered partners or cohabitants and living together. You must be eligible for a permanent residence permit in Norway.
- You must have completed 300 hours of Norwegian language training or be able to demonstrate sufficient Norwegian or Sami language skills.
- You should not be convicted of a criminal offense or forced into psychiatric treatment or care (proper conduct requirement).
- From January 1, 2020, in addition to Norwegian, you are allowed to have one or more citizenships. If the country of which you are currently a national does not allow you to have more citizenship, you can still lose that citizenship when you become a Norwegian. You must find out for yourself what the rules are in the country of which you are currently a citizen.
- Certain rules apply to children under the age of 12 and people over the age of 55 who apply for Norwegian citizenship. People who came to Norway before the age of 18 must have lived here for a total of five years in the last seven years.
- You must live in Norway and intend to continue living here.
In addition, Norwegian citizenship can automatically be acquired by any child at birth if one of its parents has a Norwegian passport. The child acquires citizenship regardless of his place of birth.
To obtain citizenship, fluency in Norwegian is not subject to discussion when applying for citizenship. Applicants must complete 250-300 hours (depending on your circumstances) of approved Norwegian language training or be able to demonstrate sufficient Norwegian or Sámi language skills.
This means that you must take the Norskprøve written and oral tests (levels 2 or 3), the Bergenstest or another Norwegian oral and written test. The minimum level you must reach is A2 or B1, depending on your current country of citizenship.
From 2014, applicants for Norwegian citizenship must also pass an exam on Norwegian society, law and history. Two tests are available: one is a social science test and the other is a citizenship test.
More about the test at the link.
As of today, there is a temporary collective protection program for Ukrainians, which is provided for a period of 1 year.
You can apply for it at the Norwegian border. At the same time, people in the country can do so at police stations. People who have acquaintances and relatives in the country can go to them immediately and then contact the police station or the National Arrival Center.
If you do not have relatives, you can register at the Råde National Arrival Center at Mosseveien 58, 1640 Råde Nasjonalt Ankomstsenter.
The National Arrival Center provides accommodation and food, including for babies. You will live in a common tent hall. There are several rooms for people with special needs. There is a playground for children. It is allowed to leave the center only from 8 am to 11 pm. Visitors are not allowed, but you can go to them yourself.
When you arrive in the center, you will be in the waiting area, and then:
• You will pass a security check
• You will be interviewed by the Immigration Police
• You must provide fingerprints
• The police may ask you to access your phone, tablet or computer for verification. You will get everything back later conducting an inspection.
• you will receive an access card to the center, with your name and photo.
The card is used to get to different areas of the center as well as for entering and exiting the center.
• you will receive an asylum seeker's certificate
• you will receive information about your rights and responsibilities as an applicant shelter
• You must hand over all identity documents to the police
• If you spend the night here, you will be provided with a bed and a new bed linen. Due to the lack of space in the center, some will be given the opportunity overnight elsewhere. You will be provided with relevant information .
• You will have a medical examination to see if you have tuberculosis
• You will be able to obtain information from NOAS (Norwegian Organization
asylum seekers).
Interpreters usually work at the center.
After completing all the documents, you will be transferred to a refugee center or you will be able to look for housing.
It is worth noting that you can be sent to another center if there are many people. After completing the documentation, you will need to wait for a response from UDI. If it is positive, you will receive a residence permit and financial assistance from the state in the amount of 5,000 krone for two. The exact amounts should be specified on the website. There you will read about your rights and responsibilities.
Children should undergo the same procedure with adults.
Detailed information on registration with the local police can be found at the link.
The UDI website has a separate page for unaccompanied asylum seekers in Norway, which lists algorithms and recommendations.
Remember that you are not allowed to work in the country while you are waiting for a response to UDI protection. However, you have the right to apply for a job.
General information on obtaining collective protection can be found here.
Norway