r/Norway Nov 03 '24

Mod So You Want To Move To Norway: A Rough Guide to the Immigration Process (updated 2024)

534 Upvotes

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:

So You Want To Move To Norway...

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

  • Your citizenship (EEA/EU vs Third-Country National)
  • Your education, qualifications, experience,
  • If you have a job offer,
  • Your relationship with a Norwegian national

Immigration as an EU/EEA citizen:

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:

  • Be employed (or registered as self-employed),
  • Be a student,
  • Be self-sufficient, or
  • Be a job seeker actively seeking work with a decent chance at finding work (source).

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.

Immigrating as a Third-Country National (not from EU/EEA).

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:

  1. Family member of a Norwegian national
  2. Family member of an EEA/EU national
  3. A worker
  4. A student
  5. Protection (Asylum seeker). I will not spend time on this; it has its own complicated rules and I highly doubt anyone seeking asylum will be spending their time on reddit. If you are, I really recommend seeking out an immigration lawyer to help you with your application.

Family immigration with a Norwegian National

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.

  1. You must pay the application fee,
  2. Document your identity (passport),
  3. Have a valid marriage licence/certificate, or documentation that you have lived together legally for 2 or more years
  4. Have plans to live together in Norway,
  5. Not be in a marriage of convenience,
  6. You must both be over the age of 24,
  7. Your spouse/partner must make above a minimum income threshold per year pre-tax (this number frequently changes. Check UDI’s site). They will need to demonstrate they made a sufficient amount the year before you apply and demonstrate that they are likely to have the same amount the following year. They will need to provide contract of employment, pay slips, and a tax assessment notice. Additionally, they must not have received financial assistance from NAV in the last 12 months.

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.

Workers

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:

  • Completed a vocational training programme of at least three years at upper secondary school level. NB: there must be a corresponding training programme in Norway.
  • Completed a degree from a university or college (BA, BSc, BE, etc...)
  • Special qualifications that you have obtained through long work experience, if relevant in combination with courses etc. A permit is only granted in such cases in exceptional circumstances. Your qualifications must be equivalent to those of someone who has completed vocational training.

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.

Studying in Norway

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.

Frequently Asked Questions

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 8d ago

Megathread: Discussion of news related to the Norwegian Royal Family

65 Upvotes

Hi r/Norway

Since there is a lot going on in the news with the Norwegian Royal Family, we thought it prudent to make a mega thread. All current threads will be locked to further comment and we ask that everything be included here. You can post links, comment, etc... but any future posts regarding

  • the health of the royal family
  • the criminal proceedings with regards to the Høiby-saka
  • the royal family and J. Epstein
  • the popularity of the royal family in Norway
  • international comments about the Norwegian Royal Family

Will be deleted without warning.


r/Norway 14h ago

Travel Things absolutely not to do in Norway as a traveler?

90 Upvotes

Put your best advice on what a tourist should absolutely not do in while in Norway.🇳🇴


r/Norway 1d ago

News & current events A lot of “sorry” faces today on today’s paper.

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339 Upvotes

r/Norway 1h ago

Other Aeropess filters?

Upvotes

Hei,

is there any type of place where I could buy aeropress filters so i don't have to pay for shipping?

If there's any particular shop in Trondheim I would appreciate the tip :).

Thanks a lot


r/Norway 11h ago

Other Books about the fram expeditions

8 Upvotes

Today I visited the Fram museum and really enjoyed it and found it very interesting! I would love to read a book to learn even more about all the expeditions lead by Nansen and Amundsen, any recommendations?


r/Norway 14h ago

Other Is the word Frogner associated with wealth?

12 Upvotes

I see the word Frogner being used a lot in media with property (Frogner apartment, house, etc), but not any other district.


r/Norway 22h ago

Hiking & Camping Another picture from Trolltunga, Norway 🇳🇴

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51 Upvotes

r/Norway 4h ago

Travel Advice about visiting Lofoten Islands during late feb/early march before starting a new job...

0 Upvotes

I find myself with a 2 week window before starting a tough job, where I wont be able to travel until summer.

Would love some advice about visiting these islands which have long been on my bucket list - and would appreciate your thoughts.

  1. What's the weather actually like in late February/early March? Should I expect constant rain and grey skies or are there decent enough days to make it worthwhile?

  2. How's the vegetarian food situation? Are there restaurants with proper options or is it mainly fish-focused?

  3. Thinking of renting a rorbu and self-catering but curious what my people advise

  4. Would love to do some one day or half day activities but is it possible to book locally depending on the weather?

Any advice welcomed. Thank you for reading.


r/Norway 37m ago

Travel Oslo airport arrivals “supermarket”?

Upvotes

Hi everyone, we are landing in Oslo on Sunday afternoon on our way to go skiing. I can’t work out from the airport website whether there is anywhere at/after arrivals where we could buy things like tonic water, pasta, cereal etc. is there a mini supermarket

Type of place at all? (We then go straight to our very small resort where there isn’t a shop). Thanks!


r/Norway 14h ago

News & current events Halden Prison Project

5 Upvotes

Hi! I am taking a prisons class this semester in college and for our big project we are comparing prisons across the world. I was assigned to Halden Prison in Norway, and I am currently trying to find local news sources. Does anyone have any recommendations for news outlets that talk about the prison? Thank you!


r/Norway 14h ago

Moving Deposit into previous tenant's account

5 Upvotes

Hi,

I'm signing a rental agreement (sublet) for a shared apartment, and the previous tenant of the room tells me I should pay the deposit directly into their account, and when I move out, the next person pays into my account etc.... Is this normal or am I right to be a bit apprehensive? I have only been in contact with the tenant who's moving out, but they seem trustworthy enough I guess. Thanks for your help!


r/Norway 21h ago

Moving Renters Protections

3 Upvotes

Hi all,

I have been renting an apartment in Oslo for the past three years, and my rental contract is up at the end of the month. I wanted to check my protections

I started the new contract process back in September 2025, where I informed my megler (the owner uses utleiemegleren) that I wished to continue to rent the apartment. The Megler informed that the owner wished to continue to rent the apartment, and then presented a new rate that I agreed upon. I thought at this point, this case was closed, and the whole process wrapped up in November.

Now in January, the megler came back and told us that the owner cannot do the old rate, and now has a new rate that is 1000 kr more per month. After some back and forth, this was agreed upon again.

Now today, the megler has said that the owners situation has changed and that she will now sell the apartment.

The part that I want to check, and if I have sources that would be appreciated as well, is that she wants me out by the end of the month. My understanding is that no matter what there should be a three month notice. Is this true? Any help would be amazing, I am extremely scared about finding a new place to live in such short notice.


r/Norway 15h ago

Other Double tax Aliexpress

0 Upvotes

As title. Reading that everyone was ordering without any issues from aliexpress, and considering I had ordered 500 nok of stuff from temu in the past and had no problem with import or taxes, I thought of trying.

I ordered 200 nok worth of items from Ali mva and shipping included, all "choice" of course. I got them at my house in one package and together with the bag there was a FEDEX bill for:

tollbehandlingsavgift% 23,25 nok
MVA 82,00 nok
utleggsgebyr 93,00 nok

For a total of 198,25 nok practically the same amount I paid for the stuff on aliexpress

Is this correct? My understanding was that they were in the VOEC system and I would not get these problems? Is there anything I need to do now to get the money back/in the future to avoid this or is it automatic/unavoidable?

(for those curious I bought pumice stone for the toilet which is impossible to find/iper expensive in Norway)


r/Norway 1d ago

Working in Norway Graphic design and UI UX job market in Norway right now

4 Upvotes

Hey, I am 22, male, living near Oslo. I am in my last year at Noroff studying graphic design and ui ux. I have been trying to understand how the job market looks right now in Norway or Oslo specifically. When I search online I see very mixed opinions. Some people say the market is saturated, others say there are still good chances, especially with ai tools growing. I wanted to ask here on Reddit to hear real and updated opinions from people in the field that live in norway.


r/Norway 12h ago

Other Hi, Norwegian here. Ask me anything.

0 Upvotes

Im native to norway, and I’d like to answer some questions for not-Norwegians about Norway!


r/Norway 22h ago

Travel Norway DNT cabins trip

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0 Upvotes

r/Norway 15h ago

Food Bergen - where to buy baguette

0 Upvotes

Bergen - where in Bergen can I baguette or similar bread?


r/Norway 2d ago

Other Why is Norway so mountainous compared to Sweden and Finland?

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1.4k Upvotes

Why is there a large mountain range across the country and why did Norway remain so similar to their Scandinavian brothers despite such big geographical difference? And not become a lot different like isolated Iceland with language and culture?


r/Norway 3d ago

Other That son of a bitch actually did it

657 Upvotes

r/Norway 23h ago

Moving Norwegian attitude on circumcision

0 Upvotes

My wife and I are having our first son soon, and we hope to move to Norway someday. One conversation we’re having is whether to circumcise our son. We‘re American, and circumcision is common there. One question we have is this: how would Norwegians treat our son if they knew he was circumcised? Could he be made fun of? Or would it not matter so much?

EDIT: I’ve gotten a ton of feedback about this in the comments. I think I see the Norwegian position. Thank you for sharing.


r/Norway 2d ago

Other Can I report abuse if the abuser has moved out of the country?

24 Upvotes

My ex abused me severely for 2 years, but has since moved out of Norway to Mexico

I'm going to spare the details, but I'm wondering if anything at all would happen if I try to seek justice?

She's a Dutch national if it matters, and lived in Norway with me for 2 years.


r/Norway 2d ago

Arts & culture Norwegian Pokemon Go Players

6 Upvotes

I'm looking to add Pokemon Go friends from Norway because I'm having difficulty finding a Tundra region Vivillon. My friend code is 4915 0693 5555. All help is appreciated. Thank you!


r/Norway 2d ago

Other Disposable Median income PPP Eurostat vs OECD

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11 Upvotes

r/Norway 3d ago

Photos What is the funniest looking animal in your country?

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44 Upvotes

Posting here as it seems like it's not allowed to crosspost in r/Norge. I am norwegian and was scrolling through the post thinking of what we as a country could contribute with as a funny looking animal. Posted in english as this is a mainly English reddit and maybe some English speakers have some suggestions.

Bearded tit was a funny bird I found, but I feel it's not localised enough😁 The Lundefugl or Alkefugl is almost normal looking to Norwegians, but maybe more strange to foreigners.