Norway Temporary and Permanent Residence Permit

This type of permit was designed for those that want to either study, work, or join a family in Norway for a time period of more than three months. The permit aims to allow a foreign citizen to work, live and travel in and out of Norway or other Schengen states for the time permit is valid. A residence permit is also more likely to lead to eventual Norwegian citizenship.

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Who Needs a Norway Residence Permit?

A permit is required if a citizen is from a country outside of the European Union (EU) /European Economic Area (EEA) or if the applicant wants to live in Norway for more than 90 days. Citizens from EU/EEA countries do not require a residence permit to be able to work and live in Norway, yet they need to register with the police if their intended stay is longer than 90 days.

Two Types of Norwegian Residence Permits

There are two types of permits when it comes to Norwegian residence:

Temporary Residence – this is for applicants that are moving to Norway for the first time. Temporary residence is valid for up to three years with the possibility of renewal. Common types of temporary residence are residence permit for work, residence permit for studying, and residence permit for family reunification.

Permanent Residence – this is issued for those that have lived in Norway for three years continuously. This grants indefinite right to live and work. Renewal of residence cards must be done every two years.

Eligibility for Norway Temporary Residence

To be eligible for temporary residence, few conditions need to be met. For example:

When moving to Norway for work purposes, applicants are required to have a job offer from a Norwegian employer and a qualifying salary.
When moving to Norway for study purposes, applicants must supply an acceptance letter from a Norwegian educational institution and have enough funds to be able to cover their stay
When travelling to join a family member, applicants must have a close family (partner, child, spouse) in Norway that can fund their stay.

Do you need a visa? Check out our other articles for more guidance:

Requirement Guide for a Temporary Residence Permit

Required documents for Norway Residence Permit must all be submitted in original and copy format. Documents are required to be in English or Norwegian language (if not translation is required). Few documents may also require an Apostille Stamp – such as diplomas, birth certificates, marriage certificates etc. If for any reason the applicant is unable to provide a specific document, a written explanation should be enclosed explaining why.

Standard requirements for Norwegian Residence Permits are:

valid passport with two blank pages
a cover letter (which is sent to the applicant’s email once the online application is submitted)
copies of two passport-sized photos in colour
evidence of accommodation (rental agreement etc)
for those moving for work purposes: employment offer, evidence of salary, evidence of academic qualifications, proof of previous work experience, and a valid CV
for those moving for study purposes: a letter of admission, a statement confirming financial stability
for those moving to join a family member: proof of family relationship, evidence that family members are able to cover their stay, a statement confirming that family members have not received any social benefits for the past 12 months

Norwegian Passport-Sized Photo

As mentioned above, one of the requirements for a residence permit is a passport-sized photo that follows Norwegian photo government standards. A Norwegian passport photo format should fulfill the following conditions:

size: 35 x 45 mm
resolution: 600 dpi
background: white
colour: in colour
recency: no older than 6 months
recommended clothing: daily wear, uniforms are strictly forbidden
facial expression: neutral (no smiling or frowning)
headwear & glasses: not allowed, unless an exemption applies (medical/religious)
editing: not permitted, unless it’s cropping or background removal (tools can be found at Passport Photo Online)

Application Process – Temporary Residence Permit for Norway

The application process for a residence permit requires applicants to either have a job offer, be accepted at Norwegian university or have a family member living in Norway. Once eligibility requirements are met, application steps are as follows:

Gather supporting documents
Apply online at the UNI website by filling out the application form
Once the application form is complete, check the email for a cover letter that should be sent a few seconds later. A cover letter will be required by the Embassy
Pay application fee using debit or credit card
Make an appointment with Norwegian Consulate, Embassy or Visa Application Center
Attend the interview and submit all supporting documents – application & documents will be forwarded to the UDI
The UDI checks the application and processes it. The decision will be given via email

After receiving the residence permit and arriving in Norway, an appointment is required to be made with Norwegian police to pick up a residence card. Appointments can be made via the UDI website. This should be made within the first two weeks of arrival.

Temporary Residence Permit – Renewal Procedure

A temporary residence permit is possible to be renewed. Application for renewal is handled fully at the local police station. First, however, appointments are required to be made using the UDI application portal – It is recommended to make this appointment at least a month before the expiry date. On the day of the interview, supporting documents must be provided and a renewal fee must be paid.

Note – applicants that are living in Norway for three continuous years are eligible for a Permanent Residence Permit rather than a temporary residence renewal.

Permanent Residence Permit – Eligibility

For a Permanent residence Permit, eligibility conditions are as follows:

candidate must be living in Norway for three continuous years (without leaving the country for more than three months and a total of seven months in the past three years)
candidate has held a temporary residence permit (for work or family reunification)
at the time of application candidate is able to cover their stay financially
candidate has a clean criminal record
candidate has not received any financial assistance for NAV in the past 365 days
a candidate is required to pass a Norwegian language test (applies only to candidates who are aged 16-64)

Note – candidates’ time during temporary residence as a student, au pair (or if they got married in Norway during that time) won’t be qualified towards the required three years for permanent residency.

Application Process for Norwegian Permanent Residence Permit

For temporary residence, application steps are as follows:

Gather required documents
Complete the application form online at the UDI site
Pay application fee
Provide supporting documents at local police service or service centre for foreign workers

List of Requirements for Permanent Residence Application in Norway

The list of required documents are as follows:

evidence of income levels (employment, self-employment, pension, student loans, or social security benefits)
evidence that no financial assistance from NAV was received
proof that language test and social studies test were passed
if a residence permit for family reunification (for spouses/partners) was held then UDIs declaration form, copy of partners passport, along with proof of time spent abroad in total is required

Norway Residence Permit Processing Time & Fees

The standard processing time for a residence permit is eight weeks. In contrast, the fees are as follows (USD figures are given as approximate):

Residence Permit for Work: NOK 6,300 ($695)
Residence Permit for Study: NOK 4,900 ($540)
Residence Permit for Family Reunification (adults): NOK 10,500 ($1157)
Residence Permit for Family Reunification (minors): Free
Permanent Residence Permit (adults): NOK 4,700 ($518)
Permanent Residence Permit (minors): Free

Norway Residence Permit to Norwegian Citizenship

A residence permit also opens doors towards Norwegian citizenship. The condition is that the candidate has been living in Norway for the past seven years (of the last ten years). At the time of citizenship application, a candidate is also required to hold a permanent residence permit, clean criminal record, and pass a language test to confirm Norwegian language and culture is known.

Sources

Karolina Młodzka

Karolina’s passion for law, technology and photography led her to PhotoAiD S.A., where for the past 3 years she has been an expert in the implementation of passport photo compliance procedures in +80 countries around the world.