Since I have had this blog and since I have moved to Norway, I have gotten many questions about things like visas, work permits and residence permits. I have only been here in Oslo for two months so far and am still learning about all these things two but I have gotten some information that I think could be helpful to those who are looking for this kind of information.

Also you can go to UDI for this information directly if you would like. I found that the information is written a little differently on their website than in the pamphlets that I picked up and (for me at least) were a lot easier to understand. Hopefully you can find what you need here, but also check out UDI’s website for more info.

For more information on traveling to or moving to Norway you can also check out these posts:

• Getting A Residence Permit (Family Immigration) In Norway
• Getting a Settlement Permit In Norway
• Getting A Residence Permit For EU/EEA/EFTA Nationals In Norway
• Work Permits In Norway

VISA - A visa is a document showing that you have leave to enter Norway and other Schengen countries for a limited period of up to 90 days.

You can be granted a visitor’s visa if you intend to travel to Norway as a tourist, on a family visit, on public business or a business trip, a study visit or other business which does not require a work or residence permit.

A visa for Norway and the rest of the Schengen countries has a maximum duration of 90 days. The visa cannot be extended once the holder has entered the Schengen area. Exceptions may be made if unforeseen circumstances arise after your arrival in the Schengen area and your original visa was issued for less than 90 days. However, the total duration of your stay in the Schengen area cannot exceed 90 days in the course of the last six months. The visa you are granted for Norway is valid for all countries in Europe that are party to the Schengen agreement.

WHO MUST APPLY FOR A VISA TO VISIT NORWAY?

In principle, everyone needs a visa to visit Norway. Exemptions are made for nationals from countries with an agreement with Norway waiving the visa requirement. A list of visa-waiver countries is available at UDI or from your nearest Norwegian foreign service mission.

The visa requirement is waived, for example, for

• Citizens of Nordic countries
• Foreign nationals with a valid passport from countries with which Norway has entered into an agreement waiving the visa requirement
• Persons with a valid Norwegian imigrant’s passport
• Persons with a valid Norwegian travel document for refugees
• Persons with a residence or work permit in Norway and other Schengen countries

Where do I apply for a visa to Norway?

The application must be submitted in person at the nearest Norwegian foreign service mission. Most visa applications are processed by foreign service missions. In some cases, applications may be sent to Norway for processing y the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration.

Fees

The fee must be paid when the application is submitted. See www.udi.no-fee, or contact the Norwegian foreign service mission for fee rates.

How long does it take to process a visa application?

If your application is processed at a Norwegian foreign service mission, it normally takes around two weeks before you receive a reply to your application. This depends on the workload at the Norwegian foreign service mission in question. Ask about case processing times when applying. If your application is forwarded to Norway and the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI), the processing time will be longer. See www.udi.no/caseprocessingtime for updated information on case processing times.

Documentation requirements

• An application form
• A photo that is approved for a visa sticker. Photo requirements are given at www.udi.no
• A passport/valid travel document
• A written invitation form a Norwegian reference person
• Documentation of family relationship (if the reference person is a family member)
• Documentation of private means for the stay or a guarantee declaration from your reference person. See UDI’s website
• Documentation requirements vary from country to country and are subject to change. Separate rules apply to foreign nationals for whom a visa is required and who come under the EEA agreement or the EFTA convention.

If you are granted a visa

You must have valid travel and sickness insurance that is valid in all the Schengen countries, and the minimum coverage must be EUR 30 000. Documentation of the insurance must be presented when the visa is issued. For more information, contact your nearest Norwegian foreign service mission. If you are in Norway, you can contact the police or the Directorate of Immigration (UDI).

If you wish to study, work or continue to reside in Norway with your spouse/family, you must apply for a residence permit or work permit. Read more at www.udi.no.

All of the preceding information came from pamphlets that I picked up at Oslo’s Norwegian Directorate of Immigration

traveling to or moving to Norway. For more information on other aspects of moving to and traveling to Norway please check out these posts:

• Norway - Getting A Residence Permit (Family Immigration)
• Norway - Getting A Settlement Permit
• Norway - Residence Permits For EU/EEA/EFTA Nationals
  
• Norway - Work Permits