If you wish to come to Norway to live with a family member who lives here, you can apply for a family immigration permit. It is the person who wishes to get a residence permit in Norway who must apply. The family member in Norway (the sponsor) cannot, as a rule, apply on your behalf.
Applicants who are applying in Oslo, need to book an appointment for handing in their documents. This also applies to those who are getting themselves residence cards.
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Alternatives to applying for family immigration
Some people have alternatives to applying for a family immigration permit. The different types of permits have different conditions which you can read about by following the links. You can find an overview of the advantages and disadvantages of the alternative schemes here.
You are an EEA/EU national and are a family member of a Norwegian national
You have the following options:
- You can apply for a family immigration permit (keep reading this page)
- If you are an employee, self-employed, a service provider, a student, or you have sufficient funds to support yourself you can use the registration scheme for EEA nationals.
- If you fulfill the following criteria you can use the registration scheme for EEA nationals as a family member:
1. You have had an established family life with the Norwegian national in another EU/EEA/EFTA country, and
2. your family member has exercised his/her right to free movement (been an employee, self-employed, service provider, had sufficient funds or been a student) there, and
3. you have now moved to Norway together.
You are from outside the EEA and are a family member of a Norwegian national
You have the following options:
- You can apply for a family immigration permit (keep reading this page)
- If you fulfill the following criteria you can apply for a residence card:
1. You have had an established family life with the Norwegian national in another EU/EEA/EFTA country, and
2. your family member has exercised his/her right to free movement (been an employee, self-employed, service provider, had sufficient funds or been a student) there, and
3. you have now moved to Norway together.
If you do not fulfill the criteria for either of these alternatives, you can check if you fulfill the criteria for a work permit (for example skilled worker) or a student permit.
You are an EEA national, or your family member is an EEA national
You should either apply for a family immigration permit, register as an EEA national or apply for a residence card. Read more about which scheme applies to your situation.
How do you apply?
Before you apply, you need to find out if you can apply while you are staying in Norway, or if you need to apply from your home country.
You also need to find out whether you must fill out the application form online, or if you need to hand in a paper form.
Where do you apply from?
Find out if you must register your application online
You must register your application online if you apply from Norway or through a Norwegian embassy You cannot register your application online if you hand in the application at a Swedish or Danish embassy.
If you hand in the application at a Swedish or Danish embassy you must fill in a form on paper and hand it in at the embassy. You can find the form here. The form is also used for renewing a permit
What must you hand in with the application?
Both applicants who register their applications online and those who hand in a paper version need to hand in their passport and other necessary documentation.
- If you apply online, you will at the same time book an appointment for handing in your documents to the police or an embassy. You will not have to wait in line when you turn up for your appointment.
- If are not applying online you need to contact the embassy to find out when to hand in the documents along with the application form.
When you have visited the embassy or police station and handed in your passport and other necessary documentation we will start to process your application.
In addition to the completed application form (online or paper version), you must enclose documentation
Do you wish to give someone power of attorney?
If you want someone to have full access to your case, and be able to speak with the UDI on your behalf, you must give this person power of attorney.
Without power of attorney nobody, not even the person you are applying for family immigration with, will be able to get detailed information about your case from the UDI.
Interview with the person living in Norway
If you apply for a family immigration permit as a spouse or cohabitant, the main rule is that the person living in Norway must have been interviewed by the police. This applies when the marriage or cohabitation is established abroad after the person living in Norway is already settled here. The scheme is introduced to clarify whether or not you have entered into the marriage or cohabitation voluntarily.
The documentation requirement does not apply if:
- you are married to the person living in Norway, and he or she was interviewed before you got married, or
- you are among those who do not need a visa to enter Norway, or
- the person living in Norway had turned 25 when the marriage was entered into, or
- the person living in Norway has been granted a residence permit as a skilled worker or a specialist, or
- you have lived together in an established cohabitation while both have held residence permits in Norway.
Exemptions can also be made from the interview requirement if special grounds so indicate.
Read more about the interview.
Case processing time
See the list of the Directorate of Immigration’s (UDI) expected case processing times here. To ensure that the case processing time is as short as possible, it is important that you fill in the application form carefully and that you enclose all the required documentation.
Residence card
If your application is granted, you must get yourself a residence card. This is a proof that you have the right to live in Norway. You will receive a letter which informs you that you must visit the police to have your fingerprints and photo taken. About ten days later the card will be sent to you by post.
Read more about residence cards
You can appeal the decision
Read more about how to appeal a decision here.
Further information
If you have more questions about this topic, contact your nearest Norwegian embassy or consulate, the nearest police district or the UDI’s Information Service.
Read the answers to the most frequentley asked questions about family immigration.
