Who can apply for family immigration with a worker?
Which family members who can come to Norway depends on what kind of permit the person in Norway has.
Permits who does not form a basis for a permanent residence permit
If the person who is working in Norway has a permit which does not form a basis for a permanent residence permit:
it is only spouses, cohabitants and biological/adopted children under the age of 18 years old who can apply for a family immigration permit.
(Other family members may, as an alternative, apply independently for a different kind of residence permit, for example a student permit)
Specialists and skilled workers
If the person in Norway has the following type of permit:
all the kinds of family members who are described on this page may apply for a family immigration permit.
EU/EEA nationals
If the person who works in Norway or the family member who wises to live in Norway is a EU or EEA national, you can make use of a different set of regulations. You can find information for EU/EEA nationals and their family members here.
Criteria that must be met
To be granted such a permit, you must meet the following five criteria:
- The person with whom you are applying for family immigration must have a valid residence permit.
- You must be ensured financial support and housing.
- You must live together with the person with whom you have been granted family immigration for the duration of the permit.
- You must leave Norway when the person who is working in Norway no longer has a residence permit here.
- In order to avoid longer processing times, it is important to enclose all relevant documentation not only with the worker's application, but also with your application. Read more about how you apply and what you need to hand in with your application
Read about where you hand in your application for family immigration (norwegian language only).
The person in Norway must be able to support you financially
The person who is working in Norway must be able to support you financially when you come to Norway. There is an exemption from the requirement for previous income if the person living in Norway has a residence and work permit, but there is a requirement for future income. This means that he or she must document that he or she has a total yearly income corresponding to 88 percent of salary grade 19 in the pay scale for Norwegian state employees, which is increased every year in May. In 2012 this is equal to a yearly, total, documented salary of NOK 242 440 before tax.
The main rule is that it is the worker in Norway who must fulfill the income criteria. Documentation of income can be
- Income from employment− documented by a contract of employment and pay slips for the last three months.
- sickness benefit, pregnancy benefit, parental benefit, disability pension or retirement pension from the National Insurance Scheme – documented by copies of decisions from NAV and payment slips for the last three months
If you who are applying already is legally employed in Norway, your income may also be counted towards the requirement.
In addition to this, the person who is living in Norway must not have received financial support or qualification benefit from the social services (NAV) in the year before his/her family member applies for family immigration. Your local NAV office may provide such documentation for you to disclose. Such documentation is only necessary if the worker already have lived and worked in Norway for some time.
The criteria for financial support does not apply when the applicant is the child of the worker in Norway, and the child is below the age of 15 and has no carers in his/her home country.
Housing
It is also a criteria that the person who is working in Norway has housing with room for you. You document this with proof of purchase or a rental contract for the house/flat.
What documentation must I hand with the application
Information about which documents to hand in with your application you can find here.
What rights does such a family immigration permit give you?
If you are granted family immigration with a worker, you will also be entitled to work full-time for the duration of the permit. The permit does not, however, form the basis for a permanent residence permit (settlement permit), unless the permit of the person living in Norway also does so.
