You can be granted a residence permit in Norway as a researcher if you are to carry out research at a university, institute or similar and you can finance the stay with your own funds.
For all citizens of an EU/EEA/EFTA country and members of their families, special rules apply through the EEA regulations.
Who can be granted a residence permit as a researcher?
In order to be granted a residence permit as a researcher with own funds, you must:
How to apply
As a rule, you must submit the application form to the Norwegian embassy or consulate in your home country or in the country where you have held a residence permit for the past six months. You will receive an answer to your application from the embassy or consulate.
You can also apply for a permit as a researcher with own funds from Norway. This requires you to have legal residence here, either by not being subject to a visa requirement or by having been granted a tourist visa or a permit to Norway or another Schengen country.
You cannot apply for a permit from Norway if you are staying here in connection with an application for asylum or are awaiting return to your home country following the rejection of an asylum application.
Certain groups can submit applications online through the embassy websites.
What must be enclosed with the application?
In addition to the completed application form, you must also enclose:
- a copy of your passport (the passport must be valid)
- a passport photo/ photo that meets specific requirements
- an invitation from or an agreement with the research institution with a more detailed description of your research tasks
- documentation that you have own funds (documentation of support from the Norwegian State Educational Loan Fund and/or documentation that you have deposited a sum of money corresponding to the subsistence requirement either in your own account in a Norwegian bank or in the research institution's account for foreign students)
- a translation of the documents into Norwegian or English
- documentation that you have somewhere to live
- documentation that you have paid the application fee
As a rule, it is sufficient that you enclose a copy of the documents with your application, but you must present the original documents when you hand in your application.
How long will it take to process the application?
See the list of the UDI’s expected case processing times at www.udi.no/caseprocessingtime.
The content of the permit
Is the permit renewable?
A residence permit for a researcher with own funds can be renewed indefinitely as long as you can give grounds why you need a renewal and finance the stay with your own funds. However, the Directorate of Immigration (UDI) can refuse to renew your application if the research stay lasts for many years.
You can take part-time work
When you are granted a residence permit as a researcher, you are automatically also granted a permit to work part-time in addition to your studies, and you can work full-time during holidays.
Read more about part-time work for students.
You can be granted a residence permit to seek employment after you have completed your research
When you have completed your research, you can be granted a residence permit for a period of up to six months (jobseeker period) to seek employment as a skilled worker.
You must have completed your research work, and either
- be able to document that you have become qualified as a skilled worker during your stay in Norway
or
- have completed your vocational training before you came to Norway and have carried out further research here.
The application for a residence permit to seek employment as a skilled worker must be submitted to the police. In order to be entitled to stay on the same conditions until your application has been processed, you must apply before your residence permit as a researcher expires.
You can take unskilled work during this period, but you must have obtained employment as a skilled worker before the permit expires.
You can appeal a rejection
Read more about how to appeal a decision at www.udi.no/appeals.
Further information
If you have further questions about this topic, contact your nearest Norwegian embassy or consulate, the nearest police district or the UDI’s Information Service .
