If you are a citizen of a country outside the EU/EEA area, and are a family member of a EU/EEA national who are entitled to reside in Norway; you must bring with you a document which confirms that you have the right to reside in Norway if you are travelling to a EU/EEA country.
If you are a EU/EEA-citizen with the right to live in Norway, you get a registration certificate which confirms this.
But if you are a family member of a EU/EEA citizen, but are not a a EU/EEA citizen yourself, you will not get such a registration certificate. Instead you will receive a residence card. This is a document which confirms that you have the right to live in, and travel into, Norway and other EU/EEA countries.
New cards in May
By May 2012 the UDI will introduce a more practical plastic card that can be used to document right of residence in Norway and the right to visit other EU/EEA countries. Such cards will also be introduced in the other EU/EEA-countries. This will make it easier for family members of EU/EEA nationals to document their rights when crossing borders.
Until then it is important that you bring with you the paper document you received when you applied for right of recidence in Norway, if you are travelling to other EU-EEA countries.
Remember that as a non-EEA natinal you might also need a visa to visit other EEA countries. These are the rules for those with a residence card in Norway:
Visits to EU/EEA countries
- If you are visiting another EU/EEA country together with your family member who is an EEA national, you do not need a visa. The same applies if your family member who is an EEA national already is in the country you wish to travel to. For more information about border crossings, which documentation you need etc, please contact the embassy of the country you are going to visit in advance.
- If you are travelling to another EEA country without your family member who is an EEA national, you must apply for a Schengen visa(or a national visa for the United Kingdom, Bulgaria, Romania or Ireland). The visa will be issued without cost, and your application will be given priority. In most cases you have a right to be given a visa. For more information, please contact the embassy of the country you are going to visit.
Visits to countries outside the EU/EEA
If you are going to travel outside the EU/EEA, you must contact the embassies of the countries you are visiting in order to find out if you will need an entry visa.
Problems when crossing borders
Sometimes, people with residence cards face problems when then are crossing borders or for example are checking in at an airport because the travel operator or the authorities do not accept the document (the A4 paper) which shows that they have the right of residence in Norway.
This problem will be solved when Norwegian authorities by the end of May 2012 starts issuing everyone with the right of residence with plastic cards that have pictures and a number of safety elements.
If you are going travelling before you receive this card, it can be a good idea to apply for a visa for the EEA country you are going to visit, and/or to Norway for the return journey. Then you will be guaranteed not to face problems.
Someone who is the spouse of an EEA citizen shall not pay a fee for the visa. If they have paid a fee, they can asked to have it repaid by the embassy. They also have the right to prioritized processing of their application.
