This section provides an overview of how long it takes to process family immigration applications received by the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI).
The period taken to process a case is calculated from the day you submit your application to the police or at a Norwegian embassy or consulate, until the day the UDI takes a decision on the case.
A complete application containing all necessary information and documents take shorter time to process. An application from which important information is missing take longer time to process, and such applications may, in some cases, be rejected due to a lack of information or documentation.
In order to grant an application for family immigration, the person whom one is applying for family immigration with, must have a residence permit. If this person is in the process of application, or is being considered for expulsion, then this could affect the amount of time it takes to process the application.
Applications that are given priority are processed on an on-going basis and within a maximum timeframe of 6 months
- Children under the age of 18 applying alone.
- Family immigration with work migrants
Expected case-processing time up to 6 months
Expected case-processing time up to 7 months
- Applications for 9-months parental visit.
Expected case-processing time up to 12 months
- Applications that have not been properly completed, or which lack documentation and information that should have been submitted with the application.
- Applications from countries with a problematic situation in respect of documentation of identity and family relations, as well as applications from countries where there is need for a DNA test to confirm family relations. Read about which countries this applies to.
- When circumstances in the case require further investigation on the part of the UDI. For example, the UDI is responsible for checking that marriages are not marriages of convenience or forced marriages.
- Applications where there is a doubt about the basis for the permit in association with which family immigration is being applied for.
- Cases where the applicant may be expelled from Norway as a result of breaking the law.
Please note that in exceptional cases the processing time may exceed a year.
Appeals
Expected case-processing time for an appeal is 7 months from when the appeal is registered up till we have changed our decision or sent the case to the Immigration Appeals Board (UNE).
Renewals
Please be advised that the police also process some types of application of residence in Norway, as well as most of the applications for renewal of permits. The case-processing times vary from police district to police district. If the application is sent to the UDI, it is due to the fact that we have to further examine the application. The expected case-processing time will then be as described above.
Application form: family immigration
Power of attorney form
