How do I apply for family immigration?
To be eligible for a family immigration residence permit, all the rules and requirements must be fulfilled. The rules and requirements differ depending on the type of family member you wish to rejoin by applying for family immigration
The application process can generally be divided into two parts:
Part 1. Registering the application online and paying the fee
First, you or the person who is moving to Norway must complete an electronic application for family immigration on the UDI website.
The words «you» and «your» in the application form refer to the person who is going to move to Norway. In most cases, applicants will complete an application for themselves. If, however, you are completing the application on behalf of another person, for example a family member, «you» in the application form refers to the person who wants to move to Norway. Where it asks, «which country are you applying from?», you must state the country where the applicant resides.
When the application form has been completed, you must pay the application fee online. The person who completes the electronic application will then receive confirmation by email with a document attached. This document is to be printed out and signed by the applicant.
Part 2. Meeting up at an application centre to hand in application and documents
The main rule for applying for a family immigration permit is that you, the applicant, have to submit your application from abroad – either from your country of origin or your country of residence. There are few exceptions to this rule, but some categories of applicants may apply in Norway. See «Can I apply for family immigration from Norway?» for more information.
After the application is registered online and the fee paid, an appointment must be made for the applicant to meet up at a VFS Global application centre (external website) in the applicant’s home country or country of residence where the applicant will submit the application documents.
After you have submitted your documents at an application center, your documents will be sent to the Norwegian Embassy in charge of applications from your country of origin or your country of residence.
When the Embassy receives your documents, they create an application in UDI’s case processing system. You will receive an automatic email informing you of this.