Questions and answers

• How long do I have to wait for an answer to my application?

  Please go to our guide to waiting time in family immigration cases.

• Can I have my passport back while I wait for my application to be processed?

  Yes, if you have applied from abroad, you can contact the embassy responsible for your application. UDI does not receive your passport and, therefore, has no further information on the subject.

• What happens to my application while I wait?

  1. Once you have submitted all the application documents to the police or the embassy, your application will be forwarded to UDI. When UDI receives your application, you will be notified by email or SMS.
  2. The application is now waiting to be processed by UDI.  Every month you will receive an email or SMS with information about what is happening with your case. Once a month we will also update the information in our guide to case processing times in family immigration cases.
  3. In connection with some applications for family immigration, we will request an interview with the reference person and/or the applicant in order to obtain more information. If this applies to you, we will notify you by email or SMS, and you will receive a summons to an interview from the police or the embassy.  
  4. In connection with some applications for family immigration, we will request DNA analysis. If this applies to you, we will summon you for testing at an embassy or the police.
  5. UDI's case officers consider the cases in the order in which they are received. When your application is at the front of the queue, a case officer will consider your application and make a decision.
  6. When UDI has made a decision, you will be notified by the police, UDI or the embassy. If you have given someone power of attorney, the person acting as your proxy will always be notified, and must notify you. 

• Do you have new information about income in your UDI application?

  UDI often needs to ask for updated information in UDI applications. These requests take time. You can help us by giving us new information about your situation, where relevant. 

  If you have given us information about your reference person's income (your family member in Norway's income), we need updated information if the reference person

  • has a new employment contract - we need a copy of the employment contract

  • has left their job - we need a written explanation

  • has received a new decision letter from NAV about sickness benefit, pregnancy benefit, parental benefit, disability pension or retirement pension - we need a copy of the decision letter

  • has received a new decision letter about student loan or grant – we need a copy of the decision letter 

  If the reference person is self-employed - we need

  1. a copy of the accounts for the period after the last tax year with information on income and expenses where the profit (result) appears (if applicable, confirmation from an accountant showing the profits of the company after the last tax year) and
  2. a copy of the tax return with all the necessary supporting documents (income statement etc.) 

  Upload your documents 

  Please upload documents to your UDI application here (external website) 

  Please log in with your user account. This is a secure way to submit documents and enables us to quickly file the documents with your application. 

  If you don’t already have a user account, it is easy to register as a new user. 

• How to submit new documentation

  If you have new documentation which is important for your application, you can send it to UDI.

  Please upload documents to your UDI application here. (external website) 

  Please log in with your user account. This is a secure way to submit documents and enables us to quickly file the documents together with your application. 

  If you don’t already have a user account, it is easy to register as a new user (external website). 

• Who is summoned for an interview?

  • In connection with some applications for family immigration, we will request an interview with the reference person and/or the applicant in order to obtain more information.
  • This applies to
    • all applications where the applicant has established a relationship with a Norwegian under the age of 25, or with a person under the age of 25 who already lives in Norway
    • most applications where the applicant is either stateless or from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Türkiye, Iran, Iraq, or from a country in Africa (with the exception of South Africa).
    • a number of applications where the applicant is from Kosovo, China, Bangladesh, the Dominican Republic, India, Indonesia, Vietnam or Sri Lanka.
    • a few other applications 
  • If this applies to you, we will notify you by email or SMS, and you will receive a summons to an interview with information about when and where the interview will take place.
  • If you are in Norway, you will go to the police for the interview. You can find information on the police website about how long you must normally wait for the interview (external website). 
  • If you are abroad, the interview will normally be at the same place as where you handed in your application. In some countries, you will be interviewed when you hand in the application.
  • During the interview, you will be asked about your relationship, among other things.
  • You must bring someone to interpret for you if you do not speak Norwegian.
  • After the interview, the police send your case back to UDI. You will be notified by email or SMS when UDI has received the case. 

• Who can be summoned for a DNA test?

  • In some countries, it is difficult to obtain birth certificates and other documents that are accepted by the Norwegian authorities. In some cases, UDI will therefore ask for a DNA analysis of the applicant and the reference person. We do this so that you can document that you are related. 
  • These countries are Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq, Yemen and all African countries south of the Sahara (except South Africa).
  • If this applies to you, we will summon you for testing. If you are in Norway, you will go to the police to take the test. If you are abroad, you will normally take the test at the Norwegian embassy in the country where you handed in the application.
  • How long it will take before you are summoned, depends on the embassy's and the police's capacity.
  • You do not have to pay anything for the test, but you must cover your travel and accommodation expenses.
  • The DNA test is carried out by comparing saliva samples taken from the mouth of each of the family members. The test will show whether you are related. If the test shows that you are not related, you will be able to give a statement. When UDI processes the application, we will take this statement into consideration.
  • UDI may require you to take a DNA test to verify that you are related. You can still choose not to take the test, but if you do not have a particular reason for not taking the DNA test, we will probably reject your application.

• Can I request priority?

  Very few applications can be prioritised. To request priority, you must send us

  • a detailed explanation
  • documentation, for example a medical certificate

  You cannot request priority by phone, chat or email.

  Visit our Can I request priority-page?-page and choose the alternative that best describes your situation for more information about priority.

• How can I withdraw my application and get a refund of my fee?

  The application fee can only be refunded if you have not yet attended your appointment to hand in the application in person. If you have sent an application where you only need to upload the application documents electronically, you cannot get the fee refunded after you have uploaded the documents.   

  If you want your application fee refunded, you must contact the police district or the embassy responsible for your application. UDI cannot assist you with reimbursement. 

  If you have already handed in your application in person but wish to withdraw it (even if you will not be reimbursed), you must notify us in writing. You can write a short letter explaining that you wish to withdraw your application. The letter must be signed by you, the applicant. You must send the letter electronically. When we receive the information that you want to withdraw your application, we will dismiss the case and send you a written confirmation.

• How can a reference person, sponsor or host parent withdraw an application?

  As a general rule, we can only dismiss a case if the applicant sends a written request to withdraw the application. Dismissing means that we close the case without processing it. 

  If you are a reference person, sponsor or host parent and wish to withdraw your consent for the applicant to stay with you in Norway, you must send a written notification of this to UDI. You can write a short letter in which you explain that you wish to withdraw your consent for the applicant to stay with you. You must send the letter electronically. If you withdraw your consent, this will be stated in the decision (rejection) that the applicant receives. 

  We cannot dismiss a case because the reference person/sponsor/host parent wishes to. If any of these persons want to withdraw the application, we must still process the case, but it will be rejected on the basis that consent has been withdrawn.

  If a person with power of attorney wishes to withdraw the application due to a separation, we must still process the application, but it will be rejected. The power of attorney expires when we receive information about the separation. 

  The application fee cannot be refunded when the reference person/sponsor/host parent withdraws consent. This is because the application will be processed. 

• Can I travel to and from Norway on a visitor visa?

  Can you get a visitor visa when you have applied for family immigration?

  You can apply for a visitor visa to Norway. However, it is likely that your application will be rejected.

  When the embassy processes your application, they will assess whether or not it is likely that you will return to your home country or your country of residence by the time the visitor visa expires. Since you have applied for a residence permit in Norway the embassy may find it unlikely that you will return before the visa expires. It may therefore be difficult for you to get a visitor visa.

  Can you travel to Norway if you already have a visitor visa?

  • You may travel to Norway if you have a visitor visa to Norway, but it is important that you return to your home country before the visa expires. If you don’t return before the visitor visa expires, your application for a family immigration permit may be rejected because you have broken the visa rules. If UDI grants you a residence permit before the visa expires, you don’t have to return.
  • Travelling to Norway is not recommended if you have been granted a visitor’visa to another Schengen country. If you travel to Norway, your application for a family immigration permit may be rejected because you have given incorrect information when you applied for the visitor visa. 

  Other rules apply if you are classed as a skilled worker or you have applied for a residence card for family members of EU/EEA nationals. You may then travel to Norway if you have a visitor visa. You may also stay in Norway until your application has been processed, even if your visitor visa expires while you are waiting.

• Can I travel to and from Norway if I have a residence permit in another Schengen country?

  If you have a valid residence permit in another Schengen country, you may travel to Norway while your application is being processed if you belong to one of the following groups:

  • You are applying for family immigration with your spouse or partner;
  • You are a minor under 18 applying for family immigration with your parent (minors must have a written consent from both parents or the parent with parental responsibility);
  • You are mother or father of a child with Norwegian citizenship and the child is living with you on a permanent basis;
  • You qualify as a skilled worker.

  You may then stay in Norway until your application has been processed – even if you have been in Norway (and Schengen countries where you do not have a valid residence permit) for more than 90 days.

  Please remember that if you travel to and from Norway after you have applied for a family immigration permit, you must follow the rules for visiting Norway without a visa. For example, if you have been in Norway (and Schengen countries where you do not have a valid residence permit) for 90 days or more, you will have to stay outside Norway (and Schengen countries where you do not have a valid residence permit) for 90 days before you can travel into Norway again. If you are granted a family immigration permit while you are abroad, you may travel back to Norway immediately.

• Can I travel to and from Norway if I am from a country that doesn’t require a visa to travel to Norway?

  If you don’t need a visa to visit Norway, you may travel to and from Norway while your application is being processed if you belong to one of the following groups:

  • You are applying for family immigration with your spouse or partner;
  • You are a minor under 18 applying for family immigration with your parent (minors must have a written consent from both parents or the parent with parental responsibility);
  • You are a mother or father of a child with Norwegian citizenship and the child is living with you on a permanent basis;
  • You are a skilled worker.

  You may stay in Norway until your application has been processed even if you have been in Norway and other Schengen countries for more than 90 days.

  Please remember that if you travel to and from Norway after you have applied for family immigration, you must follow the rules for visiting Norway without a visa. For example, if you have been in Norway (and other Schengen countries) for 90 days or more, you will have to stay outside the Schengen area for 90 days before you can travel back to Norway. 

  If you are granted a family immigration permit while you are abroad, you can travel back to Norway immediately even if you have not stayed outside Schengen for 90 days. However, we recommend that you fly directly to Norway without a stopover in another Schengen country. If you have a stopover in another Schengen country you may encounter trouble at border control because you don’t have a residence card yet to prove you have a residence permit in Norway.

  If you are an EU/EEA national, you may travel to and from Norway without any restrictions.

• I am from a country where no visa is required to travel to Norway. I have applied for a residence permit and applied from my home country because I cannot apply from Norway. Can I still travel to Norway on a short visit?

  Yes, you can travel to Norway on a short visit, but you must follow the rules for visiting Norway without a visa. 

• Who can be granted an entry visa (D-visa) before they have received an answer to their application?

  If you need a visa to visit Norway before submitting a residence permit application or while waiting for your application to be processed, you might be eligible for an entry visa.

  You can apply for an entry visa if you are:

  • the spouse of a Norwegian citizen living or planning to settle in Norway, or a joint child of this couple 
  • the spouse of a Nordic national who has lived in Norway for the past three years, or a joint child of this couple  
  • the spouse of a foreign national who has permanent residence permit (settlement permit), or a joint child of this couple 
  • the spouse of a foreign national who has a residence permit as a skilled worker with an employer in Norway, or the joint child of this couple 
  • the spouse of a foreign national who has an individual permit to work in a group, or a joint child of this couple 

  Entry visa requirements

  To be granted an entry visa, it must be beyond doubt that your application for family immigration is going to be approved. This means, for example, that you must meet all the requirements for a family immigration permit and that you have submitted all the documents on the checklist. 

  Please note that it is not possible to apply for an entry visa (D-visa) from within a country where another country’s embassy represents Norway in immigration matters.

  How to apply for an entry visa

  1. Using an application for a visitor visa, write in the application that you wish to be granted an entry visa (D-visa).
  2. If you have not previously submitted your application for family immigration, you must at this time submit all the documents on the relevant checklist for family immigration. You must also submit your reference person's three last pay slips and their most recent tax settlement (skatteoppgjør).
  3. The embassy will consider your application for an entry visa. If your application is rejected, you can submit a written appeal to the embassy. The embassy will consider your application once again. If they do not grant you a visa, they will send the application to UDI. UDI will reassess your application and either reject or approve it.

• Can I receive healthcare while I wait for an answer to my application for a residence permit?

  UDI cannot answer what your rights are concerning healthcare. You can read about this on Helsenorge's website (external website).

  Everyone who resides in Norway is entitled to urgent medical care (external website).

  If you have a renewable residence permit in Norway and you apply for renewal at least one month before your permit expires, you have the same rights during the waiting period as you had before.

• What do I have to do if I move before my application is processed?

  You are registered in the National Population Register

  You have to report your new address to the National Population Register (external website) as soon as you know you will be moving. UDI automatically receives your new address from the register.

  You are in Norway, but not registered in the National Population Register

  If you are in Norway, and you move before your application has been processed, you must notify the police of your move no later than one week after you have moved. You can notify the police where you are moving to, or where you lived before.

  You are abroad

  If you are abroad, and you move before UDI has processed your application, you must notify the embassy or consulate where you submitted your application. If you fail to do this, you risk not receiving the answer to your application. 

• Am I allowed to start working before I have received an answer to my application?

  In some cases, the right to work depends on whether you submitted your application at least one month before the expiry of your previous residence permit. Note that the application is not considered delivered until you have met with the police to hand in your application documents.

  Suppose you registered the application online and paid the fee at least one month before the expiry of your permit, and that you did not get an appointment with the police until later because of long waiting times for an appointment. In such case, you still have the right to work while we process your application. You are generally entitled to work according to the same terms as your previous permit if you register the application for renewal (or for a permit on a new basis) and pay a fee no later than seven calendar days before the permit expires.

  I have applied for a residence permit in Norway for the first time

  • I have applied for a residence permit for the first time
    You cannot start work, including remote work, until you have been granted a residence permit. If you work without permission, you may be expelled.
    
    
  • Can I get a temporary work permit while I wait for my application to be processed?
    No, usually not. UDI can only grant a temporary work permit during the application process when it is probable that the application will be granted. It will often be difficult to know whether an application for family immigration can be granted before the case has been processed.
    
    
  • Can I participate in volunteer work?
    You do not need a work permit to participate in voluntary work. The rule for what we consider voluntary work is strict.
    
    Requirements for the work for it to be what we call voluntary work:
    • It must be work you have chosen yourself that you want to do.
    • There must be work for which you do not receive a salary or other compensation.
    • There must be work organised by a humanitarian, non-profit or religious organisation, such as a volunteer centre, a sports club or similar organisations.
    • The tasks you do must be tasks no one is usually paid to do.
    • You cannot volunteer more than 30 hours a week.

  I have applied for renewal of a residence permit

  • I have applied for renewal of my residence permit at least one month before the previous permit's expiry.
    Yes, you can work.
    
    
  • I have applied for renewal of my residence permit later than one month before the previous permit's expiry.
    No, you do not automatically have the right to work, including remote work. You must contact UDI to ask for permission to work.

  I already have a residence permit and have applied for another type of residence permit

  • I have applied for a permit on a new basis at least one month before the expiry of the previous permit.
    Yes, you can work with the same permissions as you have with your current permit. You cannot work more than you were allowed to with your current permit.
    • Permission as a student: usually 20 hours a week, including remote work, and full time during the ordinary holidays, but see the decision you received as a student.
    • Work holidays for Canadian citizens: The residence permit gives general access to work. See your decision letter for more information.
    • Working holiday: You cannot work for more than six months with the same employer.
    • Au pair: You cannot work. Au pair is a cultural exchange where you receive pocket money, board and lodging, and not salary.
      
      
  • I have applied for a permit on a new basis later than one month before the expiry of the previous permit.
    No, you do not automatically have the right to work, including remote work. You must contact the UDI to ask for permission to work.