If you receive collective protection, you will get a decision letter in the mail with information about your residence permit. You will also receive a letter with a QR code that links to a video. You will be asked to watch the video, which is in your language. It explains your rights and obligations. It is important that you watch the video. To watch the video, you must either use your phone to scan a QR code or go to the link in the letter you receive.

Here you can read about your rights and obligations.

Once you have been granted a residence permit, you will receive an email.

Once you have been granted a permit, you will also receive a residence card as proof that you have a residence permit in Norway. Some must go to the police station to take a picture and fingerprint for their residence card. Some have already taken a photo and fingerprints for their residence card when they applied for protection and do not have to go to the police again. You will be notified if you must report to the police. Your residence card will be sent to you by post. It is important that your name is visible on the mailbox for you to receive the letters we send to you. If you move before you get your residence card, you must inform the police about your new address.

After you have attended the appointment with the police, you will receive a letter stating that you have been assigned a national identity number.

Norwegian authorities (IMDi) can provide you with a residence, meaning that you get help finding a place to live in a municipality. You cannot choose which municipality you will live in. You only get one offer from a municipality, and it can be anywhere in Norway. It is voluntary to get help from the authorities to settle in a municipality. If you choose not to accept the offer from IMDi, or decline the residence offered by the municipality, this will have some consequences for your rights. 

Consequences of not accepting help from the authorities:  

You lose your  

• right to an emergency accommodation (reception centre)  
• right to participate in the introduction  programme  
• right to receive the introduction benefit (money)  
• opportunity for financial support from the municipality  
• right to travel expenses when moving to a municipality   

If you choose not to accept the offer of a municipality, you must manage housing and economy yourself. You are still entitled to free Norwegian language tuition with social studies. Children under the age of 16 have the right and duty to attend school. Youths between the age of 16 and 18 have the right to secondary education (high school).   

The right to a place in an emergency accommodation or asylum reception centre applies until the agreed date of settlement in the municipality. If you do not move on that date, the police will forcibly move you.

If you are not living in an asylum reception centre, you may establish residency in a municipality through agreed self-settlement. There are two ways to proceed:

1) Seeking help to live in a municipality.

2) Contacting the city where you want to stay on your own. 

Seeking help with the settlement?

To seek help with settling within a municipality, apply as soon as possible for accommodation with public assistance on IMDis website (external website). 

IMDi will then designate a municipality for your settlement. You will only receive one settlement offer. You may not appeal to the municipality designated by IMDi, but you may choose to decline the offer in order to settle elsewhere on your own. Please note that by declining IMDi’s offer, you lose the right to the introductory program and introductory benefit and will have to manage on your own financially.

Do you want to contact a particular municipality to stay in on your own?

If you do not need IMDi's assistance, you can contact the town you want to stay in and ask if the municipality wants to sign an agreement on self-settlement. If the municipality agrees, the town must sign a deal with IMDi. To apply for self-settlement, you must find a home on your own. Do not sign any rental agreement until the municipality has approved both the home and the agreement. 

If the municipality and IMDi agree on the self-settlement, you have the same rights and obligations as when you are settled with public assistance.

You have the right to participate in an introduction programme and receive an introduction benefit if you become a resident this way.

Please note that you are not allowed to be designated a municipality by IMDi when using this scheme and that certain municipalities may not wish to participate in any self-settlement agreements.

More information about agreed self-settlement is available on IMDi's website (external website).

When you get settled in a municipality with help from the Norwegian authorities, you have both rights and obligations. If you are between the age of 18 and 55, you may participate in an introduction programme. The introduction programme is a training programme intended to prepare you for participation in Norwegian working life and the Norwegian language. The programme will correspond to an average working week. You will receive money while participating in the introduction programme, referred to as “introduction benefits”. You must pay tax on the money you receive as everyone else who works.

Here you will find more information about the introductory programs and language training for those with temporary collective protection (external website).

When a child of foreign parents is born in Norway, the parents must apply for a residence permit for the child. This is to be done as early as possible following the birth.

The type of residence permit you may apply for on your child's behalf depends on the type of Norwegian residence permit you and the child's other parent hold.

Select the alternative that suits you as the child's parents:

If both parents have been granted collective protection

The following information explains the various possibilities you have for your child:

Protection (asylum)

You may apply for protection (asylum) for your child.

If the child is eligible for collective protection, we will grant collective protection to the child. Read more about applying for protection.

If you are living in an asylum reception centre you must present the confirmation of birth document you received from the hospital to those working at the centre. The asylum reception centre will send it to its respective UDI regional office, and UDI will register an application for the child.

If you do not live in an asylum reception centre, you are to visit the local police station where you live to hand in the confirmation of birth document you received from the hospital. The police will then register an application for the child.

Family immigration

You can apply for a family immigration residence permit for your child.

If a child is granted a family immigration residence permit, its parents will normally have to obtain a passport for the child from their home country in order to travel outside Norway. If the child holds such a passport, then it can visit the home country of the parents.

If contacting the authorities or the embassy of the parents' home country in order to obtain a passport puts the parents at risk, it is possible to apply for a Norwegian immigrant passport (blue) for the child instead.

If neither the mother's nor the father's residence permit forms the basis for a permanent residence permit, then the child's permit will not form the basis for permanent residence either.

If one parent has been granted protection (asylum), and the other parent has been granted collective protection

The following information explains the various possibilities you have for your child:

Protection for family members of refugees (derived refugee status)

You may apply for protection for family members of refugees (derived refugee status) on behalf of the child.

If the child is granted derived refugee status, he or she will be issued a refugee travel document (green). The child will not be able to visit the parents' home country.

If the parents lose their refugee status at a later point in time, the child will lose its refugee status as well.

Protection (asylum)

You may apply for protection (asylum) for your child

If the child is eligible for collective protection, we will grant collective protection to the child. Read more about applying for protection.

In order to apply you must visit the local police station where you live and hand in the confirmation of birth document you received from the hospital. The police will then register an application for the child.

Family immigration

You can apply for a family immigration residence permit for your child.

If a child is granted a family immigration residence permit, its parents will normally have to obtain a passport for the child from their home country in order to travel outside Norway. If the child holds such a passport, then it can visit the home country of the parents.

If contacting the authorities or the embassy of the parents' home country in order to obtain a passport puts the parents at risk, it is possible to apply for a Norwegian immigrant passport (blue) for the child instead.

One of the parents has protection status (asylum), and one of the parents is an EU/EEA citizen:

The following information explains the various possibilities you have for your child:

Protection (asylum)

You may apply for protection (asylum) for your child.

If the child is eligible for collective protection, we will grant collective protection to the child. Read more about applying for protection.

In order to apply you must visit the local police station where you live and hand in the confirmation of birth document you received from the hospital. The police will then register an application for the child.

The registration scheme for EU/EEA nationals and applications for a residence card for family members of EU/EEA nationals

Because one or both of the child's parents hold citizenship in an EU/EEA country, it is not necessary to apply for a residence permit for the child, but you must register the child with the police or apply for a residence card on the child's behalf. This applies also even if the child was born in Norway and has been issued a Norwegian personal number.

• If the child is a citizen of an EU/EEA country, you may register the child via the registration scheme for EU/EEA nationals. Please note that the child must have its own passport before you can attend an appointment with the police.
• If the child is a citizen of a country outside the EU/EEA, you may apply for the child to receive a residence card as a family member of EU/EEA nationals. Please note that the child must have its own passport before you can attend the appointment with the police.

There is no deadline for registering your child/applying for a residence card for children under the EU/EEU regulations. UDI recommends registering children or applying for a residence card on their behalf as soon as they have a passport.

Family immigration

You may apply for a family immigration residence permit for your child.

If a child is granted a family immigration residence permit, its parents will normally have to obtain a passport for the child from their home country in order to travel outside Norway. If the child holds such a passport, then it can visit the home country of the parents.

If contacting the authorities or the embassy of the parents' home country in order to obtain a passport puts the parents at risk, it is possible to apply for a Norwegian immigrant passport (blue) for the child instead.

One of the parents has protection status (asylum), and the other parent has permanent residence (on the original basis of refugee status):

The following information explains the various possibilities you have for your child:

Protection for family members of refugees (derived refugee status)

You may apply for protection for family members of refugees (derived refugee status) on behalf of the child.

If the child is granted derived refugee status, he or she will be issued a refugee travel document (green). The child will not be able to visit the parents' home country.

If the parents lose their refugee status at a later point in time, the child will lose its refugee status as well.

Protection (asylum)

You may apply for protection (asylum) for your child.

If the child is eligible for collective protection, we will grant collective protection to the child. Read more about applying for protection.

In order to apply you must visit the local police station where you live and hand in the confirmation of birth document you received from the hospital. The police will then register an application for the child.

Family immigration

You may apply for a family immigration residence permit for your child

If a child is granted a family immigration residence permit, its parents will normally have to obtain a passport for the child from their home country in order to travel outside Norway. If the child holds such a passport, then it can visit the home country of the parents.

If contacting the authorities or the embassy of the parents' home country in order to obtain a passport puts the parents at risk, it is possible to apply for a Norwegian immigrant passport (blue) for the child instead.

If the parents are granted permanent residence

If both parents

• are granted a permanent residence permit or Norwegian citizenship before the child reaches one year of age, or
• fulfil the requirements for permanent residence or Norwegian citizenship and submit their applications for a permanent residence permit or Norwegian citizenship to the police before the child reaches one year of age

then it is also possible to apply for a permanent residence permit for your child. You must submit your child's application before the child reaches one year of age.

One of the parents has collective protection status, and the other parent has permanent residence (not based on refugee status):

The following information explains the various possibilities you have for your child:

Protection (asylum)

You may apply for protection (asylum) for your child

If the child is eligible for collective protection, we will grant collective protection to the child. Read more about applying for protection.

In order to apply you must visit the local police station where you live and hand in the confirmation of birth document you received from the hospital. The police will then register an application for the child.

Family immigration

You may apply for a family immigration residence permit for your child

If a child is granted a family immigration residence permit, its parents will normally have to obtain a passport for the child from their home country in order to travel outside Norway. If the child holds such a passport, then it can visit the home country of the parents.

If contacting the authorities or the embassy of the parents' home country in order to obtain a passport puts the parents at risk, it is possible to apply for a Norwegian immigrant passport (blue) for the child instead.

If the parents have permanent residence

If both parents

• have been granted a permanent residence permit or Norwegian citizenship before the child reaches one year of age, or
• fulfil the requirements for permanent residence or Norwegian citizenship and submit their applications for a permanent residence permit or Norwegian citizenship to the police before the child reaches one year of age

then it is also possible to apply for a permanent residence permit for your child. You must submit your child's application before the child reaches one year of age.

The mother has collective protection status but the father's identity is unknown or he resides outside Norway:

The following information explains the various possibilities you have for your child:

Protection (asylum)

You may apply for protection (asylum) for your child

If the child is eligible for collective protection, we will grant collective protection to the child. Read more about applying for protection.

If you are living in an asylum reception centre you must present the confirmation of birth document you received from the hospital to those working at the centre. The asylum reception centre will send it to its respective UDI regional office, and UDI will register an application for the child.

If you do not live in an asylum reception centre, you are to visit the local police station where you live to hand in the confirmation of birth document you received from the hospital. The police will then register an application for the child.

Family immigration

You may apply for a family immigration residence permit for your child

If a child is granted a family immigration residence permit, its parents will normally have to obtain a passport for the child from their home country in order to travel outside Norway. If the child holds such a passport, then it can visit the home country of the parents.

If contacting the authorities or the embassy of the parents' home country in order to obtain a passport puts the parents at risk, it is possible to apply for a Norwegian immigrant passport (blue) for the child instead.

If the mother's residence permit does not form the basis for a permanent residence permit, then the child's permit will not form the basis for permanent residence either.

Your permit is set to be extended automatically

If you received collective protection in connection with the situation in Ukraine, you will be granted an automatic extension of your residence permit when it expires. You do not have to do anything else to extend your permit.

We will process most of the cases three weeks before the residence permit expires. You will receive a letter with more information in the mail when your case has been processed. If you have a digital mailbox (Digipost), you will receive the letter there. If you do not have Digipost, you will receive the letter in the mail. It may then take up to two weeks before you receive the letter.

You will still have the same rights as before to work, study and so on while you wait for the notice from UDI that your residence permit has been extended. You have these rights until you have received a response from UDI, even if your residence permit expires in the meantime.

The new permit will be valid for one year from the date your previous permit expires.

There are, however, certain exceptions:

• you have been granted a different type of residence permit in Norway
• based on investigations, we have reason to believe that you have moved from Norway
• we discover that you did not actually meet the requirements for collective protection
• you have been outside Norway for longer than 6 months during your first year under collective protection

If any of the above exceptions apply to you, you will be notified that you no longer qualify for an extension of your collective protection residence permit.

You will be issued a new residence card

If you are granted an extension, you will receive a new residence card by post. This does not apply to children who were 5 years of age or younger on the date when their residence permit was granted. In these cases, the child will be required to go to the police station to provide a fingerprint. A separate letter will be sent for such cases.

If you have registered your e-mail address with UDI, you will receive an e-mail when we extend your residence permit and when we order a new residence card. It may take up to 40 days from the date UDI or the police order order the residence card until you receive the card in your mailbox. If you do not receive your residence card within 40 days from the date UDI or the police ordered your card, you need to contact the police at the place you are living.

Make sure that your name is on your postbox

It is important that you have your name on your postbox to ensure that your residence card is delivered. If you have children, their names must also be on the postbox.

Make sure we that have your correct address

It is important that you keep your postal address up to date in the National Population Register (Folkeregisteret) (external website) so that we send the residence card to the right address. If you sign up for an electronic ID (e-ID) (external website), you will also be able to receive other communications from us online.

Do not apply for renewal now even if you receive a notification from UDI

Unfortunately, some individuals with collective protection status received a message instructing them to renew their permits. This message was sent in error, so please disregard it. The standard procedure of applying for renewal within three months of a permit’s expiry date does not apply if you were granted collective protection in connection with the situation in Ukraine.

In March 2022, UDI started granting temporary collective protection to applicants with ties to Ukraine. These permits were valid for one year from the date of the decision. Even though the first permits issued expire in March, you do not need to do anything to renew your permit.

If you do not want us to extend your residence permit, you must notify us. You can contact us by phone.

You have applied for protection, and UDI has assessed whether you can be granted collective protection here in Norway. Since you stayed in another country before coming to Norway, you can not be granted collective protection here. It is a requirement in order to be granted collective protection in Norway that you resided in Ukraine on 24 February 2022, when the war broke out.

The regulations in Norway state that if you have stayed in a safe country just before you came to Norway, you will not have your application processed here, and you must travel back to the country you stayed in and possibly seek protection there. There is no requirement that you have or have had a valid residence permit in the country in which you stayed.

You can appeal the decision and ask to stay in Norway while the appeal is processed. You must appeal within three weeks of receiving your decision. If you wish to make an appeal, you must send the appeal to UDI by post. You can either fill in the form attached to the decision, or write an appeal yourself. The appeal must be written in Norwegian or English.

The appeal is sent to:

Utlendingsdirektoratet
PO Box 2098 Vika
0125 Oslo.

If UDI does not change the decision, we will forward the appeal to the Immigration Appeals Board (Utlendingsnemnda, UNE). If UDI or UNE changes the decision and grant the appeal, you may have the right to have your legal expenses covered, for example, if you have used a lawyer.

You have the right to see the documents in your case.

You will not be assigned a lawyer. It is not a requirement that you have a lawyer to make an appeal, but you can get a lawyer yourself if you wish. You will not be reimbursed for the lawyer's fees.

If you want assistance to make an appeal, but you do not have the money for a lawyer, there are organisations you can contact to ask if you can get assistance for free. Examples of organisations you can contact are:

• NOAS (external website) 
• Jussbuss (external website)
• SEIF (external website)
• Rettssenteret (external website)

If you are not allowed to stay in Norway while your appeal is processed, you must leave the country within the deadline you have been given. If you are going to return to a country which the Norwegian authorities consider it is obvious that it is safe for you to return to, you will probably not be allowed to stay in Norway while the appeal is processed.

If you do not leave Norway, the police can forcibly send you out of Norway. You can be expelled from Norway and other Schengen countries. Once you have been expelled, you cannot travel to Norway or another Schengen country. You cannot travel back to Norway until you have paid the cost for your deportation out of Norway.

If you are over the age of 18, you get fewer rights to healthcare. You can find more information about this at Helsenorge.no (external website).

You can still stay at the asylum reception centre until you leave Norway, but you will receive less money if you do not leave within the deadline.

If you have handed in your travel documents to the Norwegian authorities and have questions about the handing over of your documents, you can contact the police by calling 22 34 24 00.

UDI cannot answer questions about your travel documents.

If you do not have valid travel documents, you must obtain them yourself.

It is the police who check that you travel, and who are responsible for the practicalities concerning your departure from Norway. If you have questions related to the departure, you can contact the police by calling 22 34 24 00.

UDI cannot answer questions about financing or the practicalities concerning your departure.

If you need an extended deadline for leaving the country, you can apply for an extension of the deadline with the police. The police will assess whether the deadline for leaving the country can be extended. If you have questions related to the departure or the deadline for leaving the country, you can contact the police by calling 22 34 24 00.

Not everyone who have received collective protection will get an extension of their residence permit. Your residence permit will not be extended if you belong to one of the following groups of people:

• You have been granted a different type of residence permit in Norway.
• Based on investigations, we have reason to believe that you have moved from Norway.
• We discover that you did not actually meet the requirements for collective protection.
• You have been outside Norway for longer than 6 months during your first year under collective protection.

How will I be notified that I will not receive an extension of my collective protection residence permit?

We do not send you the decision that you will not get an extension of the collective protection permit if you have reported moving from Norway or if we assume that you have moved from Norway.

If you are staying in Norway and you have registered your address in the National Population Register (Folkeregisteret), we will send you the decision. It is important that you keep your address up to date and that you have your name on your postbox.

The decision states the reason why you have not been granted an extension. The most common reasons are:

• You have reported moving from Norway.
• You have notified UDI that you are moving, or we have other reasons to assume that you have moved.
• You have another valid residence permit at the time we are to extend your permit.
• You have informed UDI that you have stayed abroad for more than 6 months consecutively or in total during the period of your residence permit.

If there are other reasons why the permit is not extended, this will be stated in the decision.

You have the right to appeal the decision within three weeks

• The deadline for appealing the decision that your residence permit is not extended is three weeks from the time you received the decision.
• The decision is final if you do not appeal within the deadline.
• You must send a written appeal in Norwegian or English with your DUF number/birth number to UDI. You must sign the appeal.
• You retain your rights until the appeal has been finally determined.
• You have the right to ask to see your case documents.
• The appeal is sent by letter to:
   
  Norwegian Directorate of Immigration
  PO Box 2098 Vika
  0125 Oslo

Have you not managed to obtain all the documentation you wish to enclose with your appeal within the three-week deadline? You must still submit your appeal within the deadline, but you can write in your appeal that you wish to send us more documentation. You will then be given a new deadline of two weeks to submit the documentation.

Any new information in the appeal is assessed by UDI. If there is no new information of importance to our decision, we will forward your case to the Immigration Appeals Board (UNE) for an independent assessment.

• You can appeal the decision, see above.
• You can apply for collective protection again will receive it as long as you still fulfill the conditions for such a residence permit.
• You will not be entitled to a place in a reception centre or in the introduction program if you apply for collective protection for the second time. You have the right to travel to the municipality you used to live in. If you get a new collective protection residence permit, that municipality is responsible for you.
• You can apply for another type of residence permit in Norway.
• If you have a valid residence permit in another Schengen country, you have the right to travel there.
• If you do not apply for a new permit in Norway, you must leave Norway and possibly the Schengen area within the above deadline. The duty to return to Ukraine is currently suspended.

Yes, you may travel out of Norway while you have collective protection. Please note that you must stay in Norway for at least half the time you have a permit.

When travelling abroad, please bring:

• a valid passport/immigrant’s passport/refugee travel document, and
• a valid residence card

If you do not have a valid passport/travel documents or a valid residence card, you should not travel out of Norway. You may run into difficulties at the airport, when you try to enter another country, or when you try to travel back to Norway.

The residence card is documentation of your residence permit in Norway. In Norway, the police are responsible for border control. UDI cannot answer questions about how border control is practiced in Norway or in other countries. UDI cannot issue confirmations that can be used for travel, and that airlines or other countries' authorities will accept with certainty. All travel without a residence card will therefore be at your own risk.

You should not book trips abroad until you have both a valid passport and a valid residence permit. Unfortunately, we cannot prioritise your case even if you have planned and paid for a trip.

Here you can read more information about what you need to know if you have been granted collective protection and want to return to Ukraine.

Here you can read more information about what you need to know if you have been granted collective protection and want to move back to Ukraine.

Yes, you can return home to Ukraine, even if you have received collective protection in Norway. This applies regardless of whether peace has been restored or not. Please note that you must stay in Norway for at least half of the time you have a permit.

When you are going to travel abroad, you must have:
• valid passport/immigrant passport/travel document for refugees
• valid residence card

If you cannot travel visa-free in the Schengen area, you need a residence card if you are going to travel through countries in the Schengen area on your way to Ukraine.

Here you can read more about what you need to know if you are going to be out of the country for longer than half the time of your residence permit (6 months) or move from Norway.

You can return home to Ukraine, even if you have received collective protection in Norway. This applies regardless of whether peace has been restored or not.

When you are going to travel abroad, you must have:
• valid passport/immigrant passport/travel document for refugees
• valid residence card

If you can not travel visa-free in Schengen, you also need a residence card if you travel through countries in the Schengen area on your way to Ukraine.

If you are going to stay abroad for longer than six months, you must notify the Tax authorities (external website).

Moving from Norway or travelling out of Norway for an extended period can have consequences for your residence permit.

When you have received collective protection, it is a requirement that you stay in Norway at least half of the time you have a permit. If you have been granted a permit for one year, you must remain in Norway for at least six months. If you stay outside Norway/if you stay abroad longer, you will lose your residence permit.

If your residence permit expires while you are abroad, you must be aware that it is a requirement that you must be in Norway to apply for the renewal of your permit. If you cannot travel to Norway without a visa, you may have problems renewing your residence permit.

Refugees from Ukraine with collective protection in Norway may apply for repatriation.

Due to the current security situation in the country, UDI cannot assist Ukrainians with support for their return to Ukraine for the time being. If you are a participant in the introductory program or receive financial support from NAV or other public agencies, you must contact the municipality or NAV and inform them that you intend to leave Norway. They can inform you about the consequences for your financial aid situation and what you need to do.

Ukrainians with collective protection in Norway can apply for repatriation if they wish so.

Here you can read more about what you need to know if you have been granted collective protection and want to leave Norway.

No. You cannot receive financial support after you have left Norway. To be eligible to receive financial support, you must have done the following:

• applied for financial support for voluntary return
• sent UDI information about the itinerary and transport home, a copy of tickets for the return journey or a self-declaration about the use of a private car
• notified the National Population Registry that you are moving
• informed UDI about your Norwegian bank account number
• received a decision that you will receive support for return from UDI