What do you need to do?
If you apply with an eID (electronic ID)
If you apply with an eID, you should register your application online, pay the fee and upload your documents online at the latest one month before your permit expires. You do not need to attend an appointment with the police. In some cases, the police may ask you to attend an appointment as a normal part of the application process.
If you apply with a username and password
If you apply with a username and password (not logging in with an eID), you should register your application online and pay the fee well before your permit expires, preferably two to three months in advance. You must also book an appointment to submit documents to the police. The waiting time for an appointment with the police can be long.
Here you can read about your rights if you are going to apply for renewal but are unable to get an appointment with the police in time.
When is your application considered submitted?
Uploading your documents electronically (eID)
Your application is considered submitted when you have paid the fee, uploaded your documents and submitted the application. If you do this at the latest one month before your permit expires, you keep your rights while you are waiting for a decision. It is important that you upload all the documents on the checklist.
Submitting your documents to the police
Your application is considered submitted when you attend your appointment with the police and submit your documents. It is important that you have all the documents on the checklist when you attend your appointment with the police. If you have a residence permit that can be renewed, and you have attended your appointment with the police and submitted your application for renewal at the latest one month before your current residence permit expires, you have the same rights as your current permit.
If your employer or client applies on your behalf
Your employer or client must have a written authorisation. The application must first be registered online. The employer must then send an email (external website) to the Service Centre for Foreign Workers (SUA) or to your nearest police station. The police will register the case manually and send an email to the employer or client.
When the employer or client has received the email from the police confirming that the case has been received and registered, they must upload the documents electronically. It is important that the employer or client uploads all the documents on the checklist together with the application. If you have a residence permit that can be renewed, and your application for renewal is submitted at the latest one month before your current residence permit expires, you have the same rights as your current permit.
Can I travel abroad?
Please note that you may have trouble traveling in and out of Norway while waiting for your new permit. This is because you do not have a valid residence card when your residence permit has expired. Without a residence card, you can be stopped by border control in other countries. You may also have trouble getting into Norway again when you return.
What kind of residence permit do you have?
-
Skilled worker
Requirements of the applicant
- You must pay an application fee.
- Your work or research situation must be unchanged.
- You must meet the same requirements as when you applied for the first time.
Requirements of the type of residence permit you have
- Your residence permit must be renewable. If you already have held the residence permit for the maximum amount of months or years, you cannot apply for renewal.
Residence permit for: Is the permit renewable? Skilled worker with an employer in Norway Yes Employees of international companies Yes, but you can only have it for up to six years, then you must live outside Norway for two years before you can apply for a new such permit.
Employees of companies abroad Yes, but you can only have it for up to six years, then you must live outside Norway for two years before you can apply for a new such permit. Offshore workers Yes Athletes or coaches
Yes Religious leaders/teachers Yes Self-employed persons with a company in Norway Yes Self-employed persons with a company abroad Yes, but you can only have it for a total of six years, then you must live outside Norway for two years before you can apply for a new such permit. Are you going to change employers or jobs and have a residence permit as a skilled worker with an employer in Norway?
- If you are going to change employers, but work in the same type of position, you do not need to apply for a new residence permit. The pay and working conditions must not be inferior to what is normal in Norway, and you still must meet the requirements for your residence permit as a skilled worker with an employer in Norway.
- If you are going to start in a new type of position you must apply for a new residence permit, no matter if you are staying with the same employer or changing employers. You cannot start in a new type of position until you have been given a new residence permit.
Did you lose your job or been temporarily laid off?
- If you lose your job, you must notify the police where you live within seven days. You can then stay in Norway for up to six months to look for a new job. Your residence permit must still be valid for the duration of this period.
- If you get a new job, but are going to work in the same type of position as before, you do not need to apply for a new residence permit, but you must notify the police where you live within seven days after you start the new job.
- If you get a new job, where you are going to have a different type of position than before, you must apply for a new residence permit. You cannot start in the new type of position until you have been given a new residence permit.
- If you are temporarily laid off, you do not need to notify UDI or the police. You can stay in Norway as long as your residence permit is valid.
Who is responsible for processing renewal applications?
Renewal applications (skilled workers) are normally processed by the police, without involving UDI. You will be notified by email if the police do forward your case to UDI.
Information about the expected waiting times for the police (external website).
-
Seasonal worker
Requirements of the applicant
- You must pay an application fee.
- Your work or research situation must be unchanged.
- You must meet the same requirements as when you applied for the first time.
Requirements of the type of residence permit you have
- Your residence permit must be renewable. If you already have held the residence permit for the maximum amount of months or years, you cannot apply for renewal.
A residence permit for seasonal workers can be renewed, but you cannot stay in Norway for more than six months out of twelve months.
Requirements of persons who have changed employers
- If you are going to change employer or client since the last time you applied, you must normally submit a new application for a residence permit for work purposes instead of applying for renewal.
-
Job seeker
Requirements of the applicant
- You must pay an application fee.
- You must meet the same requirements as when you applied for the first time.
Requirements of the type of residence permit you have
- You must have a valid residence permit as a job seeker. If you have another type of residence permit now, you must hand in a new application for a residence permit as a job seeker, instead of applying for renewal.
- Your residence permit must be renewable. If you already have held the residence permit for the maximum amount of months or years, you cannot apply for renewal.
Residence permit for: Is the permit renewable? Skilled job seeker with visa free citizenship Yes, but you can have it for a maximum of six months at a time. Then you must live outside Norway for one year before you can apply for a new such permit.
Job seeker who has recently graduated or is a researcher Yes, but you can have it for a maximum of one year in total.
-
Exchange programmes, culture and organisational work
Requirements of the applicant
- You must pay an application fee.
- Your work or research situation must be unchanged.
- You must meet the same requirements as when you applied for the first time.
Requirements of the type of residence permit you have
- Your residence permit must be renewable. If you already have held the residence permit for the maximum amount of months or years, you cannot apply for renewal.
Residence permit for: Is the permit renewable? Employee of a humanitarian, non-profit or religious organisation Yes, but you can have it for a maximum of four years in total.
Artist, musician or performer Yes, but you can have it for a maximum of one year at a time, then you must live outside Norway for three months before you can apply for a new residence permit as an artist, musician or performer.
Participant from the Norwegian Agency for Exchange Cooperation (Norec) Yes, but you can have it for a maximum of four years in total.
Working holiday for young adults from Australia Yes, but you can have it for a maximum of two years in total.
Working holiday for young adults from Canada Yes, your permit can be renewed if it has a duration of less than one year. If you have held the permit for one year, it cannot be renewed. You can apply for a new residence permit for working holidays, even if you have previously held such a permit (you can find more information on the page where you apply). You can get residence permits for working holidays for a maximum of two years in total.
Working holiday for young adults from Argentina, Japan or New Zealand Yes, but you can have it for a maximum of one year in total. Working guests in agriculture Yes, but you can have such a permit for a maximum of three months at a time, then you must live outside Norway for three months before you can apply for a new such permit.
Other types of stays for cultural purposes Yes, but you can have it for a maximum of two years in total.
Requirements of persons who have changed employers
- If you are going to change employer or client since the last time you applied, you must normally submit a new application for a residence permit for work purposes instead of applying for renewal.
-
Vocational training and research
Requirements of the applicant
- You must pay an application fee.
- Your work or research situation must be unchanged.
- You must meet the same requirements as when you applied for the first time.
Requirements of the type of residence permit you have
- Your residence permit must be renewable. If you already have held the residence permit for the maximum amount of months or years, you cannot apply for renewal.
Residence permit for: Is the permit renewable? Trainees No
Researcher with own funds Yes Requirements of persons who have changed employers or research institution
- If you are going to change employer or research institution since the last time you applied, you must normally submit a new application for a residence permit for work purposes instead of applying for renewal.
-
Russian worker
Requirements of the applicant
- You must pay an application fee.
- Your work or research situation must be unchanged.
- You must meet the same requirements as when you applied for the first time.
Requirements of the type of residence permit you have
- Your residence permit must be renewable. If you already have held the residence permit for the maximum amount of months or years, you cannot apply for renewal.
Residence permit for: Is the permit renewable? Unskilled Russian workers Yes, but you can only have it for up to two years, then you must live outside Norway for one year before you can apply for a new such permit.
Russian cross-border workers Yes Requirements of persons who have changed employers
- If you are going to change employer or client since the last time you applied, you must normally submit a new application for a residence permit for work purposes instead of applying for renewal.
-
Seafarers on foreign ships sailing between Norwegian ports
Requirements of the applicant
- You must pay an application fee.
- Your work or research situation must be unchanged.
- You must meet the same requirements as when you applied for the first time.
Requirements of the type of residence permit you have
- Your residence permit must be renewable. If you already have held the residence permit for the maximum amount of months or years, you cannot apply for renewal.
A residence permit for seafarers on foreign ships sailing between Norwegian ports is renewable.
Requirements of persons who have changed employers
- If you are going to change employer or client since the last time you applied, you must normally submit a new application for a residence permit for work purposes instead of applying for renewal.