Appealing a decision
If your application is rejected, you can appeal the decision. The UDI will then reconsider your case. You must complain within the deadline stated in your decision letter.
Why do you believe that an incorrect decision has been made?
When you appeal, you must explain why you believe that the first decision you received was incorrect.
You must have new information or documents in your case. If you do not, your appeal will most likely also be rejected.
The appeal process
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How do you appeal a decision from the UDI?
Who can appeal?
- You who are appealing, must either be the applicant yourself (the person who wish to visit or live in Norway), or have been given power-of-attorney/authorisation by the applicant.
- If you are the applicant's family member, employer or friend in Norway and wish to appeal, you must therefore have been given power-of-attorney/authorisation by the applicant.
What is the deadline for appealing?
- You must appeal within three weeks from the date on which you, your authorised representative or your lawyer received the decision or when you should have become aware of the decision.
- Have you not managed to obtain all the documentation you wish to enclose with your appeal within the three-week deadline? You must in any case submit your appeal within the deadline, but you can write in the appeal that you wish to send us more documentation. You will then be given a new deadline of two weeks to submit the documentation.
How do you appeal?
- Write a letter where you explain which decision you are appealing and why you believe the decision you have received is incorrect. The letter must be written in Norwegian or English.
- Sign the letter.
- Send the letter to the UDI, the police or the embassy/consulate. You can send the signed letter by post or scan it and upload it in our form for sending documents to the UDI. If you have any new information or documentation, you must enclose it.
- You will be notified by email or SMS when the UDI has received your appeal.
It does not cost anything to appeal.
How long will it take before your appeal is decided?
See information about case processing times.
What happens when you appeal a decision?
- The UDI will then reconsider your case.
- The UDI can either grant your appeal or forward it to the Immigration Appeals Board (UNE) for consideration. If we forward it to UNE, you will be notified by email or SMS.
- UNE will consider your case again, and either reject or grant your appeal.
- If UNE also rejects your appeal, there are no other possibilities of appeal.
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How do you appeal a decision from an embassy?
If an embassy has made the decision in your application, you must hand in the appeal to this embassy.
Who can appeal?
- You who are appealing, must either be the applicant yourself (the person who wish to visit or live in Norway), or have been given power-of-attorney/authorisation by the applicant.
- If you are the applicant's family member, employer or friend in Norway and wish to appeal, you must therefore have been given power-of-attorney/authorisation by the applicant.
What is the deadline for appealing?
- You must appeal within three weeks from the date on which you, your authorised representative or your lawyer received the decision or when you should have become aware of the decision.
- Have you not managed to obtain all the documentation you wish to enclose with your appeal within the three-week deadline? You must in any case submit your appeal within the deadline, but you can write in the appeal that you wish to send us more documentation. You will then be given a new deadline of two weeks to submit the documentation.
How do you appeal?
- Write a letter where you explain which decision you are appealing and why you believe the decision you have received is incorrect. The letter must be written in Norwegian or English.
- Sign the letter.
- Send the letter to the embassy. If you have any new information or documentation, you must enclose it.
It does not cost anything to appeal.
How long will it take before your appeal is decided?
See information about case processing times.
What happens when you appeal a decision?
- When you appeal, the embassy will reconsider your case.
- The embassy can either grant your appeal or forward it to the UDI for consideration.
- The UDI will consider your case again, and either reject or grant your appeal.
- If the UDI also rejects your appeal, there are no other possibilities of appeal.
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Can you stay in Norway while we are considering your appeal?
- If your application for a residence permit or visa is rejected, you will normally be given a deadline for leaving Norway, normally three weeks. If you wish to stay in Norway while the UDI or UNE is considering your appeal, you can apply for this. (This is called deferred implementation of the decision.)
- If we say yes, you can stay in Norway until your appeal has been decided.
- If we say no, you must leave Norway within the deadline you have been given. If this deadline has already passed, you will get a new deadline for leaving Norway.
Special rules for those who have applied for a renewal or have had their residence permit revoked
- If you applied for a renewal of a residence permit, and you applied for the renewal at least one month before your previous permit expired, you have the right to stay in Norway while your appeal is being processed without applying for this.
- If the UDI has revoked your residence permit, you have the right to stay in Norway while your appeal is being processed without applying for this.
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Can you apply again?
- Even if your application has previously been rejected, you can apply again if you believe that you now meet the requirements. Please see our overview of what you can apply for and information about how to apply and where you must hand in the application.
- Even if your application for for example family immigration has been rejected, you may still meet the requirements for a different type of residence permit, for example a residence permit for studies or work. Please see our overview of what you can apply for and information about how to apply and where you must hand in the application.