The information on this page is personalised for
Family immigration
the applicant or a close family member in Norway is life threateningly/acutely ill
You can request priority
Based on the information you have provided about your application type and situation, you can request priority.
How do I request priority?
1. Write an explanation of who is ill and why you are requesting priority
For us to prioritise the application, we need to know more about who is ill. If a member of your family is ill, we need to know more about the family relationship. We can only prioritise the application if the person who is ill is part of your immediate family and the illness is life threatening. The main rule is that parents, children, registered partners and spouses are considered immediate family. Write an explanation of who is ill and why you are asking for priority.
2. Obtain documentation – a medical certificate from a doctor describing the illness and how severe it is
You must send us documentation that you are at risk of losing your life, or that a member of your immediate family is at risk of losing their life. You must send a medical certificate from a doctor which describes the illness and how severe it is. The medical certificate must contain more details than just a diagnosis, and more than a list of diagnoses.
The medical certificate must also contain
- concrete and detailed information about the illness
- the current situation and prognosis for the patient
If you are sending in documents that are not in Norwegian or English, you must also attach a translation by an authorised translator.
3. Send in the documents to UDI - Request for priority
Log in with your user account
In order to send us any documents, you must first log in to your user account. If you have not yet registered an account with us, you can create a new account using the link at the bottom of this page (in Norwegian) (external website) and type in your email address.
Find your application under “Submitted applications” and click on the “Upload documents” button
After you click on «Upload documents”, you will be taken to a page with the heading, “Send documents to UDI”.
Select “Request for priority” as the document type
You must select the document type called “Request for priority”. Upload the document containing your explanation for why you wish for your application to be given priority.
If you are sending in documents that are not in Norwegian or English, you must also attach a translation by an authorised translator.
Documentation such as doctor’s certificates and translations must be uploaded under the document type, “Request for priority”.
What happens if I request priority?
Even if UDI determines that your application can be prioritised, it is not certain that your application can be processed as quickly as you would like. We may need more information before we can reach a decision on your application, for instance. If we need more information, you will receive a letter stating that we are prioritising your application and we will specify which information we need.
Unfortunately, we are not able to tell you how long it will take before you receive an answer, and we cannot provide any information concerning waiting times over the phone.
If UDI determines that your application cannot be given priority, we will send a letter to notify you.
Did you apply from Norway? It can take 20 days before you get a residence card
If you have applied from Norway and we prioritise your application, it will still take some time before you receive a residence card.
It takes up to 20 working days before the residence card is sent to you by post. If you do not have a valid residence card, you should not travel out of Norway. Travelling without a residence card will be at your own risk. Read more about what you must keep in mind if you are planning a trip abroad.