Forced marriages and child marriages are criminal offences
- It is a punishable offence to marry someone who is under the age of 16 years old.
- It is a punishable offence to engage in sexual activity with someone who is under the age of 16 years old.
- It is a punishable offence to force or pressure someone into marriage.
- The person who forces someone to marry risks imprisonment for up to six years. This applies even if the marriage was entered into abroad. Foreign nationals who are convicted of this crime can also be expelled from Norway.
- If you are a victim of forced marriage, you can be divorced without being separated first. You can also apply to have the marriage annulled. You must apply for this within six months of being free from the forced marriage, and no later than five years after you entered into the marriage. If the marriage is annulled, you are registered as unmarried, not as divorced.