Income requirement in family immigration cases
The information on this page is personalised for
On this page, we use the words 'reference person' and 'applicant'
- The reference person = the family member living in Norway.
- The applicant = the person who wants to move to Norway or continue living here and who needs a residence permit
What describes your situation?
-
The reference person has a large amount of capital
If the spouse, cohabitant, or a child of the reference person applies for family immigration
How much must the reference person earn now?
You, the reference person, must have a total income of at least
NOK 320 274 per year pre-tax
. It must be probable that you are going to have this income for at least another year. You may later be asked to document that you had this income the first year your family member was in Norway.
If you have capital that exceeds your debts, we will assess whether we can accept that your income is less than the requirement. The amount of capital decides how much of the income requirement we can disregard.
We only accept lower income when it is obvious that you and the applicant have a voluntary relationship. This means that the UDI is of the opinion that there is no risk of forced marriage. It also has to be apparent that the capital is your own, and not for example transferred to you because you are applying for family immigration.
How much must the reference person have earned last year?
You, the reference person, must have had a total income of at least
NOK 313 846 per year pre-tax
.
This must be income that your employer has reported to the Tax Administration and correspond to what is stated in your payslips. When your tax settlement is ready for the last year, this must show an income of at least the claim given above. If we do not have the information about your income from last year, the previous year will apply.
The requirement for income was at least
NOK 296 417 pre-tax
in 2021.
Please note that from 1 October 2021, there will be a change in the regulations that will impact the requirement. If you have received introduction benefits after 1 January 2021 it will not count as part of the income, and it will be deducted from the total income in your tax settlement.
Your income must also meet the requirement in the period until we make the decision. Unemployment benefits are counted as previous income.
If you are self-employed, we have other arrangements for how we consider your income.
We can disregard all of, or parts of, the income requirement for last year if you have a large amount of capital. If we are to disregard the income requirement for last year, the above mentioned requirements for the capital being your own and no risk of forced marriage apply.
Types of income we count as the reference person’s future income
- income from employment
- sickness benefit, pregnancy benefit, parental support, disability benefit or retirement pension from the National Insurance scheme
- other permanent pensions or periodical benefits (insurance payments or similar)
- loans or grants received in connection with studies
- If the applicant is already in lawful employment in Norway, the applicant's income can be included in order to meet the requirement.
You, the reference person, can have one or more of these types of income.
Types of income we do not count as the reference person’s future income
- financial assistance from NAV (økonomisk sosialhjelp)
- housing support
- work assessment allowance
- any benefits you receive because you have children
- lump sum grant in connection with birth
The reference person cannot have received financial assistance from NAV (økonomisk sosialhjelp)
You, the reference person, cannot have received financial assistance from NAV (except housing support) from the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Organisation (NAV) during the past year. Please note that umeployment benefit is not financial assistance from NAV.
It is acceptable, however, if you received the financial assistance from NAV while you were waiting for National Insurance benefits that are on the list of approved income above.
It is also acceptable if you have received the financial assistance from NAV as a one-time payment during the last twelve months.
If other family members apply for family immigration
If there are family members other than your (the reference person’s) spouse, cohabitant or children that apply for family immigration, you, the reference person, must have a total income of at least
NOK 320 274 per year pre-tax
.
The same rules about financial assistance from NAV (økonomisk sosialhjelp) apply.
In addition there are requirements for your income last year. You, the reference person, must have had a total income of at least
NOK 313 846 per year pre-tax
.
This must be income that your employer has reported to the Tax Administration and correspond to what is stated in your payslips. When your tax settlement is ready for the last year, this must show an income of at least the claim given above. If we do not have the information about your income from last year, the previous year will apply.
Your income must also meet the requirement in the period until we make the decision. Unemployment benefits are counted as previous income.
If you are self-employed, we have other arrangements for how we consider your income.
-
The reference person is a witness to or a victim of human trafficing
If a child of the reference person applies for family immigration
If you, the reference person, have been granted a residence permit because you are a witness to or a victim of human trafficking, there is no income requirement for a child of you being granted family immigration.
- The applicant must be your child and under the age of 18.
- Your child must apply for family immigration within one year after you received your residence permit.
If other family members apply for family immigration
If there are family members other than your (the reference person’s) children that apply for family immigration, you, the reference person, must have a total income of at least
NOK 320 274 per year pre-tax
. In addition there are requirements for your income last year.
How much must the reference person have earned last year?
You, the reference person, must have had a total income of at least
NOK 313 846 per year pre-tax
in 2022.
This must be income that your employer has reported to the Tax Administration and correspond to what is stated in your payslips. When your tax settlement is ready for the last year, this must show an income of at least the claim given above. If we do not have the information about your income from last year, the previous year will apply.
Please note that from 1 October 2021, there will be a change in the regulations that will impact the requirement. If you have received introduction benefits after 1 January 2021 it will not count as part of the income, and it will be deducted from the total income in your tax settlement.
The requirement for income was at least
NOK 296 417 pre-tax
in 2021.
Your income must also meet the requirement in the period until we make the decision. Unemployment benefits are counted as previous income.
If you are self-employed, we have other arrangements for how we consider your income.
How much must the reference person earn now?
You, the reference person, must have a total income of at least
NOK 320 274 per year pre-tax
. It must be probable that you are going to have this income for at least another year. You may later be asked to document that you had this income the first year your family member was in Norway.
Types of income we count as the reference person’s future income
- income from employment
- sickness benefit, pregnancy benefit, parental support, disability benefit or retirement pension from the National Insurance scheme
- other permanent pensions or periodical benefits (insurance payments or similar)
- loans or grants received in connection with studies
- If the applicant is already in lawful employment in Norway, the applicant's income can be included in order to meet the requirement.
You, the reference person, can have one or more of these types of income.
Types of income we do not count as the reference person’s future income
- financial assistance from NAV (økonomisk sosialhjelp)
- housing support
- unemployment benefit and work assessment allowance (this is also the case if you have been temporarily laid off (permittert) due to the corona situation. We will publish information here if the rules regarding this change.)
- any benefits you receive because you have children
- lump sum grant in connection with birth
- own funds (money in an account)
The reference person cannot have received financial assistance from NAV (økonomisk sosialhjelp)
You, the reference person, cannot have received financial assistance from NAV (except housing support) from the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Organisation (NAV) during the past year. Please note that umeployment benefit is not financial assistance from NAV.
It is acceptable, however, if you received the financial assistance from NAV while you were waiting for National Insurance benefits that are on the list of approved income above.
It is also acceptable if you have received the financial assistance from NAV as a one-time payment during the last twelve months.
-
The reference person completed military service last year
No requirement for the reference person’s income last year
You, the reference person, do not need to have had any income last year.
How much must the reference person earn now?
You, the reference person, must have a total income of at least
NOK 320 274 per year pre-tax
. It must be probable that you are going to have this income for at least another year. You may later be asked to document that you had this income the first year your family member was in Norway.
Types of income we count as the reference person’s future income
- income from employment
- sickness benefit, pregnancy benefit, parental support, disability benefit or retirement pension from the National Insurance scheme
- other permanent pensions or periodical benefits (insurance payments or similar)
- loans or grants received in connection with studies
- If the applicant is already in lawful employment in Norway, the applicant's income can be included in order to meet the requirement.
You, the reference person, can have one or more of these types of income.
Types of income we do not count as the reference person’s future income
- financial assistance from NAV (økonomisk sosialhjelp)
- housing support
- unemployment benefit and work assessment allowance (this is also the case if you have been temporarily laid off (permittert) due to the corona situation. We will publish information here if the rules regarding this change.)
- any benefits you receive because you have children
- lump sum grant in connection with birth
- own funds (money in an account)
The reference person cannot have received financial assistance from NAV (økonomisk sosialhjelp)
You, the reference person, cannot have received financial assistance from NAV (except housing support) from the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Organisation (NAV) during the past year. Please note that umeployment benefit is not financial assistance from NAV.
It is acceptable, however, if you received the financial assistance from NAV while you were waiting for National Insurance benefits that are on the list of approved income above.
It is also acceptable if you have received the financial assistance from NAV as a one-time payment during the last twelve months.
-
The reference person is a child under the age of 18
If you, the reference person, are a child under the age of 18, there is no requirement for your income if someone in your family applies for family immigration.
-
The applicant is a child who was born in Norway
If you hand in the application within a year after birth
If you, the reference person, hand in the application for family immigration for the child within one year after the child is born, there is no requirement for income.
-
The applicant is under the age of 15 and has no carers in their home country
If the applicant is under the age of 15, and do not have any carers in the home country, there is no requirement for the income you, the reference person, have.
-
None of the above: Special exemptions
The UDI will always consider whether very special circumstances exist in the case (particularly strong humanitarian considerations) that mean that the applicant can be granted a residence permit even if the reference person does not have sufficient income.