In order to fulfil the requirement to financially support yourself, you must normally have had an income of 

 during the last 12 months before you hand in the application to the police, and not received financial assistance from NAV (økonomisk sosialhjelp) during the last 12 months.

Can you fulfil the requirement to financially support yourself if you have not earned enough?

If your income has been less than 

 during the last 12 months, you will only meet the requirement if

• you have held a full-time job for the last 12 months and you were payed the legal minimum wages, even if this is less than 

  NOK 296 550 

   

and

• you have not received financial assistance from NAV (økonomisk sosialhjelp) during the last 12 months.

It is accepted, however, if you received one of these types of financial assistance from NAV:

• financial assistance from NAV (økonomisk sosialhjelp) which you have received for a short period of time to cover additional expenses which you do not normally have. By "short period of time" we normally mean between one and three months.
• financial assistance from NAV (økonomisk sosialhjelp) while you were waiting for sickness benefit, pregnancy benefit, parental benefit, retirement pension, unemployment benefit, work assessment allowance or support for single parents.

Note that we accept that you have received housing allowance from Husbanken, because such support is not considered financial assistance (økonomisk sosialhjelp).

Can you be exempted from the requirement to financially support yourself?

You do not need to meet the requirement for income, or the requirement for not having received financial assistance from NAV, if you are in one of the following situations:

For the last twelve months or the last two semesters you have

• participated in primary school or upper secondary education with youth rights and is under 25 years of age or turns 25 before 1 July this year.
• participated in primary school or upper secondary education as part of the introductory program.
• participated in upper secondary education as a labor market measure under the auspices of NAV.
• been a full-time student in higher education. It is a condition that the educational institution is approved by the Loan Fund (Lånekassen) and qualifies for a student loan or scholarship.
• been a full-time student in higher education through measures from NAV.

The exception for students in upper secondary education also includes apprentices in companies who have participated in teaching in upper secondary school prior to the period as apprentices in companies.

There are also exceptions if:

• you receive disability benefits from NAV
• you have been granted an independent residence permit because you have been abused by your spouse or cohabitant
• you are ill or have an injury that has meant that you have not been able to work, or have only been able to work less than 50 percent, in the last 12 months

The UDI may also consider whether you can be exempted from the requirements if you can document that it is very unreasonable to require you to support yourself financially. Exemptions will only be granted in exceptional circumstances.

Do you not meet the requirements?

If you do not meet one or both of these requirements and are not in one of the groups that do not need to meet the requirements, you should wait before you to apply for a permanent residence permit.

If your current residence permit will expire before you meet the requirement, you must instead renew your current residence permit. Please remember to apply in plenty of time before your residence permit expires.

If you apply for a permanent residence permit even though you do not meet the requirements, the application may be rejected If it is rejected, the UDI or the police will renew your residence permit instead, if you fulfil the requirements for this.