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Norway

Visa Norway

Europe · Europe du Nord

The norway.no portal of the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs describes two routes: the Schengen visitor's visa, which allows a stay of 90 days at most in any 180-day period, and the residence permit, to work in Norway or stay there more than 90 days. The application is entered online, then the documents are filed in person at a VFS center or a Norwegian diplomatic mission. The Directorate of Immigration (UDI) processes residence permits.

The information on this page helps prepare a case. Only the competent authority decides; always check the official source before filing an application.

Machine-assisted draft, reviewed by a person on 23 September 2026. Only the authority cited is authoritative.

Published on 23 September 2026 · Reviewed by vg_admin on 23 September 2026 · Sources consulted on 18 September 2026

At a glance

Authority
Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the diplomatic network; the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI) normally processes residence permit applications, according to the page consulted
Submission channel
Entry online in the application portal, then filing of the documents in person at a VFS application center or a Norwegian diplomatic or consular mission
Electronic visa
Not stated on the portal consulted: the application is entered online but the documents are filed in person
Portal language
English; the portal also publishes country pages in other languages

Do you need a visa?

Choose a nationality to see the recorded entry rule. No answer is shown until reviewed data exists.

Documented visa types

Visitor's visa (Schengen visa)
According to the portal: allows a stay in Norway or in other countries of the Schengen area of 90 days at most in any 180-day period. Purposes cited: holidays, visits to family and friends, business. Official page (new tab)
Residence permit
According to the portal: allows work in Norway and a stay of more than 90 days. Four cases cited: work, study, family immigration, au pair stay. The Directorate of Immigration (UDI) normally processes these applications. Official page (new tab)
Travel to Svalbard — particular case published by the portal
According to the portal: Svalbard is not part of the Schengen area although it is part of the Kingdom of Norway. The page advises applying for two or more entries when applying for the Schengen visa and reporting the planned visit to Svalbard. Official page (new tab)

Where and how to apply

According to the portal, the application is addressed to the embassy or consulate of the country that is the main destination of the trip; if several countries of the Schengen area are visited and the main destination cannot be determined, the application is addressed to the representation of the country of first entry into the Schengen area.

The application is first entered online in the application portal, which presupposes creating an account, and is then paid for. The documents and the printed form are then handed over in person: according to the page devoted to the residence permit, filing takes place at a VFS application center or at a Norwegian diplomatic or consular mission.

Steps in the procedure

  1. File the application early enough: according to the portal, as a rule at the latest 15 days before the intended trip, and preferably at least four weeks before departure.
  2. Register the application online in the portal and pay the fees; a user account is created with the first application.
  3. Receive the confirmation by email, with a copy of the application form (schengen.pdf), the summary of the application and the payment receipt.
  4. Gather the documents requested, according to the list published for the category applied for.
  5. File the printed form and the documents in person, and give fingerprints where that is required.
  6. Await the authority's decision, then, where applicable, present the visa and the supporting documents at the border crossing.

Documents mentioned by the authority

The exact list depends on the type of application and on the situation; only the official page is authoritative. The list above is the one read on the visitor's visa page, supplemented by the mention of the checklist for the residence permit.

Stated fees and processing times

According to the portal consulted on 2026-09-18: the visitor's visa costs EUR 90; the price is EUR 45 for children aged 6 to 11 and the application is free for children under 6. The page also mentions cases of exemption, detailed on a linked page that was not read.

According to the portal consulted on 2026-09-18: the processing time for the visitor's visa is normally up to 15 calendar days from receipt of the application by the embassy or consulate, and may run up to 45 days if the file is passed to the Directorate of Immigration (UDI). For residence permits, the portal refers to the times published on the UDI site, which could not be read.

After the decision

According to the portal, the visa and the supporting documents must be presented at the border crossing. The fingerprints taken remain usable for 59 months: a new application filed within that period may be exempt from them.

According to the portal, Svalbard is not part of the Schengen area although it belongs to the Kingdom of Norway; the page advises applying for two or more entries and reporting the planned trip to Svalbard, since the Schengen area must be crossed to get there. What to do in the event of a refusal is not stated on the pages consulted.

Published procedures

No reviewed and published procedure for Norway to date. We prefer an empty page to an invented requirement.

Explore procedures

Frequently asked questions

Is a visa required to travel to Norway?

It depends on nationality and on the purpose of travel; the rule reviewed by VisaGuideline is shown with the nationality selector on this page. Always check with the authority.

Where is the application filed?

According to the portal: the application is entered online, then the documents are filed in person at a VFS application center or at a Norwegian diplomatic or consular mission. It is addressed to the representation of the country of main destination, or of the country of first entry into the Schengen area if the main destination cannot be determined.

Is there an electronic visa?

Not stated on the portal consulted. The application is entered online, but the printed form and the documents are handed over in person.

How much does the visitor's visa cost?

According to the portal consulted on 2026-09-18: EUR 90, EUR 45 for children aged 6 to 11, free for children under 6. Cases of exemption exist, detailed on a linked page that was not read.

What is the processing time?

According to the portal consulted on 2026-09-18: normally up to 15 calendar days after receipt of the application, and up to 45 days if the file is passed to the Directorate of Immigration (UDI). The portal advises filing the application at the latest 15 days before the trip, and preferably four weeks before.

Is the Schengen visa enough to go to Svalbard?

According to the portal, Svalbard is not part of the Schengen area although it belongs to the Kingdom of Norway. Since the Schengen area must be crossed to get there, the page advises applying for two or more entries and reporting the planned visit to Svalbard.

Consulted sources

Official pages read to write this guide, with the date they were read. A page may have changed since: check it before taking any step.

What this guide does not know yet

Points the official source does not specify and which this guide therefore left blank. Ask the competent authority about them before filing an application.

Prepare my case

This method is the same for every destination. It does not list any document as an official requirement: only the authority’s source is authoritative.

  1. Describe your situation

    Nationality, residence, purpose and dates. The checker tells covered routes apart from situations that are still unknown.

  2. Check at the source

    Open the destination’s official source and compare it with your situation before starting a procedure.

  3. Track what is left to do

    Your space keeps your answers and your declared checklist. A complete checklist does not announce a favorable decision.

Check my route Open my case

The information on this page helps prepare a case. Only the competent authority decides; always check the official source before filing an application.