Reader question: How can I move to Norway to be with my adult children?
Thinking of moving to Norway to be closer to your children? Depending on your situation, that may be easier said than done. Here’s what you need to know.
Question: My adult child lives in Norway, and I want to move to be closer to them. What are the rules?
Do you have a burning question about Norway you want answering, or maybe there’s something you are just curious about? You can get in touch here, and The Local will do its best to answer your question for you!
Norway’s immigration rules can be pretty confusing at the best of times. This can make it pretty daunting when wondering what the rules are if you want to move there to be closer to family.
This is unless, of course, you are an EEA national, then you can move to, live and work in Norway freely, with the only real paperwork being registering with the police and getting an identification number.
If you aren’t from the EEA, one of the main things you will need to consider is which permit to apply for.
There’s the family immigration residence card and skilled worker permit, which are both options we’ll go into detail on.
However, before we delve into more detail, it’s worth noting that having a relative in Norway typically isn’t grounds to be granted a permit, and you’ll need to meet several tight requirements.
Family immigration permit
Spouses, cohabitants, fiancées, children, parents and other family members of residents in Norway may be eligible to apply for family immigration or family reunification permits from the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI).
Before going into the rules, there are a few things you should know. First, family immigration permits refer to two people in the application process. These are the applicant (the person who wants to move to Norway) and the reference person (the person you are moving to Norway to be with). Secondly, there will typically be an application fee of 10,500 kroner.
Generally speaking, it is pretty difficult to move to Norway to be with a child over the age of 18. You will need to be over 60, not have a spouse or partner, and cannot have any parents, children or grandchildren in your home country.
Your child will also need to have a minimum income of at least 287,278 kroner per year and have not received financial assistance from NAV in the last 12 months. The applicant will also be subject to an ID check.
A less permanent but more attainable solution could be a visitation permit.
READ MORE: What are the rules for moving to Norway to be with family
Skilled worker visa
To be granted a residence permit for work, you’ll most likely need to have been offered a job first, and the type of permit you apply for will depend on your line of work.
You can qualify as a skilled worker if you have completed higher education or vocational training. A skilled worker must also have shown they have work experience in their specific field before applying for the skilled worker permit.
Note that your job offer/contract must be for a full-time position for this type of permit. If it is for 80 percent of full-time hours, then it will be accepted. But anything less, and your application will be denied. If you are lucky, your employer will help with the application process.
There will also be an application fee of 6,300 kroner to pay. You can find more detail on who is a skilled worker here.
READ MORE: How to get a work permit in Norway
Child is an EEA national, but you aren’t
If your child is an EEA citizen registered in Norway, you can also move to be with them. However, you must not be barred from entering the Schengen zone and be supported financially by your child.
The reference person must have moved to Norway as an employee, be self-employed, or live with sufficient funds. In addition, the child will need to meet the registration requirements and be able to show that you can support both themselves and the parent.
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Question: My adult child lives in Norway, and I want to move to be closer to them. What are the rules?
Do you have a burning question about Norway you want answering, or maybe there’s something you are just curious about? You can get in touch here, and The Local will do its best to answer your question for you!
Norway’s immigration rules can be pretty confusing at the best of times. This can make it pretty daunting when wondering what the rules are if you want to move there to be closer to family.
This is unless, of course, you are an EEA national, then you can move to, live and work in Norway freely, with the only real paperwork being registering with the police and getting an identification number.
If you aren’t from the EEA, one of the main things you will need to consider is which permit to apply for.
There’s the family immigration residence card and skilled worker permit, which are both options we’ll go into detail on.
However, before we delve into more detail, it’s worth noting that having a relative in Norway typically isn’t grounds to be granted a permit, and you’ll need to meet several tight requirements.
Family immigration permit
Spouses, cohabitants, fiancées, children, parents and other family members of residents in Norway may be eligible to apply for family immigration or family reunification permits from the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI).
Before going into the rules, there are a few things you should know. First, family immigration permits refer to two people in the application process. These are the applicant (the person who wants to move to Norway) and the reference person (the person you are moving to Norway to be with). Secondly, there will typically be an application fee of 10,500 kroner.
Generally speaking, it is pretty difficult to move to Norway to be with a child over the age of 18. You will need to be over 60, not have a spouse or partner, and cannot have any parents, children or grandchildren in your home country.
Your child will also need to have a minimum income of at least 287,278 kroner per year and have not received financial assistance from NAV in the last 12 months. The applicant will also be subject to an ID check.
A less permanent but more attainable solution could be a visitation permit.
READ MORE: What are the rules for moving to Norway to be with family
Skilled worker visa
To be granted a residence permit for work, you’ll most likely need to have been offered a job first, and the type of permit you apply for will depend on your line of work.
You can qualify as a skilled worker if you have completed higher education or vocational training. A skilled worker must also have shown they have work experience in their specific field before applying for the skilled worker permit.
Note that your job offer/contract must be for a full-time position for this type of permit. If it is for 80 percent of full-time hours, then it will be accepted. But anything less, and your application will be denied. If you are lucky, your employer will help with the application process.
There will also be an application fee of 6,300 kroner to pay. You can find more detail on who is a skilled worker here.
READ MORE: How to get a work permit in Norway
Child is an EEA national, but you aren’t
If your child is an EEA citizen registered in Norway, you can also move to be with them. However, you must not be barred from entering the Schengen zone and be supported financially by your child.
The reference person must have moved to Norway as an employee, be self-employed, or live with sufficient funds. In addition, the child will need to meet the registration requirements and be able to show that you can support both themselves and the parent.
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