Step-by-step: How to apply for Norwegian permanent residence as an EU citizen
EU and EEA nationals who have lived in Norway for five years can apply for the right to live and work in the country permanently. Here's a step-by-step guide on how.
If you have stayed in Norway as an EU/EEA national for at least five years, you can apply for the permanent right of residence.
As the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI) points out on its website, this entitles you to stay and work in Norway indefinitely, and your family members may also be eligible.
So, what do you need to do to exercise this right? Here's how the police described the process to The Local:
Step 1 – preparing the necessary documents and making sure you meet the requirements
When foreign nationals want to apply for a permanent residence permit, they first need to print out the checklist and gather the necessary documents. The list can be found on the UDI website, for example, here.
You will also need to check that you meet the requirements for permanent residence. Most applicants for permanent residence will fall under the category of those who are employed/self-employed in Norway or moved to be with family or a partner. You can read about the requirements for EU/EEA nationals here.
Step 2 – submitting an online application and booking an appointment
Then the applicant fills in the online application form via the UDI's Application Portal. The applicant must also book an appointment with the local police district through the Application Portal.
The applicant can find information about the waiting time for an appointment in each police district on this website. The waiting time for an appointment with the police to hand in an application for a permanent residence permit for EU/EEA citizens is specified on the site.
Step 3 – going to the appointment
The applicant then shows up at the appointment with the police and submits the necessary documents. The police register the application in connection with the appointment.
The police have limited power of decision in these cases, as per the Norwegian Immigration Regulations section 13-3 and UDI 2017-006 guideline.
The police can grant some applications for permanent residence permits but can never reject an application.
Step 4 – processing of applications
If the police don't have the power to make a decision, the application will be sent to the UDI, which will assess the application and make a decision.
Even though the police have limited power of decision, most applications for a permanent residence permit are processed by the police.
You can find information on the time it usually takes for the police to process an application for a permanent residence permit here.
As mentioned above, the police either process the application or forward it to the UDI. If the application is forwarded to the UDI, the waiting times at the UDI apply; see here.
You can find more information about the process of applying for a permanent residence permit on the UDI's website.
How long does it take to get an appointment?
Section head Ingrid Dagestad at the National Police Directorate provided The Local with an overview of waiting times for appointment slots. The estimates were based on data from August, with waiting times ranging between two days and nine weeks depending on where one lived.
Below you can see an overview of the waiting times provided to The Local.
- Oslo Police District: eight weeks
- Eastern Police District: 55-98 days
- Innlandet Police District: one-seven weeks
- Southeastern Police District: 5 and a half weeks
- Agder Police District: three weeks
- Southwestern Police District: nine weeks
- Western Police District: five weeks
- Møre og Romsdal Police District: three-four weeks
- Trøndelag Police District: nine weeks
- Nordland Police District: three-five weeks
- Troms Police District: three weeks
- Finnmark Police District: two days
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If you have stayed in Norway as an EU/EEA national for at least five years, you can apply for the permanent right of residence.
As the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI) points out on its website, this entitles you to stay and work in Norway indefinitely, and your family members may also be eligible.
So, what do you need to do to exercise this right? Here's how the police described the process to The Local:
Step 1 – preparing the necessary documents and making sure you meet the requirements
When foreign nationals want to apply for a permanent residence permit, they first need to print out the checklist and gather the necessary documents. The list can be found on the UDI website, for example, here.
You will also need to check that you meet the requirements for permanent residence. Most applicants for permanent residence will fall under the category of those who are employed/self-employed in Norway or moved to be with family or a partner. You can read about the requirements for EU/EEA nationals here.
Step 2 – submitting an online application and booking an appointment
Then the applicant fills in the online application form via the UDI's Application Portal. The applicant must also book an appointment with the local police district through the Application Portal.
The applicant can find information about the waiting time for an appointment in each police district on this website. The waiting time for an appointment with the police to hand in an application for a permanent residence permit for EU/EEA citizens is specified on the site.
Step 3 – going to the appointment
The applicant then shows up at the appointment with the police and submits the necessary documents. The police register the application in connection with the appointment.
The police have limited power of decision in these cases, as per the Norwegian Immigration Regulations section 13-3 and UDI 2017-006 guideline.
The police can grant some applications for permanent residence permits but can never reject an application.
Step 4 – processing of applications
If the police don't have the power to make a decision, the application will be sent to the UDI, which will assess the application and make a decision.
Even though the police have limited power of decision, most applications for a permanent residence permit are processed by the police.
You can find information on the time it usually takes for the police to process an application for a permanent residence permit here.
As mentioned above, the police either process the application or forward it to the UDI. If the application is forwarded to the UDI, the waiting times at the UDI apply; see here.
You can find more information about the process of applying for a permanent residence permit on the UDI's website.
How long does it take to get an appointment?
Section head Ingrid Dagestad at the National Police Directorate provided The Local with an overview of waiting times for appointment slots. The estimates were based on data from August, with waiting times ranging between two days and nine weeks depending on where one lived.
Below you can see an overview of the waiting times provided to The Local.
- Oslo Police District: eight weeks
- Eastern Police District: 55-98 days
- Innlandet Police District: one-seven weeks
- Southeastern Police District: 5 and a half weeks
- Agder Police District: three weeks
- Southwestern Police District: nine weeks
- Western Police District: five weeks
- Møre og Romsdal Police District: three-four weeks
- Trøndelag Police District: nine weeks
- Nordland Police District: three-five weeks
- Troms Police District: three weeks
- Finnmark Police District: two days
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