Does being a permanent resident of Norway grant you residence in other countries?
Many mix up the perks of permanent residence with Norwegian citizenship, so what are the rules for moving to another country while being a permanent resident of Norway?
Permanent residence comes with the perk of being able to live and work in Norway indefinitely and is typically obtained after living in the country for five years and meeting other requirements.
For many, it will be a stepping stone towards obtaining citizenship, as many will need to either hold permanent residence or meet all its requirements when applying for citizenship.
Compared to temporary residence, such as for skilled workers or family members of Norwegian residents, permanent residence also allows holders to spend longer outside of Norway.
Can you move to another country while holding permanent residence?
In short, yes, especially as you can spend longer outside of Norway without losing permanent residence than with other residence types.
One area where people get confused is wondering whether being a permanent resident of Norway gives them any additional rights when moving to another country.
Immigration rules into other countries do not change or become any easier because you are a resident of Norway. You will still be treated as a resident of your origin country rather than a Norwegian national when going through the immigration process.
This means that if you are a non-EEA national who holds permanent residence in Norway, you cannot move to another EEA country with just your Norwegian residence as the reason for moving.
Therefore, if you wish to move away from Norway as a permanent resident to another country, you will need to do so under that country’s immigration rules. Having permanent residence grants you no additional rights in countries outside of Norway.
READ MORE: Eight key advantages of Norwegian citizenship
How long can you spend outside of Norway?
Despite being called “permanent”, you can lose permanent residence if you spend too long outside of Norway.
Holders are prohibited from staying outside the country for a continuous period of two years or more. If you do, you will be notified that your permanent residence is being revoked.
You can also not spend a total of two out of four years outside Norway. This means that you cannot come back to Norway for a week near the end of the limit to reset the two years you are allowed outside the country.
The time you can spend outside of Norway only resets after you have spent a continuous period of 15 months inside the country.
Trips under two months per calendar year do not contribute to this total, according to the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI) rules.
If you are planning on staying outside of Norway for more than two years, then you can apply to the UDI to keep your permanent right of residence. You can read more about the conditions for applying to keep permanent residence while living abroad here.
The deadline for applying is six months before the two-year deadline. If you apply before this deadline, you will still have two weeks to return to Norway to preserve your rights after the application was rejected, even if you have spent two years outside Norway.
Norwegian citizens, however, can spend as long as they wish in other countries.
READ ALSO: How long can you leave Norway for without losing permanent residency?
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Permanent residence comes with the perk of being able to live and work in Norway indefinitely and is typically obtained after living in the country for five years and meeting other requirements.
For many, it will be a stepping stone towards obtaining citizenship, as many will need to either hold permanent residence or meet all its requirements when applying for citizenship.
Compared to temporary residence, such as for skilled workers or family members of Norwegian residents, permanent residence also allows holders to spend longer outside of Norway.
Can you move to another country while holding permanent residence?
In short, yes, especially as you can spend longer outside of Norway without losing permanent residence than with other residence types.
One area where people get confused is wondering whether being a permanent resident of Norway gives them any additional rights when moving to another country.
Immigration rules into other countries do not change or become any easier because you are a resident of Norway. You will still be treated as a resident of your origin country rather than a Norwegian national when going through the immigration process.
This means that if you are a non-EEA national who holds permanent residence in Norway, you cannot move to another EEA country with just your Norwegian residence as the reason for moving.
Therefore, if you wish to move away from Norway as a permanent resident to another country, you will need to do so under that country’s immigration rules. Having permanent residence grants you no additional rights in countries outside of Norway.
READ MORE: Eight key advantages of Norwegian citizenship
How long can you spend outside of Norway?
Despite being called “permanent”, you can lose permanent residence if you spend too long outside of Norway.
Holders are prohibited from staying outside the country for a continuous period of two years or more. If you do, you will be notified that your permanent residence is being revoked.
You can also not spend a total of two out of four years outside Norway. This means that you cannot come back to Norway for a week near the end of the limit to reset the two years you are allowed outside the country.
The time you can spend outside of Norway only resets after you have spent a continuous period of 15 months inside the country.
Trips under two months per calendar year do not contribute to this total, according to the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI) rules.
If you are planning on staying outside of Norway for more than two years, then you can apply to the UDI to keep your permanent right of residence. You can read more about the conditions for applying to keep permanent residence while living abroad here.
The deadline for applying is six months before the two-year deadline. If you apply before this deadline, you will still have two weeks to return to Norway to preserve your rights after the application was rejected, even if you have spent two years outside Norway.
Norwegian citizens, however, can spend as long as they wish in other countries.
READ ALSO: How long can you leave Norway for without losing permanent residency?
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