Residence Permits

All Fulbright grantees and their accompanying family members whose stay in mainland Norway will exceed three months must apply for a residence permit. Grantees who will be on Svalbard do not need to apply for a permit. (NB: You should not apply for a visa; American citizens must apply for a residence permit.)

Who must apply for a residence permit?

U.S. citizens do not need a visa to enter Norway or any other country that is part of the Schengen area. However, anyone who plans to stay in Norway or in Norway and other Schengen countries for more than 90 days must apply for a residence permit. Residence permits are different from visas. Everyone, including applicants under 18 years of age, must submit their own individual application. 

Scholars whose total stay in Norway (and other Schengen countries) is less than 90 days are not required to apply for a residence permit.

If you will be arriving very early, or if you think that your situation differs from the norm in any way, please contact us immediately. Contact us also if you receive contradicting information from other sources.

The Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI) is Norway's central executive body for immigration and refugees.

When to apply

You should submit your application as early as possible and absolutely no later than two months before arrival in Norway.

You may be told that it is possible to apply for a residence permit upon arrival. This is accurate but misleading. We strongly recommend that you apply well in advance, so that you will be able to acquire a personnummer and open a bank account shortly after arrival. Delays in any step of the process might mean delays in receiving disbursements from your Fulbright grant. 

Where to submit the application

You should submit your application to the Norwegian Foreign Mission in the U.S. that serves your state through the online application portal. Applicants living in Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Bahamas, and Minnesota should fill out the paper application available here and send it to the Norwegian embassy in Washington D.C.

IMPORTANT

Before you submit your application:

  • Save a copy of your entire application and keep the copy for your own records
  • Notify us when you have submitted your application

When you receive the letter granting you a residence permit, carefully check information such as:

  • Birth dates, spelling of names, dates of residence in Norway
  • Notify the Norwegian Consulate AND the Fulbright Office immediately if there are any mistakes.  

Upon arrival in Norway

  • Schedule an appointment at the police station on UDI's website. Bring your passport and the letter granting you a residence permit. Your actual residence permit will be mailed to you after you have been processed at the police station.
  • The Fulbright Office needs a copy of your residence permit – both for grantees and for their accompanying dependents.

Jump to the following sections:

Information for Students

Information for Scholars

Information for Accompanying Family Members (Dependents)

Information for Family Members Visiting for Shorter Periods

* US citizens are not permitted to remain in any country within the Schengen area for more than 90 days within a 180 day period without a residence permit.  The US State Department maintains a fact sheet on the Schengen Area, to which you may want to refer.

Information for Students

General Information about the Residence Permit Application

  • Apply by June 1 to ensure that your application is processed by the start of the fall semester.
  • Unless you live in Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Bahamas, and Minnesota, be sure to use UD's online application portal to apply.
  • NB: You should not apply for a visa; American citizens must apply for a residence permit.
  • Whether taking classes, conducting research, or serving as an ETA, select "studies" as the basis for your application.
  • An application fee of NOK 2500 must be paid upon application.
  • All dates should be written in the following format: dd.mm.yyyy (day.month.year). Where possible, write the month in letters to avoid confusion.
  • Important documents to be included:
    *  Proof of housing in Norway: copy of rental contract is acceptable.
    *  A copy of the Fulbright-Hays Grant Authorization.
    *  Acceptance letter from your university. If you are going to be at a non-university institution you may need to provide documentation from your host explaining why
        they have invited you.
    *  A copy of your birth certificate.
  • For a complete list of documents to be included and more information about the application process, please visit the Ministry of Immigration (UDI) website for Student Permits.
  • Use the Checklist for Applications for Residence Permits for Students from the Ministry of Immigration (UDI) to be sure your application package is complete.

Student Work Permit

  • A work permit is automatically granted with a valid residence permit. You can work up to 20 hours per week during the semester, and full time in vacations.
  • A student residence/work permit is usually granted for 12 months.

Application Form (only use if unable to apply online)

All necessary documentation must be supplied as certified copies of the original documents in their original language (if the language is other than English, an officially certified English translation should be included).

Funding

You must document sufficient funds in a Norwegian bank account for the time you plan to spend in Norway. In most cases, your Fulbright grant will be sufficient, and the only documentation you need to enclose is your Grant Award document.

  • Single students: You must have funds corresponding to the amount of full support from the Norwegian State Education Loan Fund.  This amount must be documented. Your Fulbright grant will be sufficient, and the only documentation you need to enclose is your Grant Award document.
  • Student with spouse/cohabitant: Applicant and spouse/cohabitant must possess a total of at least step 8 of the government payscale, as of May 1, 2011: NOK 232 400 (subject to change on May 1 each year) per year. Your Fulbright grant will not be sufficient to meet this requirement.  You should notify us, and contact the Ministry of Immigration (UDI) to find out what options you have for your dependents to apply for family immigration with you. 

Information for Scholars

General Information about the Residence Permit Application

  • Unless you live in Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Bahamas, and Minneosta, be sure to use UD's online application portal.
  • NB: You should not apply for a visa; American citizens must apply for a residence permit.
  • Though you will not be a student in Norway, be sure to select "studies" as the basis for your application. If filling out the online application, you should select "no" when asked about having an education offer and "yes" about being a skilled worker. This will give you the drop-down menu where you can apply as a "researcher with own funds."
  • An application fee of NOK 2500 must be paid upon application.
  • If using the non-electronic form, use block capitals or type directly and print.
  • All dates should be written in the following format: dd.mm.yyyy (day.month.year). Where possible, write the month in letters to avoid confusion.

Duration of Residence Permit

It is possible to apply for a 12-month permit as long as you can show that you have sufficient funding (see below). Scholars whose projects last for 9-10 months should apply for a 12-month permit if they wish to remain in Norway/the Schengen area for vacationing etc. after the completion of their Fulbright project.

Application Form (only use if unable to apply online)

Documents to be included:

  1. Letter of invitation from your Norwegian host institution
  2. A copy of the Fulbright-Hays Grant Authorization
  3. Documentation for how the year is financed (this is your Fulbright-Hays Grant Authorization any other documentation of finances, as needed). See below for further information on funding.
  4. Proof of housing in Norway: copy of rental contract is accepted as documentation.
  5. Any other relevant documentation

Please see the UDI checklist for what to enclose with your application.

Funding

  • Single Scholars:  You must document sufficient funds in a Norwegian bank account for the time you plan to spend in Norway. Your Fulbright grant will be sufficient, and the only documentation you need to enclose is your Grant Award document.
  • Scholars with accompanying dependents (spouse and/or children): Applicant must possess a total of at least step 8 of the government payscale, as of May 1, 2011: NOK 232 400 (subject to change on May 1 each year) per academic year.  This amount must be documented.

Information for Accompanying Family Members (Dependents)

  • Unless you live in Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Bahamas, and Minneosta, be sure to use UD's online application portal.
  • NB: You should not apply for a visa; American citizens must apply for a residence permit.
  • Residence Permit Application fee: NOK 3,750 (dependents under the age of 18 do not have to pay an application fee)
  • A separate form must be completed for each accompanying family member. In the online system select "family immigration" as the reason for your application.
  • If using the non-electronic form, check the box that says "family migration" as the reason for applying.
  • We strongly recommend that the family member(s) submit their applications at the same time that the principle person (student/researcher) submits his/hers. Failure to do so will result in a longer processing time.
  • Please see the information on the financial requirements for funding for accompanying family members on the Ministry of Immigration (UDI) website.

Use the checklist of enclosures for family immigration to be sure you are submitting a complete application.  Also, take note of the special requirements or conditions for family immigration with a student in Norway. 

Information for Family Members Visiting for Shorter Periods of Time

For U.S. citizens, the total length of residence in the Schengen territories without a residence or work permit must not exceed three months (90 days) in any six-month period. You are free to travel in and out of the Schengen area during the six-month period as long as you do not overstay the total 90-day limit.  The US State Department publishes a fact sheet on the Schengen area to which you should refer.