Residence permit

Find out what type of residence permit you need, e.g. in connection with work, studies, family immigration or to stay in Norway as an au pair. You will find information on the different types of residence permit on UDI’s website. 

You must gather all the documents in the relevant checklist on UDI’s website. Some of the documents must be provided by your contact person in Norway; others you will have to obtain yourself. 

Citizens of India, Bhutan and Nepal need a residence permit in order to stay in Norway for more than 90 days.

Please visit UDI's website for information on different types of residence permit and how to apply.

Business visa or Residence permit for work? Check here.

Exceptional cases: Entry visa (D-visa) to Norway
According to the Immigration Regulations §10-1 first paragraph, a residence permit should as a general rule be issued before entry to Norway. However, in exceptional cases the applicant is, after applying for an entry visa (D-visa), entitled to travel to Norway and stay there until the application for a family immigration permit has been processed by UDI.

To see who is eligible to apply for an entry visa (D-visa), please refer to UDI's webpage.

Please note that the entry visa is not a residence- or work permit. The applicant has to get their residence permit endorsed from Norway. Please register with the local police within seven days of your arrival in Norway.

To apply for an entry visa (D-visa), application has to be registered and fee paid in the online Application Portal Norway. The same documents as when applying for family-reunification has to be submitted.

When applying for an entry visa, applicants should select 'Schengen visa' on the application portal and write a note in the 'Additional information' field stating that they wish to apply for an entry visa (D-visa). It is also important that the applicant informs the Embassy when submitting the supporting documents that he/she has sent in applications for both family immigration and entry visa (through the Application Portal).

Entry visa (D-visa) for Nepali citizens going to Iceland
The Norwegian Embassy in New Delhi issues Entry visa (D-visa) for Nepali citizens going to Iceland. An Entry visa can be issued when the applicant has been granted a residence permit for work, au pair, student or in family reunification from the Directorate of Immigration in Iceland.   

In order to issue the entry visa, please submit your:

• Passport
• Passport photo
• Decision letter from The Icelandic Directorate of Immigration
• Application form English or Norwegian

The documents can be submitted to VFS in Kathmandu:
Kathmandu VAC – VFS Services Pvt Ltd
Academy of Culinary Arts Building,
Ground Floor, Mahalaxmisthan Marga,
Lagankhel, Lalitpur,
Kathmandu, Nepal

For ordinary Schengen visa applications (C-visas), please follow the procedures given on the Embassy web page.

We also recommend the website of the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI).

Before you can hand in your passport and other documentation at a VFS application centre or a Norwegian diplomatic or consular mission, you must register your application online and pay the fee. If this is the first time you are registering an application in the portal, you will need to create a user account first.

Once you have completed the application form online and paid the fee, you will receive confirmation by email with a copy of your application summary, a signature letter (cover letter) and payment receipt attached. You need to print the signature letter, sign it, and submit it together with the other required documentation.

Once you have registered, you will receive confirmation by email, with a cover letter attached. The cover letter will confirm that you have filled in the application form and paid the fee. You need to print this letter and submit it together with the other required documentation.

Application fees

You must bring your passport and all the documents listed in the checklist with you. You will find the relevant checklist when you register your application online. You can also find it on www.udi.no/en (checklists).

We will contact you if we need more information.

Applications for a residence permit are processed by UDI. You will find information about the processing time on UDI’s website. 

We recommend that you apply well in advance of your planned trip. Due to courier between the locations, the amount of days until you receive your decision will often be more than the stated processing time. The timings will differ according to the locations, for Nepal and Bhutan, please allow another 6-10 days in addition to the case handling time.

Note: You will always be notified when your case has been processed.

Can your case be moved to the front of the queue? Read about the special circumstances that are required for your case to be given priority, on UDIs homepage.

The applicant can not travel to Norway until the permit has been granted by UDI.

When you cross the border into the Schengen area, you will have to present:

• your passport with the entry visa sticker (if you need an entry visa)
• documentation showing the purpose of your stay

Once you know when you will be arriving in Norway, you need to make an appointment with the police in order to obtain a residence card. You must pre-book this appointment, normally through the Application Portal, and the appointment has to be either during the first seven days you are in Norway, or the first available appointment you can find.

More information on residence cards, including how to book an appointment