Visitor's visa

A visitor's visa allows you to stay in Norway or other countries in the Schengen area for up to 90 days over a period of 180 days.

Citizens of Iran must apply for a visitor's visa.

If you plan to visit more than one Schengen country in the course of one trip, or if you plan several separate trips within a period of two months, you must submit your application to the embassy or consulate of the country that is your main destination based on the length of your stay, or the purpose of stay.

If you plan to visit several Schengen countries and the main destination cannot be determined, you must submit your application to the embassy or consulate of the country that is your first point of entry to the Schengen area.

The current EU rules on short-stay visas were implemented worldwide the 2 February 2020.

The Norwegian Embassy in Ankara is responsible for handling visa applications from Iran from March 4th 2024. The application procedures will not be affected by this change.

SCHENGEN AREA

Before you apply

You should apply well in advance and as a rule no later than 15 days before you plan to travel. Due to the courier sending of documents in some countries, we recommend that you apply at least 4 weeks prior to your planned departure.
You may submit your application up to six months before your planned departure, or up to nine months for seafarers.
We recommend that you do not buy your ticket until a visa has been granted.
You must register your application online before you can hand in the required documentation.
When you hand in your application, you will be asked to provide fingerprints, unless your fingerprints have been collected within the last 59 months.

If you plan to visit Norway for less than 90 days, you can apply for a visitor's visa. With this visa you can visit all Schengen countries. Because of the situation in Iran, it can be difficult for applicants from Iran to get a visa. You can read more about the current visa practice here.

Some persons who have a residence permit in an EU/EEA country or a special passport, do not need to apply for a visitor's visa.

In order to apply for a visa from Iran you must either be a citizen of Iran or Afghanistan, or legally reside in Iran.

It is the person who wants to come to Norway who has to apply. If you want someone to act on your behalf in connection with your application, you must authorise this person to do so. Please visit the UDI website for more information and the relevant form.

If you have any questions about visitor's visas, you can contact VFS Global's Visa Application Centre (Helpline: + 98 218 280 5915)

Gather the necessary documentation

The checklist gives an overview of the documents you need to hand in to start the application process.

Please make sure that you submit a certified translation of all required documents into English or Norwegian. The list of required documents to be submitted by the different types of visa applicants is found below.

We kindly ask that all documents are submitted in A4 format/paper size. Please do not staple the documents together.

Online registration and payment

Before you can hand in your passport and other documentation, 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 form (schengen.pdf), application summary and payment receipt attached. You need to print the application form (schengen.pdf) and submit it together with the other required documentation

Begin your online registration

Application fee

The visa fee is EUR 80. Children under six years do not pay a fee. Children from the age of six years and below the age of 12 years shall pay a visa fee of EUR 40. Please visit the UDI website for information about other groups exempted from the visa fee.

Please note that you pay the fee when registering the application in the portal. Applicants exempted from the visa fee requirement will have the fee refunded.

If you are a applying for a visa as a family member to an EU/EEA citizen you are not required to pay the application fee.

Service fee at the Norway Visa Application Centre (VFS)

In Iran, applications are received by the external service provider VFS Global, which charges a service fee.

VFS is entitled to offer some additional services against a fee. Please note that these services are optional.

Hand in your documents

You must bring with you:

a printout of the application form (schengen.pdf) received by email;
the checklist and the documents listed.
Your passport (must be valid for at least three months after your planned departure from the Schengen area)
Photograph (must comply with international standards)
Your travel health insurance policy
- You should be covered for at least EUR 30 000, including expenses in connection with repatriation for medical reasons, treatment in medical emergencies and/or emergency hospital treatment, and death
- Your insurance should be valid in all Schengen countries
- It should cover the whole of your planned stay in the Schengen area
- It should as a rule be purchased in your home country. If this is not possible it may be purchased in another country.

The application process will start once all the required documents have been submitted.

Norway Visa Application Centre (VFS)

4th Floor, Heravi Centre, Square Heravi,
Street Mousavi (Golestan 5th Street)
District 4, Tehran, Iran

The Visa Application Center (VAC) is open from 08:00 until 17:00 from Sundays to Thursdays. Receiving applications between 08:00 and 15:30

Visa applicants submitting requirements at VFS-Tehran must book an appointment with VFS.

Please note that if you need to have help in registering the application and paying the fee, VFS-Tehran will assist you as long as you have all necessary documents.

The result of your application

You will be notified by e-mail and short messaging service (SMS) when your application has been processed.

Your passport can be picked up at the Norway Visa Application Centre (VFS) where the application was submitted, or can be delivered by a courier service, if you have opted for this alternative.

If you have been granted a visa, it will be affixed to your passport.

If your application has been rejected, you will receive a written explanation on why it was rejected. You may appeal the decision.

For feedback on service, you may contact us by regular post or email, F-Ankara-immigration@mfa.no

On arrival

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

your passport with the visa sticker
proof that you have enough money to support yourself during your stay (e.g. cash or a credit card). If you have a guarantee form, you should also bring a copy of this with you.
documentation showing the purpose of your visit, such as an invitation, hotel reservation, etc.
a return or round trip ticket if you are visiting the Schengen area for tourist purposes or private reasons

You may be asked to provide fingerprints by the border control officer, in which case these will be compared with the fingerprints provided when you applied for your visa.
As long as your visa is valid, you can travel around freely in the Schengen area, or in the specific Schengen countries covered by the visa. If you leave the Schengen area, for example to visit the UK or Svalbard, you will need a multiple entry visa.

The police may ask you to provide proof of medical insurance for your whole stay in Schengen.