Family immigration

Foreign spouses of Norwegian citizens are, as a general rule, required to submit their applications for a residence permit at the Norwegian Embassy, and are not permitted to enter Norway until a residence permit has been granted by the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI).

However, in some exceptional cases, the Embassy may grant a 7-day entry visa (a national D-visa) so that the foreign spouse can travel to Norway to submit the application for residence permit, and wait in Norway while the case is being processed. Similarly, a 7-day entry visa may be granted if an application for residence permit already has been submitted. The Embassy processes the case, but a rejection may be appealed to UDI.

The application process is similar to the process listed below. In the Application Portal, apply for Schengen Visa (category 'Visa (short visit)').

The processing time for 7-day entry visas will vary based on the Embassy’s work load at the time of submitting the application. At the moment the processing time is approximately 6-8 weeks, but this might be subject to change without further notice.

If you wish to marry a person living in Norway, you can apply for a residence permit to go to Norway and enter into marriage (fiancé permit). The permit is valid for six months, and you must get married in the course of the period for which the permit is valid. After you have entered into marriage, you can apply for family immigration with your spouse from Norway.