Visitor’s visa and residence permit

A visitor's visa allows you to stay in Norway or other Schengen countries as a visitor for up to 90 days over a period of 180 days. A residence permit gives you the opportunity to work in Norway and to stay for more than 90 days.

The Norwegian Embassy in London is a hub for visa- and residence permit applications to Norway from the United Kingdom, Russia and Belarus.

All visa and residence permit applications must be handed in at our VFS application centers. Please note that it is not possible to hand in your application directly at the Embassy or via postal services.

 

Applying from the United Kingdom

Citizens of UK (holding a UK passport) do not need a visitor's visa if they are visiting Norway as tourists but if you plan to stay longer than 90 days, you must apply for a residence permit. If you plan to work in Norway, paid or unpaid, you will need a residence permit. For more informaiton on residence permits, please visit: www.udi.no 

Update regarding the "10-year rule":

To enter Norway, your UK passport must:

- have been issued less than 10 years before the date you enter Norway
- be valid for at least three months after the day you plan to leave

If you have a UK travel document, and are not citizen of a visa free country, you will need to apply for a visa to go to Norway and Schengen. Please check if you need a visa based on your citizenship here: Want to apply: Visits and holidays - UDI 

All applications must be handed in at a VFS application center in the United Kingdom, either at VFS London or VFS Edinburgh and all applicants need to book an appointment. Make sure to book the correct category of appoinment. Any errors in the VFS booking portal must be addressed directly to VFS.

Please note that you need to provide all the required supporting documents according to the Schengen checklist. If any documents are missing, your application could be refused.

Applications handed in later than 15 days before the day of travel will be dismissed, according to the Schengen regulations. The processing time is counted from the day the application is received at the Embassy in London until the passport is picked up by the VFS courier in London. Therefore, please also take the extra courier/transport time between VFS London/VFS Edinburgh and the Embassy into account. Updated information can be provided by VFS when you hand in your application.

 

Applying from Russia

Citizens of Russia need a visa in order to travel to Norway. Please find more information on the regulations on the UDI webpage: Information to Russian citizens - UDI

All applications must be handed in at a VFS application center in Russia, either at VFS Moscow, VFS St. Petersburg, VFS Arkhangelsk or VFS Murmansk and all applicants need to book an appointment. Make sure to book the correct category of appoinment. Any errors in the VFS booking portal must be addressed directly to VFS.

Please note that you need to provide all the required supporting documents according to the Schengen checklist. If documents are missing, your application could be refused. Applications handed in later than 15 days before the day of travel will be dismissed, according to the Schengen regulations. 

 

Applying from Belarus

Citizens of Belarus need a visa in order to travel to Norway. Please find more information on the regulations on the UDI webpage: UDI 2012-007

All applications must be handed in at VFS application center in Minsk and all applicants need to book an appointment. Make sure to book the correct category of appoinment. Any errors in the VFS booking portal must be addressed directly to VFS.

Please note that you need to provide all the required supporting documents according to the Schengen checklist. If documents are missing, your application could be refused.

Applications handed in later than 15 days before the day of travel will be dismissed, according to the Schengen regulations. The processing time is counted from the day the application is received at the Embassy in London until the passport is picked up by the VFS courier in London. Therefore, please also take the extra courier/transport time between VFS Minsk and the Embassy into account. Updated information can be provided by VFS Minsk when you hand in your application.