Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

You can track your application online at the VFS’s website: Welcome to VFS Global

If you have specific questions regarding residence permit applications and prohibition of entry, you must contact the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI): Contact us - UDI

On UDI’s website you will find information about how to apply for a visa and residence permit in Norway: Want to apply - UDI

You can also visit the Embassy’s website with country specific requirements for Schengen visa applications and select your country from the list on the Norway Portal: www.norway.no

Visa and residence permit applications must be handed in at one of the VFS Global Norwegian application centers.

Visa applications may be submitted up to six months before the planned travel, and up to nine months for seafarers. Applications should not be submitted later than 15 calendar days before the intended travel.

We recommend that visa applications are submitted to VFS at least four weeks prior to departure, allowing the Embassy to process the case in due time.

When a decision has been made, the passport will be returned to VFS for collection.

The Embassy does not accept additional documents or information by e-mail, for Schengen visas. All relevant documentation must be delivered to VFS when applying, in order to be considered in the visa processing.

If you have a case (Visa, residence case or an appeal) with the UDI – and now need to send additional documents, new information in your case or an appeal of a decision, you can upload it yourself. You can also upload documents here if the police have asked you to do so.

Please read the information link below for more information on how to upload the documents:

Forwarding documents - UDI

You must have a passport which is valid for at least three months longer than the date you plan to leave Norway.

If you are a child, and we cannot identify you by your passport because you were very young when your passport was issued, you have to get a new passport. If we cannot conclude it is the same person, your application will be dismissed.

If you have been granted a permit by UDI, the Embassy will issue a visa and send your passport to VFS.

If your passport is not at the Embassy you will need to deliver your passport, passport picture and the approval letter to the VFS.

If you have valid Schengen visa or if you are from a visa free country to Norway you can travel to Norway.

Please note that the application fee will only be refunded if the application has not been submitted at the VFS.

Please note that the refunded fee will be transferred to the credit card/bank account that the fee was paid from. It can take up to 14 days from when we refund it to the funds are available in the bank account.

The following documents must be scanned in PDF-format and sent to visa.abudhabi@mfa.no:

1. UDI’s Confirmation of paid fee from the online registration
2. Request letter for cancellation and fee refund with your handwritten signature
3. Copy of your passport (biodata page)

Certain family members, students, skilled workers etc.

• Have received a job offer in Norway, and whose employer has obtained confirmation from the police that they may start working before the residence permit application is processed.
• You have a valid residence permit but your residence card is lost or expired. Please see lost/expired residence card and travel document .
• Will be working at an Embassy or Consulate in Norway, or a family member of a diplomat moving to Norway.

To read more about the different categories and information on how to apply, please see Entry Visas (D-visas) - UDI .

If you are going to live outside of Norway for more than two years you will normally lose your permanent residence permit, but you can apply to keep it.

To read more about how you can apply, see Want to apply: Keep a permanent residence permit - UDI .