Are you a foreign national planning to stay in Norway? If you are, you have to either register, apply for a visitor's visa or apply for a residence permit.

Apply for a residence permit or a visitor's visa or register at the Directorate of Immigration's website.

Check how long it will take to process you application.

Do you wish to prolong your stay in Norway? Apply to extend your stay at the Directorate of Immigration's website..

Check how long it will take to process you application.

Once you have obtained your residence permit, you must make an appointment at your local police station to be issued a residence card. We will take your photo and fingerprints.

To book an appointment, go to the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI) website and log into the appointments portal.

Have you submitted your application from abroad?
Due to the corona situation, you must have been in Norway for ten days before you visit a police station. If you have any symptoms of a respiratory infection, do not come to the police station.

Have you applied for protection (asylum)?

Were you given a residence permit when you applied for protection (asylum)? You must phone the police and make an appointment to get your residence card.

When will the residence card arrive?

You will receive your residence card in the post around 20 days after your appointment with the police. It is important that the full names of everyone in the family are marked on your mailbox. The postal service will not delivery your residence card unless your name is on the mailbox. Undelivered cards are returned to the police.

Have you not received your residence card even though more than 20 days have passed? Contact the police district you submitted your application to.

Who needs a residence card?

If you are an EU/EEA national, you do not need a residence card. Everyone else with a residence permit in Norway, must have a residence card. Find out how to obtain a residence card at the Directorate of Immigration's website.

Have you lost or need to renew your residence card?

Do you have a permanent residence permit? If so, you need to order a new card in good time before your old one expires.

You can also order a new card if your card has been lost, damaged, stolen or contains errors.

Read more about how to order a new residence card on the Directorate of Immigration's website.

You will find information about Brexit and how it will affect you, at udi.no.