Protection (asylum) in Norway

Questions and answers

• How do I get a residence card if I applied before 16 April 2021

  What is a residence card?

  A residence card is a plastic card in credit card format that proves that you have been granted a permanent residence permit in Norway.

  How do I obtain a residence card?

  To be issued a residence card, you must go to your local police. You have to book an appointment in advance. 

  If you are under the age of 18, your parents/guardian must accompany you to the police.  

  Booking an appointment over the phone

  You can call your local police district to book an appointment. You cannot call UDI to book an appointment.

  What happens when I go to the police station?

  The police will take your fingerprints and photo, and will then order your residence card. 

  How long will it take for me to get the card?

  It will take at least 20 working days from your appointment with the police until you receive the card in the post. 

  Please check that your correct postal address is registered and that your name is on your letterbox to ensure delivery of your card. If the card gets lost in the mail, it will take another 10 working days until you can get a new one. 

  If you are planning any trips to abroad, you should allow for plenty of time between your appointment with the police and your planned departure date. 

• How do I get a residence card if I applied on or after 16 April 2021?

  What is a residence card?

  A residence card is a plastic card in credit card format that proves that you have been granted a residence permit in Norway. The police will order a residence card for you.

  Some applicants can get their residence cards without having to go to the police station again. If this is the case for you, the police will send you the residence card by post, and you will not need to book an appointment. See below for information on who is required to meet with the police to get a residence card.

  I have applied for protection (asylum) for the first time and have been granted a residence permit

  If you have applied for asylum for the first time with the police, the police will contact you and give you an appointment. You must meet with the police, but you do not have to book an appointment yourself.

  I have applied for a renewal of my residence permit, or I have applied for derived refugee status

  You must book an appointment if you have a Norwegian Immigrant’s passport or travel document for refugees that has expired that you have not already given to the police.

  At the police, you must have a photo and your fingerprints taken.

  You should not book an appointment if you handed in your old travel document to the police when you applied. You also do not need to book an appointment if you have applied for derived refugee status and receive a travel document for the first time. The police will send the residence card to you by post.

  What do I need to do to receive the card by post?

  • Register as a new mail recipient in Norway at Posten (external website).
  • If you are registered, ensure that you are registered with the correct postal address at Posten (external website) (BankID or MinID required for login).
  • Make sure you have your name on the letterbox. If the card gets lost in the post, it will take some time before you can get a new one.
  • You should not book trips abroad until you have received the new residence card.

  How do I book an appointment?

  Here is what to do to book an appointment with the police.

• Where am I going to live?

  You will be settled in a municipality. The Directorate of Integration and Diversity (IMDi) is responsible for finding a place for you to live.

• Can my family come to live with me in Norway?

  • You are entitled to family reunification with your spouse or cohabitant, as well as children you had before you arrived in Norway. You may be granted an exemption from the income requirement if your family applies within the deadline. 
  • The application will not be considered as formally submitted until your family member has handed in their passport and other necessary documentation at the embassy. You may have to wait up to several months for an appointment at the embassy. Therefore, you should apply as early as possible.

• How do I get a national ID number (fødselsnummer)?

  The police will order it for you. You do not have to do anything.

• How do I get travel documents (passport, immigrant's passport, refugee travel document)?

  • It will be stated in your decision letter from UDI whether or not you are entitled to travel documents. You will normally be issued a travel document for refugees.
    
  • You need a national identity number (fødselsnummer) to get your travel documents from the police.
  • See what to do to obtain travel documents.

• How can I get a bank account and a bank card?

  To open a bank account in Norway, you must have:

  • a registered address
  • valid, approved ID

  Examples of valid ID include:

  • a valid foreign passport
  • a valid travel document for refugees
  • a valid immigrant’s passport

  The bank may ask you to provide another valid ID or additional documentation to substantiate your identity before they are able to open a bank account for you. 

  See further information from Finans Norge on how to open a bank account or how to obtain a bank card (external website). 

• Can I travel to other countries while living in Norway?

  • After you have been issued your residence card, you can travel into and out of Norway for as long as your residence permit is valid.
  • You must bring your travel document and residence card when you travel. 
  • You can visit other Schengen countries for up to 90 days.
  • You cannot travel to your home country.
  • If you are later going to apply for a permanent residence permit, you can normally not have stayed outside Norway for more than a total of ten months in the past five years.

• I am abroad and my residence permit has expired. What should I do?

  You must remember to apply to renew your residence permit while in Norway. In general, you are required to meet up in person to hand in your application for renewal to the police in Norway. If you have travelled from Norway and are abroad when your permit expires, your application will usually not be processed. This applies if you were granted a residence permit after applying for protection (asylum) in Norway.

  In exceptional cases, however, UDI can consider processing your application for renewal even though it was handed in to a Norwegian embassy or diplomatic mission. For this to be an option, your reason for not returning to Norway to hand in your application must be due to circumstances beyond your control.

  If you believe you meet the requirements another type of residence permit, we recommend that you apply. If you have family members in Norway, you can read about family immigration requirements at UDI.no to see if you are eligible.

• Will this residence permit count towards the residency requirement if I later choose to apply for a permanent residence permit?

  • Your decision letter from UDI will state whether your residency under this permit counts as part of the requirement for a permanent residence permit.
  • See the requirements for a permanent residence permit.

• Can I my residence permit be taken away?

  In some cases, you may lose your residence permit.

  Losing a permit means that UDI has decided to revoke your residence permit, making it invalid. If your permit is revoked, you will either no longer be allowed to live in Norway or you will be granted a new residence permit and your residence period in Norway will restart.

  A residence permit can be revoked for a variety of reasons, for example: 

  • providing incorrect or incomplete information 
  • staying too long outside Norway
  • receiving a different type of residence permit 

  Here you will find more information about revoking a residence permit with refugee status (protection).