Permits for non-EU/EEA nationals employed by UiO

Start the process early!

Please note that you, as a rule, are not allowed to start working in Norway before the residence permit has been granted. Therefore, you must apply for a residence permit well in advance of your planned arrival in Norway.

Registration process for yourself

To start the registration process, follow the instructions provided on the web page Want to apply to visit or live in Norway (udi.no) by the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI). Here is some specific advice to help you along the way:

1. On the initial web page Want to apply (udi.no), enter the country of your citizenship and press the Choose button.
2. In the next step, choose the Work immigration track, then the Skilled workers track and, finally, the Skilled worker with an employer in Norway track.
3. Study the displayed information carefully, then press the button How to apply.
4. As a first thing, you will be asked if you would like for the employer to apply on behalf of you. Choose No if not otherwise agreed upon with ISMO.
5. In the next step, you are asked if you are already in Norway and wish to hand in the application here. Choose No, wish to apply from abroad and enter the country in which you are legally residing. Note: Only under very special circumstances non-EU/EEA nationals may apply for a residence permit from Norway. If for some reason you feel you need to apply from Norway, contact ISMO for advice.
6. Print out the Checklist for skilled worker and press the button Go to the application form.
7. In the next step, choose Completed higher education and then press button Continue.
8. This will take you to the UDI application portal. Create a user if you do not already have one. Tick the disclaimer and press the button Go to application form.
9. In the Where are you submitting the application and who will hand in the documents section, choose Employee (or the alternative agreed with ISMO) and then Outside Norway (or the alternative agreed with ISMO).
10. Make a note of where you must submit the documents.
11. Fill in the personal information.
12. In the Contact information section you are asked to indicate your planned address in Norway. If this is not yet clarified, use the address of your UiO department/center. NB! If you use the visiting address to your department, make sure to change it when you register at the police in Norway, or you will not receive your residence card and your ID-number!
13. The next steps should be straight forward until you come to the Information about your work section. Here you are asked to provide the organization number of UiO; this is 971035854. Under What field you are going to work choose Professionals. That should open up the correct alternatives in the next box. All other information you find in the Offer of employment form which you should have received together with your employment contract. Length of permit equals the length of your contract.
14. Check the information, tick the boxes, pay the application fee and follow the instructions on how to book an appointment for submitting the documents. Make sure to bring all the documents required in the checklist to this appointment.
15. Depending on your nationality, you might need a visa to enter Norway. This visa will be issued automatically when the residence permit has been granted.
16. As soon as you receive a message from UDI stating that your residence permit has been granted, log back on the UDI portal to book an appointment for the final registration with the police upon arrival in Norway. Book the appointment at the Service Centre for Foreign Workers in Oslo. Do the booking well in advance of moving to Norway and choose one of the first available timeslots after your planned arrival in Oslo. Note that under normal circumstances you would not be allowed to start working until you have been to this appointment. As a temporary solution due to the limited availability of time slots in the UDI portal you are allowed to start working before you have been to this appointment.
17. You find detailed information about this appointment and a list of the documents you need to bring with you at Finalising registration for non-EU/EEA nationals in the On arrival section.

Registration process for accompanying family members

Any documents on ID or family circumstances, like marriage certificate etc. must carry an apostille stamp from the issuing country.

Registration of family members is dependent on the reference person's registration. Each member must be registered individually with the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI), but you can use the same account in the UDI application portal. To start the process, follow the instructions provided on the web page Want to apply (udi.no) by the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI). Here is some specific advise to help you along the way:

1. On the initial web page Want to apply (udi.no), enter the country of your citizenship and press the Choose button.
2. In the next step, choose the Family immigration track and then enter the nationality of the reference person. On the question of what type of residence permit the reference person has choose residence permit for skilled workers. Finally choose your relation to the reference person.
3. Study the displayed information carefully. Income for the reference person will be above the necessary annual income if the reference person is employed by the university. The reference person must however fill in the self declaration about not having received benefits from NAV: then press the button How to apply
4. If the reference person has applied as a skilled worker, you will be asked whether you wish the employer to apply on your behalf. Choose No if not otherwise agreed upon.
5. In the next step, you are asked if you are already in Norway and wish to hand in the application here. Choose No, wish to apply from abroad and enter the country in which you are legally residing. Note: Only under very special circumstances non-EU/EEA nationals may apply for a residence permit from Norway. If for some reason you feel you need to apply from Norway, contact ISMO for advice.
6. Print out the check list and press the button Go to the application form.
7. This will take you to the UDI application portal. It is not necessary to create an individual account for each family member in the UDI portal. All applications of a family can be registered using the same account. Tick the disclaimer and press the NEXT button.
8. The next steps are personal information that you must fill in. Check the information, tick the boxes, pay the application fee and follow the instructions on how to book an appointment for submitting the documents. Make sure to bring all the documents required in the checklist to this appointment. NB! Any marriage certificates and birth certificates must carry an apostille stamp from the issuing country.
9. Depending on your nationality, you might need a visa to enter Norway. The visa will be issued automatically when the permit has been granted.
10. As soon as the residence permit has been granted, you reenter the UDI portal to book an appointment for the final registration with the police upon arrival in Norway. If you are doing this process parallel for the whole family, it makes sense to book an appointment for the same date for all. Family of skilled workers book an appointment at the Service Centre for Foreign Workers in Oslo.
11. You find detailed information about this appointment and a list of the documents you need to bring with you at Finalising registration for non-EU/EEA nationals in the On arrival section.