A|A|A Norways official websites abroad

EMBASSY ABOUT NORWAY STUDY & WORK VISIT NORWAY NEWS & EVENTS NORSK

Search

Embassy and Consulates Visa Section Staff Holiday schedule 2011 VISA Where to apply General Conditions Work and Residence Family immigration

VISA
Last updated: 23/03/2009 // A visa is a permit that entitles you to enter Norway and the other Schengen countries for a limited period of up to 90 days

You can be granted a visitor's visa if you intend to travel to Norway as a tourist, on a family visit, on public business or a business trip, a study visit or other business which does not require a work or residence permit. A visa for Norway and the rest of the Schengen countries has a maximum duration of 90 days. The visa cannot be extended once the holder has entered the Schengen area. Exceptions may be made if unforeseen circumstances arise after your arrival in the Schengen area and your original visa was issued for less than 90 days. However, the total duration of your stay in the Schengen area cannot exceed 90 days in the course of the last six months. The visa you are granted for Norway is valid for all countries in Europe that are party to the Schengen agreement.

Who must apply for a visa to visit Norway?

In principle, everyone needs a visa to visit Norway. Exemptions are made for nationals from countries with an agreement with Norway waiving the visa requirement. A list of visa-waiver countries is available at www.udi.no or from your nearest Norwegian foreign service mission. The visa requirement is waived, for example, for Citizens of Nordic countries Foreign nationals with a valid passport from countries with which Norway has entered into an agreement waiving the visa requirement Persons with a valid Norwegian immigrant's passport Persons with a valid Norwegian travel document for refugees Persons with a residence or work permit in Norway and other Schengen countries

Where do I apply for a visa to Norway? The application must be submitted in person at the nearest Norwegian foreign service mission. Most visa applications are processed by foreign service missions. In some cases, applications may be sent to Norway for processing by the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration.

Fees A fee must be paid on the submission of an application. For ordinary Schengen visas this fee is 60, currently corresponding to SAR 300. Please note that the local currency fee may vary, depending on the Euro exchange rate.

How long does it take to process a visa application? If your application is processed at Norwegian Embassy in Riyadh it normally takes 14 days before you receive a reply. If your application is forwarded to the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI), the processing time will be longer. Seewww.udi.no/caseprocessingtime for updated information on case processing times in UDI.

Documentation requirements An application form A photo that is approved for a visa sticker. Photo requirements are given at www.udi.no. A passport/valid travel document, valid for at least 3 months after the day you plan to exit Schengen area A written invitation from the person or company you wish to visit in Norway Documentation of family relationship (if the person you wish to visit is a relative) Documentation of private means for the stay or a guarantee declaration from your reference person or company. See the UDI website for more information. A travel insurance covering a minimum of 30 000, valid in all the Schengen countries for the whole period you plan to stay in the area Documentation requirements vary from country to country and are subject to change. Separate rules apply to foreign nationals for whom a visa is required and who come under the EEA agreement or the EFTA convention. For more information related to visa applications, contact the Norwegian Embassy in Riyadh. If you are in Norway, you can also contact the police or UDI. If you wish to study, work or reside in Norway, you must apply for a residence permit or a work permit. Read more atwww.udi.no.

------------------------------------------------------------------------Norway has Schengen representation agreements with the Netherlands in Yemen and Oman. Contact the Royal Netherlands Embassies in Muscat or Sana'a if you live in either of these countries (irrespective of your citizenship) and you wish to apply for a

regular visiting visa. Their web pages are listed as links to this article. If you wish to apply for any type of work- or residence permit, you must apply at the Norwegian Embassy in Riyadh or through the Norwegian Consulates in Muscat or Sana'a.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

FAQ - Frequently asked questions: Do I need to apply for a visa when applying for a residence or work permit in Norway? You cannot be granted a visa to Norway/the Schengen countries if you are going to settle in Norway. Some applicants may nevertheless be granted an entry visa (D-visa) before the application for a residence or work permit has been processed. This applies if you are intending to stay in Norway permanently and you satisfy the requirements for a residence or work permit. Contact the nearest Norwegian foreign service mission for more information or read the information on the UDI's website. How do I apply if I am going to get married in Norway? If you intend to enter into marriage and remain in Norway, you can apply for a residence permit for up to six months for the purpose of entering into marriage. You must apply for a residence permit at a Norwegian foreign service mission in your country of origin or the country where you have had legal residence during the last six months. If you intend to visit a girlfriend/boyfriend and return to your country of origin after the visit, you can apply for a visitor's visa for up to 90 days. What do I need to obtain a visa? You need to have a valid passport to enter Norway. Your passport must be valid for at least 90 days beyond the period of time for which a visa is granted. You must have sufficient funds to cover your journey to and stay in Norway. If you are without funds, you can be stopped at the border even though you have been granted a visa. In certain cases, a financial guarantee from the person or persons you intend to visit, covering your stay and your return, will suffice. A guarantee form must be filled in by the person in Norway you are to visit (the reference person), and it must be stamped by the police. The guarantee form is also available from the foreign service mission or from www.udi.no. The guarantee form must be submitted together with the visa application. You must have a legal right to return to your country of origin or other country where you have a residence permit. It must be your intention to leave Norway when your visa expires. If the Norwegian authorities have reason to believe that you want to remain in Norway beyond the period for which you are applying for a visa, your application may be rejected. You must not be registered in the Schengen Information System (SIS) as an undesirable alien in any of the Schengen countries. Do I have to enter the country for which I am applying for a visa? No. You may enter any one of the Schengen countries once you have been granted a visa, but if you intend to visit another country than Norway for the majority of the time, you must apply for a visa at that country's embassy. Do I need more than one visa to visit more than one country in the Schengen area? No. The visa you obtain from Norway is valid in the entire Schengen area. Can I be granted a visa for more than 90 days if I visit several countries? No. You can be granted a visa for 90 days or less. You must leave the Schengen area before your visa expires. If you do not leave when your visa expires, this may have consequences for any future entry. Can I appeal if my application is rejected?

Yes. If you appeal a decision reached by a foreign service mission, your case will be sent to the UDI for consideration. If you appeal a decision reached by the UDI, the case will be sent to the Immigration Appeals Board (UNE). No fee is charged to process appeals. Would you like to know more about a visa to Norway? If you have any other questions about visas, contact your nearest Norwegian foreign service mission. If you are in Norway, you can contact the UDI's applicant information service, which answers questions in Norwegian, English and other languages by phone, 23 35 15 00, or e-mail ots@udi.no. Back to top
Share on your network |

Read more
Visa requirements - English Visa requirements - Arabic Schengen visa application form Work and Residence Work Application Portal

External links
Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI) Fact sheet on work permits Visa-free travel to Schengen The Netherlands Embassy in Sana'a The Netherlands Embassy in Muscat

Time in Norway 22:47

Weather in Oslo
11 March 06:00 - 12:00

-4C
Last updated: 10.March 22:19 Next update: 11.March 05:15 See more www.yr.no

Facts

Area: 385 155 km2 Population (as of 2009): 4 801 100 Capital: Oslo /59 56'N 10 41 Time zone: CET (UTC+1) Summer (UTC + 2)

Royal Norwegian Embassy, Riyadh

P.O.Box 94380 Riyadh 11693 Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (+966 1) 488 1904 E-mail: emb.riyadh@mfa.no Opening hours: Saturday - Wednesday 08.30-15.00 hours

A|A|

Norways official websites abroad

EMBASSY ABOUT NORWAY STUDY & WORK VISIT NORWAY NEWS & EVENTS NORSK

Search

Study Work Research Business

You are here:

Study & Work

Study

Study in Norway

Photo: Guri Dahl /tinagent.no

Study in Norway
Norwegian institutions of higher education welcome applications from qualified students from around the world. Nearly 10,000 foreign nationals are currently enrolled at this level of Norways educational system. International students may apply for admissions to a variety of undergraduate and graduate degree programmes. Some universities and colleges offer specifically designed programmes for foreign students. These programmes are taught in English and admission does not require permanent residency.
International students are defined as all students without a permanent residence permit in Norway. There are three categories of international student: self-financing degree students exchange students students participating in various fellowship programmes.

Eligibility for exchange and fellowship programmes is usually determined on the basis of national and regional bilateral agreements and fulfilment of quota requirements. Participation in a number of the funding programmes is restricted to applicants from specific countries. Entrance requirements All international applicants must fulfil the same basic entrance requirements as Norwegian students. These requirements vary depending on the country in which the applicant has completed his or her primary and secondary education. Applicants must normally have completed upper secondary education. In addition, there are specific entry requirements for programmes in certain subjects. In some cases, non-formal competence or occupational experience may be included as qualification for entry into a study programme. Students who apply for graduate degree studies must satisfy requirements regarding previous study at university level. A new degree structure, adopted from the Bologna Process, has been introduced into the Norwegian higher education sector. Norwegian universities and university colleges now issue the following degrees: Bachelor's degree (three years), Master's degree (two years), Ph.D. (three years).

In a few subject areas, students will enrol for a five-year integrated degree course (Master's degree). Certain specialized programmes, such as medicine, veterinary science, psychology and theology follow a different degree structure that extends over four to six years. A good command of English is required of all students attending Norwegian institutions of higher education. International students who are not native speakers of English must document their English-language proficiency. International students accepted for

bachelor's degree studies must complete a preparatory programme in Norwegian language before they begin a study programme, unless they can document a good command of the Norwegian language. The Norwegian language programme includes Norwegian language courses and a course in Norwegian life and society, and normally takes two semesters to complete. Financing There are no tuition fees at Norwegian higher education institutions, although fees may be imposed for certain professional education programmes, further and special education programmes and study at some of the private institutions. Cost of living grants are only awarded to international students accepted for selected fellowship programmes. Self-financing students must document that they possess a minimum of NOK 80,000 (approx EUR 10,000) per academic year. The following types of foreign nationals are eligible for student loans and stipends from the State Educational Loan Fund: Nordic nationals Citizens of EEA countries Citizens of Central and Eastern European countries as well as developing countries Political refugees and persons granted residency on humanitarian grounds Immigrants

General guidelines
Last updated: 23/03/2009 // General guidelines, advice and information concerning applying for a visa
1) Norway is a member of Schengen together with Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Germany, Belgium, France, Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, Austria, Italy, Luxembourg, Switzerland and Greece. A Schengen visa issued by the authorities of any of these countries is valid for travel to all the other Schengen countries within the number of days stated in the visa. The United Kingdom is not a member of Schengen. 2) A visa is not guaranteed even if all requirements are met. Additional documents or information may be requested during the application process. No prospects will be made concerning the outcome of the application process. 3) The processing time for a visa application (business or tourism) will usually be 2-3 weeks, but may reach 4 months if the Embassy finds it necessary or is instructed to send the application to Norway for processing. A visa may be issued up to three months in advance. 4) All supporting documents, including bank statements and letters from employers, must be written in English or translated into English by an agency at the applicants expense before the application is filed. 5) The applicant is responsible for completing and signing the application and supplying necessary supporting documents. Failing to do so will lead to delays and may result in the application being rejected or put aside. 6) Applicants who choose to change their travel arrangements after the Embassy has issued the visa, must pay a second full visa fee for the issueing of a new visa sticker. If the changes to the travel arrangements are major, a new application must be filed. 7) Visa applications shall be filed at the Embassy of the country which is the main destination of the journey. This will usually be the country where the applicant will be staying the longest period of time or - in the case of equally long stays in several countries - the first Schengen country to be visited. 8) Applications will be rejected if there is reason to believe that the applicant has provided false or misleading information concerning the purpose or destination of their travel - without consideration of why this has been done. Such a rejection may prejudice future applications. 9) Multiple entry visas will not be granted unless the applicant has previous visiting visas to Schengen in his passport, and only if the need for a multiple entry visa is proven through the supporting documents. 10) Business travellers are advised to avoid going to Norway during Christmas (December 22nd to January 3rd) and Easter (moveable March/April) unless specifically invited to Norway during these periods by their host companies. Tourist visitors may find that shops and tourist attractions, in some cases also hotels, close during parts of the above mentioned periods. 11) This list is not exhaustive.

Back to top

Share on your network |

Time in Norway 23:08

Weather in Oslo
11 March 06:00 - 12:00

4 C
Last updated: 10.March 22:19 Next update: 11.March 05:15

See more www.yr.no

Facts
Area: 385 155 km2 Population (as of 2009): 4 801 100 Capital: Oslo /59 56'N 10 41 Time zone: CET (UTC+1) Summer (UTC + 2)