Work and Residency Permits for Norway
NOTE: Updates on immigration to Norway can be found below.
When moving to another country there are many legal procedures you have to go through. This can be very daunting, especially when you don’t speak the language. I can understand why they use the term ‘alien’, because you can certainly feel like one. Being questioned about your details and intentions over and over can be emotionally and morally exhausting especially when there is no guarantee that your permit will be granted. The process can make you feel like a suspect in a criminal investigation and you only have your paper information to get you off. It doesn’t matter whether you are a good person, do loads of charity work or are the greatest mum in the world, if you don’t have the correct paper work you can be stuck in limbo for years.
The main thing that helped me through the process (besides a wonderful husband) is being ‘informed’. I read everything I could about the process. I would call up the embassy to ask questions on what I couldn’t find answers to on the internet. I sort for definitions of language terms. I researched Norwegian immigration law and about my rights. I studied the application process and made sure I knew exactly what the authorities would do and what they needed from me. I even gathered extra documented information about myself just in case there was a ‘hiccup’. When I went to my interviews I felt very prepared and confident and I think the Norwegian authorities appreciated my openness and willingness to do whatever I could to ensure a smooth process.
As I feel that knowledge and information was key to a smooth application process, below I have provided some information from my own personal experience to be used as a general starting point for those who are looking into working and living in Norway. Please feel free to ask me any questions in the comments section so all can benefit from the answers. I hope you find the information useful and interesting.
How to get Work and Residency Permits for Norway
There are four main avenues of obtaining a permit to live and work in Norway: employment, family, study and asylum. This is a general guide. For more information please go to the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration www.udi.no. Below is a contents list for easier navigation:
Work Permits
General
For EU/EEA/EFTA citizens
Norwegian Language
Different Work Permits for Norway
Family Immigration Permits
Family Reunification
Defacto relationship
Fiancé Permit
Reunification Red Tape
Settlement Permit and Citizenship
Student Resident Permit
Asylum Seekers and Refugees
General
Ramifications of withholding information or giving misleading information
From Asylum Seeker to Refugee
Seeking Asylum from within Norway
Seeking Asylum outside of Norway
Visiting Norway – Visas
Work Permits
Norway has very low unemployment, high wages and very good work conditions. If you want to work in Norway you need to be highly skilled, have great education and be in a field that is in high demand (usually in the oil industry, universities, and health industries).
The process is simple enough. Once you find an employer to sponsor you, in your resident country fill in and send your work permit form to your Norwegian Foreign service mission. Then wait. Waiting times can vary (and the government is trying to speed up the process for employers) but expect at least three months from a western country and more from a non-western country.
One of the elements that the Norwegian authorities don’t seem to make clear is that to get a Work Permit you need an offer of employment. However, most employers will not offer employment unless you have a Work Permit. (Catch22) This is because a work permit takes a long time to process and, in general, you will not be able to enter Norway before it is approved. In fact, firstly you have had to live in your country of residence for at least six months before applying, you have to apply in your country of residence for a Norwegian Work Permit, and then stay there until your application is approved. This is generally a long wait for employers, who don’t have the time and money to wait for your permits to clear.
For EU/EEA/EFTA citizens
In general, if you are a citizen of the European Union, European Economic Area or European Free Trade Association it is easier for you to travel and live in Norway. You can start working as soon as you arrive but after three months will need to apply for a permit. If you are looking for employment you can live in Norway for up to six months without a permit.
Certain countries (generally the Balkans) have extra rules to follow also. There are exceptions for foreign workers such as journalists, professional sports people, flight attendants, performers etc. Many workers come to Norway for a three month work season and then return to their home country.
Norwegian Language
Another factor working against you getting employment is language. In general, to get good work in Norway it is essential that you know the language. There are only a very small percentage of employers who take on people who don’t speak Norwegian (or Swedish/Danish). A lot of immigrants who have degrees and great work experience have to take on cleaning and babysitting jobs because they don’t know Norwegian. This can be frustrating as most Norwegians can speak English. But because of the pride in their language, Norwegians expect you to learn Norwegian if you want to live in Norway. Taking Norwegian language classes can give you brownie points for employment but not until you get the basic language certificate (which takes at least six months full time to complete) most employers will look over you.
When you have received a Work Permit you will most likely need to re-apply every year or when you change employer. You can also apply for your family to be with you in Norway while you are working. Note that there may be special conditions of employment in regards to a Work Permit – such as learning Norwegian or returning to your home country after termination. Also please see the section Family Reunification and Settlement and Citizenship for more information.
Different Work Permits for Norway:
Artist/Musician (or accompanying assistant)
Au pair – for young people to live with Norwegian families
Charity and humanitarian organisations
Ethnic cooks (under the rules for skilled workers/specialists – this does not include “ordinary” chefs)
Development of Norwegian trade
Diplomat (must be registered with the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign)
Foreign state companies and multinational companies
Group permit (for temporary work/project)
Guest worker (granted to foreign nationals for farm/garden work and live with farming family
Journalists/media staff
Market trader (for Russian citizens in the Barents region)
Missionary
Necessary co-worker for the performance of a contract (temporary)
Peace Corps participant
Researcher/scholarship holder/lecturer
Seamen
Seasonal worker (such as farm work)
Short term specialist
Skilled worker/specialist (work experience equivalent to a three year university degree)
Sole trading (granted to people who intend to start their own business)
Sportsperson/trainer
Student (part-time work – up to 20hours)
Temporary permit (special – only grated to those who are likely to find work) ly when the permit)
Trainee (vocational training)
Work experience after completing studies
Work on the continental shelf
Worker in the fish processing industry (for Russian nationals from the Barents region)
Working holiday (granted to persons from Australia or New Zealand – must be under 31 years)
Youth exchange
Family Immigration Permits
Family immigration is known as Family Reunification in Norway. To immigrate via Family Reunification you need to either: have a family member who is a Norwegian/Nordic citizen and you wish to join them in Norway, or your family member has a settlement permit in Norway (or a work/residency permit for more than three years) and you wish to join them. There are various differences between immigration with EU/EEA/EFTA permits and non- EU/EEA/EFTA permits. When a Family Reunification has been granted you receive both a resident and work permit. In general, family reunification only applies to immediate family members.
To apply:
You must apply from your country of residence (must have been living there for at least six months).
In general, YOU must apply and not your family member in Norway (unless, of course you under 18 – which required a lot more paper work from both parents).
Your family member in Norway needs to sponsor you – meaning they need to house you and provide for all your needs. Your sponsor needs an income of at least NOK200,000 (more for each family member applying). This does not mean you have to sponge off them – if the permit is granted, once you get to Norway you will be given a personal number and will be free to work.
You need to provide documentation of relationship – birth/marriage certificates. (If you are in a defacto relationship you need to have lived together outside Norway for at least two years prior to application – and be able to document it – both names on elect bills, rent bills etc.)
This process can take anywhere from six months to two years depending on which country you come from. Of course, with children the Norwegian authorities try to speed up the process but it is likely to still take at least three months.
Fiancé Permit
This is a special permit for people engaged to be married. A Fiancé Permit allows you to reside in Norway until you are married to your Norwegian citizen (you usually have to marry within three to six months). Once you are married you then apply for Family Reunification within Norway. However, the Norwegian authorities will hold onto your passport until they have finished your application for Family Reunification. Therefore you will not be able to leave the country until you receive your passport, which can take at least six to 12 months at the earliest.
Reunification Red Tape
There are a lot of issues that you need to face going through the Family Reunification process; you could face months or years away from your partner, you could have to pay large amounts of money, have a lawyer and after doing every thing right, crossing all the ‘T’s etc your application can still be rejected.
To stop forced marriages or marriages of ‘convenience’, especially if you or your partner is from a country that allows forced or even multiple marriages, the process includes intense interviews with you and your spouse along with a very long application process. They need to check your whole history in your home country. In later years they may even choose to come into your home and check your living (whether you are sleeping in the same bed, whether you know each other’s personal lives, etc) and also interview family and friends. I guess because I am married to a Norwegian citizen I have only been asked to get signatures of witnesses to verify that I am in a ‘regular’ marriage relationship with my spouse – so far. Immigration is a very serious business.
Some countries are reluctant to give up their citizens. The U.S.A is known to drag on the application process for months (even years) as they do not take lightly giving up their citizens. I have had a couple of friends from the U.S who have had their application to reside in Norway rejected because the U.S didn’t clear them. One particular friend had a ridiculous outcome. She had been married to a Norwegian citizen in the U.S. for 15 years and they had two children together. Her husband and youngest son were approved to stay in Norway but she and her oldest son (under 16) were rejected and were being forced to return to the U.S. They had to lawyer up, create a media frenzy and even sue in order to allow the whole family to stay together in Norway.
It is not an easy road for people who are applying for Family Reunification with a non-Norwegian citizen either. This process is more expensive, more time consuming and more intrusive. I have an English friend who is married to a Polynesian with a Settlement Permit for Norway. Even though they are in love and have done all the right things for a residency permit for my English friend, the government is taking their application process to new extremes and it is causing them a lot of frustration and inconvenience.
Settlement Permit and Citizenship
After you have been granted a Family Reunification permit you have to reapply every year. After three years you can apply for a Settlement Permit, which allows you to reside in Norway indefinitely, and you will not need to reapply for permits. However, there are special requirements to obtaining a Settlement Permit such as documenting at least 300 hours of Norwegian language lessons.
After seven years of combined Residency and Settlement Permits you are ‘invited’ to become a Citizen. It is almost expected that you become a Citizen of Norway and is necessary to receiving all the rights and privileges of living in Norway. One of the privileges of becoming a Citizen is more job opportunities. As Norway is a social-democratic country a large portion of the job market is with the State. You cannot work for the State unless you are a Norwegian Citizen. People who have become Citizens prove their commitment to Norway and are highly valued.
However, in Norway you are unable to hold a dual Citizenship except under special circumstances (like your parents are from two different countries etc.) This means that if you want to become a Norwegian Citizen you will need to renounce your Citizenship to your home country first, usually via application, which tells your home country that you do not wish to be a Citizen anymore. This is very serious stuff. Some countries will consider you are traitor for doing this. (Also, your home country can reject your application because you have debt or have committed a crime, etc.) Then after you have successfully renounced your Citizenship from your home country, you then apply for Citizenship for Norway. I’ve always wondered – what happens if Norway rejects your application to be a Citizen?
Student Resident Permit
One of the great things about living in Norway is that education is free! This is because universities and colleges are owned by the State. There are some private institutions but they do not compare to the larger universities. All residents in Norway/Nordic Countries can apply for free tuition through the Norwegian university admissions service. However, even though tuition is free, living is not and so you need to make sure you either have enough money or enough scholarship to survive. If you are not a resident there are many different ways to study in Norway but only one way to receive a Student Resident Permit. As usual, it is a little easier if you are from the EU/EEA/EFTA, but here is a general guide for everyone:
To apply:
You must apply from your country of residence (must have been living there for at least six months) and the terms for application include you returning to your country of residence after your studies.
You must hand in your application in person to a Norwegian foreign mission service.
You need to provide which course, university etc plus a letter of acceptance from the Norwegian university
You need to document your finances to prove you can afford to live in Norway (this depends on where you will be studying) – bank account, scholarships etc.
You need to document housing for your period of stay.
There are a couple of choices in how to study:
International Exchange – this is where you study for six to 12 months in Norway as part of your regular course from your country of residence. Your university will generally need an agreement with a particular university in Norway. Usually your university will do all the legwork for you too. You can also apply through exchange programmes set up by the university – as an example from UIT: programs such as ERASMUS, North2North, Nordplus, Nordlys, Barentsplus.
Full Degree Program – as far as I’m aware there are no degrees offered in English in Norway at major universities. You might get some at colleges such as drama etc. Even though some courses might have some subjects in English it is still a requirement that you know enough Norwegian to do a degree at any Norwegian university. (This is how they trick you – even though university is free to anyone, you need to speak, read and write Norwegian to have access.)
Free Mover/Self-financing – these are students who can get into any course they want (meaning you don’t need to go through the university admission process) however, you will then need to pay for your course. You can take up to two semesters of English subjects (or Norwegian subjects if you can document Norwegian language proficiency) as a Free Mover student. Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI) says that students from outside EU/EEA must document that they have at least NOK 42 500 per semester (approximately US$ 8000 / 5500 Euro) before being allowed to study.
Masters/PhD – a lot of Masters courses are in English. You can either apply as a self-financing student or if you are a resident of Norway/Nordic country (even some EU/EEA) you can apply through the university admissions (which is free!) Of course, you can be on a scholarship, exchange etc as well.
See the Study in Norway website for more information.
Asylum Seekers and Refugees
This is always a hot topic in Norway. I am often amazed at how much Norwegians know about the government’s process with Asylum Seekers and Refugees, and especially of the ways applicants try to beat the system. The proper way to apply for Asylum is to provide as much information about yourself and your situation as possible so the Norwegian authorities can make a proper decision. However, it is very rare for Seekers to do this. They often arrive in Norway with no papers, claiming they don’t know where they came from. Seekers are also known to destroy their official documents once they have arrived in Norway thinking that it will help them to stay. They also do not give up any information about themselves, their family or where they are from. This certainly has ramifications down the line.
In order to gain asylum the Seeker needs to prove that in returning to their country of origin they would face great persecution based on religion, nationality, political opinion or membership in a particular social group. Only when sufficient information has been given/obtained on the asylum case will the Norwegian authorities make an assessment as to whether the Asylum Seeker is entitled to receive residence on humanitarian grounds. If the Seeker does not provide the correct information they can expect to spend years ‘in the system’ and at Reception Centres (nicer words for Asylum camps).
The main ‘ramification’ of withholding information or giving misleading information to authorities is that Seekers always get found out. Nowadays, Norway uses a bunch of different methods to play detective:
Language analysis is used to access information about a Seekers place of origin and ethnic background. This is used particularly when a Seeker has no identity papers.
Age examinations are used when it seems the Seeker has not stated their correct age. This examination is used in questionable cases from Seekers trying to get the benefits of ‘unaccompanied minor’.
Country observation and information is another tool the Norwegian authorities use. Norway has many diplomatic and accredited agents in many countries that report or verify asylum cases. Norwegian authorities are acutely aware of actions and conditions in war torn countries around the world. This knowledge is vital in deciding whether a Seeker has a need for asylum.
Another problem down the line for Seekers who lie or withhold information is the denial of certain privileges:
Many countries will not allow these Seekers to enter and can get turned back or detained at airports. I had a Seeker friend from Pakistan who was refused entry into Russia – he was just going to visit his girl friend for three days and then return to Norway. He was stopped at the airport because he had an ‘immigrant’ passport – a special passport provided by the asylum-granting country because the Seeker has no identifying documents. My friend was detained for a day then sent back without any compensation.
These Seekers can also stop their chances for education. I worked with a Seeker from Sudan who won a full scholarship to an American university. Unfortunately the United States government wouldn’t approve his visa as he had an ‘immigrant’ passport. My colleague had to turn down his university offer.
Another issue with Seekers withholding information or lying is that they will need to tell the truth if they want to bring family members to Norway. For Family Reunification the country of origin must be known, as well as age, names and relationships. However, revealing different information than first provided can jeopardise a Seekers asylum/refugee status.
Mostly Seekers lie or withhold information because of fear or misunderstanding, but sometimes it is for more sinister reasons – like escaping persecution for war crimes committed. A new problem for these types of Asylum Seekers is that Norwegian law does not protect them from being tried and punished for their war crimes. Just recently the first case of an Asylum Seeker turned Citizen was held, tried and imprisoned for war crimes he committed in another country 20 years ago. Norway is the great humanitarian but it will not tolerate injustice.
From Asylum Seeker to Refugee
Not everyone tries to cheat the system. Most of the Asylum Seekers I know are just golden. They have good cause to be in Norway. In my Norwegian classes I get to meet many refugees – an Iraqi journalist who brought his family here to escape persecution and death threats, a Libyan mother who brought her sons here to save them from the militia, even an American who was being persecuted by his government for his political views! We often form a bond as we learn together how to live in a strange new country.
Seeking Asylum from within Norway
When seeking Asylum from within Norway the process can be very quick. If the applicant is truthful and upfront with authorities the process of turning from Asylum Seeker to Refugee will take between 48 hours to three weeks! During this waiting time applicants will need to make a personal declaration and be thoroughly interviewed. They will usually stay at a Reception Centre until the application has been processed. If the application is denied they will be sent back to their country of residence. If the application is accepted, their status will change to ‘Refugee’ and will be given a home in refugee housing somewhere in the country.
Seeking Asylum outside of Norway
Not every Asylum Seeker has money or papers to get to Norway to apply inland. However, there is a way through special application programs organised by the U.N. to apply for asylum in war torn countries. Many countries tell the U.N. how many Asylum Seekers they can accept each year. The U.N. organises application processes for Seekers. When an application is approved the Seeker (and their family) is shipped off to the next country on the list. Most Seekers would prefer to go to the UK or U.S.A, however, this process works on a ‘first come first served’ basis – if Norway is the next country on the list that is where you are going. I know some Seekers who have written other countries down on their forms as first preferences but ended up with Norway instead, however, I find they are still very happy. But really, in the grand scheme of things, it doesn’t matter what country a Seeker ends up in, does it? – just as long as they are safe and free.
Visiting Norway – Visas
Please note that as a general rule all foreign nationals require a visa to visit Norway. There are some exceptions but you need to confirm with proper authorities. Please visit Who needs a Visa from the UDI website for more details.
UPDATES:
As of 1 October 2009, EEA nationals no longer need to apply for residence permits in Norway. It is sufficient that they register on arrival. http://www.udi.no/templates/Page.aspx?id=10948
As of 21 July 2008, Family Immigration – Increased income requirement. http://www.udi.no/templates/Page.aspx?id=9440
As of 1st January 2010, UDI has made changes to all immigration application requirements due to changes in Norwegian Immigration Law. See the post UDI Immigration Changes for 2010
Comments are now closed. Please read the whole article and the comments below, and you may very well find the answer to your question.
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Hi L-Jay
Great site indeed. I applied for family reunification process for my wife but later found we had problem in our relationship. So I wrote to UDI about refusal of sponsership and changing of my room to single room apartment as initially I was staying in family room. I wrote back to UDI about the status of application. They have told that the case is now withdrawn and she will not get visa when the case is finalised. How long does it take for the case to be finalised in Norway? In such case can she appeal. Do I have a role against that appeal. I don’t wish to bring her here. I am soon going to be separated.
____________________
from L-Jay:
Your application will have been placed in the normal que which can take from six months to a year to be processed. Even your cancellation needs to be processed. Even though you have cancelled, it is your spouse that applies from their home country for family reunification. If your spouse still wants to come to Norway but you don’t want them to, the UDI will take time in investigating it further, especially if you have children together. Whereas, if they don’t want to come to immigrate to Norway it shouldn’t be much of a problem but it is likely going to take the normal processing time before you get a confirmation of your cancellation.
Hi L-Jay,
I recently was accepted to study for a 2 years masters program at NHH. My wife and one year old son (we are all U.S. citizens) will be joining me during the time of my studies. My question is regarding health care for my spouse and son. As a student it is my understanding that I will be covered by the National Insurance scheme but it is unclear what is available for my dependents. Any information you can share will be appreciated.
Kind regards.
____________________
from Moose:
Your family will enter Norway on the same terms as you, so they will also be covered by national insurance. To get the most out of this, you should all sign up with a regular GP once registered with a national insurance numer. Children and pregnant women receive free health care, but adults have to pay an excess for consultations and procedures of up to NOK 1840/year. (may be less depending on your circumstance).
hi
i am a new immigrant in norway i hope you can help,
i am married to a norwegian man and i am living with him in norway , everything is ok with me and my husband,our relationship is very good and i am studying norwegian , i don t have children yet, i know that i have to wait 3 years that i can get a residence permit.
my question is. yesterday my husband came with a paper and he asked me to go with him to his lawyer to signe it in presence of his lawyer and two witnesses.. he said to me that everybody do the same and it is normal that everybody knows what he has..
it is writen in this paper that it is an “EKTEPAKT” and it is about everything he owns ..the house, the car, the cottage, money in bank… it is hims…
ok i agree all this he made it before we get married..it is true.. i actually never thought about this things and i never thought that i can take something from him if something bad happenes between us.. anyway.. now if he is thinking about this things ..i just want to ask about informations..
have i right on what he earned if some day we want to divorce before i can have my residence permit? or after it?
why i have to signe this ektepakt? is it normal between married people in norway?
what is my rights or it doesn t mutter if i signe it or not..
what is your advise to me ?
i signe it or i do not? and why?
pleas help me to understand everything about it
_____________________
from L-Jay:
It sounds like your husband is making you sign a prenuptial agreement. Everyone knows about these in Norway (and is seen as a very American thing to do) but I don’t know any Norwegian who has one. If you divorce before you get a permanent residency permit then you are required to return to your home country. If you divorce after you get a permanent residency permit then you might have a very small claim, however, in Norway it is expected that everyone financially supports themselves.
I suggest instead of being a dependent on your husband that you should do what you can to support yourself – education, work experience, job, etc. Then you don’t have to rely on anyone else for financial support except yourself. Financial conflict is a major drive for divorce.
ok thank you anyway
Hej
I was informed from UDI that they are considering exactly my case now,(the person who is responsible for my case is working on it). Can you tell me how much can it take now? We have been interviewed and my husband was interviewed the second time in june 2009 ,
our case was submitted in december 2008..
____________________
from L-Jay:
It depends on so many factors – if your information is correct, if you have provided all the information, if you have provided enough information, if you have a problem with your information, if your information gets lost, if your information doesn’t add up, depending from what country you are from, if your home country is unco-operative, if you have any legal problems, if you have children, if you’ve had a previous marriage, if your case sounds like its a marriage of convenience, if people go on holidays, how many other immigrants have applied before you… and the list goes on. If you have already been waiting since 2008, it seems like there is a big problem with your application – either your information doesn’t add up and the authorities have to spend time checking it out or your country isn’t co-operating with the Norwegian authorities. It sounds like in your case there are no guarantees for processing times.
HI
I AM MARRIED TO A NORWEGIAN, ONE YEAR AGO, BUT IT DOESN’T WORK WITH US.. WE WANT TO DIVORCE NOW..WE ARE LIVING IN NORWAY BUT WE GOT MARRIED IN MY COUNTRY AND AFTER, I ASKED FOR A JOINING MY HUSBAND TO NORWAY AND I GOT MY VISA AND I AM LIVING WITH MY HUSBAND NOW..
I WANT TO KNOW IF WE HAVE TO DIVORCE IN NORWAY OR WE HAVE TO GO BACK TIL MY COUNTRY TO DIVORCE AND WHAT IS THE BEST AND WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE AND WHAT IS THE PROCEDURE
THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP
_____________________
from L-Jay:
In Norway you have to be separated for one year. This separation needs to be registered with the authorities and, in general, will be counted from the date of application for separation. Usually, for a divorce to be recognised in another country, legal documents need to be presented. However, sometimes, (and likely because you go married in your home country) you will need to also get divorced in your home country too.
Be aware that if you are only on a residency permit and your circumstances change, such as divorce, you will likely not have the right to stay in Norway and have to return back to your home country.
THANK YOU
I JUST COULDN’T UNDERSTAND ..IF WE HAVE TO BE SEPERATED ONE YEAR.. HAVE I RIGHT TO STAY IN NORWAY THIS YEAR OR I HAVE TO GO BACK TO MY COUNTRY AND WAIT THIS YEAR THERE
HOW CAN WE START THE DIVORCE PROCEDURE?
I JUST HAVE BEEN IN NORWAY ONE YEAR MEANS I HAVE TO GO BACK TO MY COUNTRY AFTER DIVORCE..IS IT ANOTHER POSSIBILITY TO STAY IN NORWAY OR TO COME BACK..I HAVE PASSED PRØVE 2 I NORWEGIAN COURSES..
THANK YOU A LOT
____________________
from L-Jay:
You will not have the right to stay in Norway as you will have changed your circumstances. You will need to register your separation with the Norwegian Registry (the same place you went to to get your social number). You will not be able to return to live in Norway unless you are granted a residency permit due to family reunification or employment.
Hi,
I applied for family reunification with my wife.
My wife with 2 infant kids living alone in norway.
Can I use this point to request for faster processing of my application?
Regards
Aamir
____________________
From Moose:
I’m afraid your situation normally doesn’t qualify for a faster processing. Only extreme cases such as serious illness or a funeral in immediate family are valid reasons. If you feel your situation demands a faster processing you can send a request to UDI and provide them with all relevant documentation – but this is no guarantee.
Hello,
I have to say,this makes me angry,they are blackmailing people who are in mixed marriages to stay in marriage even if it is not good just because of papers. Marriage can turn to be bad when you got married for good reason (love) as much as for bad reason (papers),so who they think that they are to judge about this? Somebody can be forced to stay in abusive marriage only because they built their life here and don’t want to go back in home country. This makes me furious, I’m sorry. In that three years many things can go wrong,and even if you sustain that three years,they can still throw you out? This is such discrimination. I’m sorry,but this sound so wrong for me. I’m in mixed marriage and this frightening me.This means for me,that my husband can do what ever he wants with me and if I want to stay here I have to accept that.Terrible, is it?
____________________
from L-Jay:
This is a tough one but here goes:
This thing that the government is trying to do away with is people up-grading their life through ‘subjective’ channels. For example: When a person from a third world country marries a person from a first world country, whether they do it for love or not, the person from the third world will up-grade their life with finances, health, education and living. by moving to the first world country. Is that fair on everyone else from third world countries who have been on a waiting list to immigrate to the first world country? Why should anyone ‘in love’ be able to up-grade so much easier than anyone else just because of marriage? Just because a person has loved a Norwegian should it automatically give them the right to up-grade their life? Whats more, why should you have the right to keep your up-graded life after divorce?
If you look at it this way. Just say a Prince of a royal family married an average working girl. She up-grades her life dramatically because of the marriage. The marriage doesn’t work out and they divorce within three years. Is it right for the country or Royal family to pay her a ‘royal subsidy’ so she can continue to live ‘up-graded’ the rest of her life because for less than three years she was married to or in love with the prince?
I know a lot of immigrants who are now divorced from their Norwegian husbands and there are only two reasons why they stay in Norway: 1. they want to keep their up-graded life (housing, living, work, money) or 2. they have kids that are established in Norway.
Personally, if Moose and I were going to get a divorce I would probably go back to my home country. This is because I feel I didn’t up-grade my living but just moved sideways. (But now since we have kids I would do what is best for them.) I don’t know any immigrant from a third world country who would go back home.
Of course, kids and divorce makes things more complicated but you will find that the law accommodates for this situation (generally in favour of the kids
).
I think if an immigrant marries a Norwegian they are in love with, up-grades their life by moving to Norway and then falls out of love and wants a divorce but doesn’t get one because they don’t want to down-grade their life, is a matter of character. What kind of character is a person who stays married just so they can stay in Norway? – the same type of character who just marries to get into Norway. Is there a difference?
(By the way, I’m all for people up-grading their life but only if it is done honourably.
)
This sounds like some punishment for people who are in love and not from same country. Luckily you are from Australia and it is easy for you to go home if something is not working in your marriage, your kids will still have good chances to have good life,but it is not so easy like you think for people from third world counties.And I am talking here about people who started they marriages on honorably and only honorably way,but still something can go wrong after three,four,five years.In meanwhile, children up-graded their life and they don’t belong to another country,what than? You said that you would do what is the best for child,but what would you do if you would be from Ethiopia and you know that best for your child is to have a chance here for better life than to die of hunger in Ethiopia?
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from L-Jay:
You need to read my reply properly as your comment obviously shows that you have not understood both my reply above and the new law in question. To be clear:
1. If you have children and get a divorce the State will do what is best for the children.
2. If you do not have children and have no permanent residency then you are subject to the new law.
3. If you do not have children and have permanent residency (3 residency and 1 settlement) you are not subject to the new law.
4. If you have children (with your Norwegian partner) and get a divorce before you have permanent residency you can be granted a family immigration permit. UDI says:
I truly do not undertsand why you think it is unfair that anyone who has children under 18 to a Norwegian or permanent resident holder can be granted family reunification to live in Norway whether they are together, married, divorced or seperated. (I am being facetious
.) Of course, you have obviously misunderstood the new law and have jumped to conclusions instead of just looking on the UDI website. Norway is not in the habit of seperating children from their parents.
If you get a divorce there are many consequences of law, but also from society and family, no matter what country you are from. People have to be accountable for their choices and accept the consequences. ‘Ignorance’ is no longer valid. Norwegian law is well thought out. Any immigrant, patnered with a Norwegian, with just a family reunion residency permit (without children), has no claim on Norway if their marriage dissolves. In this, the law does not discriminate – and every immigrant, whether from Australia or Ethiopia, is required to return to their home country. Whether an immigrant is born in Australia or Ethiopia it is the ‘luck of life’. You should not hold that against the Australian.
However, if you still don’t fit into the above senarios then this should clear any other misunderstandings:
Personally, I think people these days are too quick to get married (and even quicker to get divorced). Just like the one year seperation requirement to get a divorce in Norway, there should be a one year engagemnet requirement before marriage. This would make ‘love’ as important as ‘hate’. Maybe one day ‘love’ will be more important.
Thank you for this explanation from UDI,I was not reading that before,I was just reading replays from other people their writing about how they have to go home after being divorce. I didn’t want to insult you being Australian,but you have to admit that being born Australian gives you better position in life than being born in counties of third world,that is why you are lucky. That is just a fact. I don’t have anything against any nation in the world and I am sorry that you felt like that.
Best wishes
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from L-Jay:
Yes, but having a ‘better position’ should not be held against an Australian. It should also not be considered that a person from a third world country should get more opportunities than an Australia because Australians are considered ‘lucky’.
Unfortunately people think that being ‘lucky’ – like being born in a first world country – is not fair to those who aren’t. However, the thing that supports this idea concerning immigration is the ‘visa’. Some people don’t require a visa and some do. It is like Norway saying we trust the people from that country but not from that country. This is where being born in a certain country can help you with immigration and be ‘lucky’. Other than that I don’t think there are other strong inbalances in immigration. The education sector is ripe with imbalances here. It actually benefits you coming from a third world country to study in Norway with the chances of scholarships compared with people from first world countries.
You are intelligent woman and you know that you are privileged being Australian. Would you give one(or what ever) dollar to millionaire or to poor one ? That is my answer for ” It should also not be considered that a person from a third world country should get more opportunities than an Australia because Australians are considered ‘lucky’.”
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from L-Jay:
Well – this is certainly getting my brain to wake up in the morning…lol.
We are talking about immigration here. Charity and immigration opportunity is different – however everyone deserves charity as much as everyone deserves opportunity. Money doesn’t equal opportunity. You can have all the money in the world and still require a visa to enter Norway or still be rejected at the border. Anyway, after all the paperwork, immigration is about ‘character’.
The problem comes when people think an Australian/first world person deserves less because they are ‘lucky’ – or that a third world person deserves more because they aren’t ‘lucky’. This idea produces ‘reverse discrimination’.
In answer to your question:
Nothing is black and white like that. I think the question should be ‘Should you give a dollar to a poor person in a third world country or a poor person in a first world country?’ You would presume that the person in the third world country needs it more. However, a poor person is a poor person – should you really judge? – there is no such thing as a ‘privileged’ poor person. In your question you are not asking about rich and poor, however, you are really asking me – ‘Would you give one dollar to an Australian or an Ethiopian?’ You are asking me which person is more deserving of my charity. This is actually a trick question because you are assuming to put an average Australian up against a starving Ethiopian.
However, a more appropriate question is: Would you give a dollar to a starving Australian or a starving Ethiopian? Now it is fair to answer the question. Personally, as I have a duty to my own countrymen, I would support the starving Australian first with the hope and plan to help the starving Ethiopian. But should the starving Ethiopian have more right to immigrate to Norway than the Australian because the Australian is considered ‘lucky’? But what if the question was: Would you give a dollar to a poor Ethiopian or a poorer Ethiopian? Would you give a dollar to a poor Ethiopian with five children or a poor Ethiopian with six children. Would you give a dollar to a female Ethiopian or a male Ethiopian? Would you give a dollar to a poor Ethiopian that lives in the city or a poor Ethiopian that lives in the country? Can you see how one is always considered luckier or more privileged than the other – this is why no one should be judged against someone else. And who is the decider of how many degrees of poorer or how many degrees of richer someone has to be to be considered lucky or unlucky, privileged or unprivileged? This is why the law decides things by a selection of parameters to try and create ‘equality’ amongst inequal lives.
My answer in regards to immigration (and we are talking about family immigration as Australians can’t immigrate to Norway via Asylum): the opportunity and law should be the same for everyone and that includes having to return back to your home country because you no longer fulfill the requirements for a permit. People, no matter from what country, do suffer many varying degrees of hardship because of this but it is not right to allow one person to stay and another has to go because of how ‘lucky’ they are.
(A side note: When you put up an average Australian against an average Ethiopian it is still generally assumed that an Ethiopian person is automatically poorer than an Australian. But our idea of ‘poor’ is relative to capitalist or Western world beliefs. The Western world thinks that someone living in a grass hut is automatically poor. I think this is arrogant. If you speak to a community that live in grass huts that haven’t been touched by Western world ideals, I’m sure they would not consider themselves poor.
Another point is that it takes at least 13 years of institutional education to live in the Western world. To live in a tribal community all your education is taught through life, family and community. I know which one I would feel more lucky to have but I have been known to be an idealist
)
Than, discrimination is also to give advance to people from Haiti to come here, if you want,and that is option on UDI . If you want for everyone same rules,what is that,”lucky” or “unlucky”? I am from Serbia and I know how it is to be born in wrong country in wrong time and even worse,to not be able to travel or move(not even think about it) and still,to say that you are from Serbia is like you are coming with blood on your hands,and all that ONLY because I was born in Serbia,nothing else. Is that lucky or unlucky? And my husband,born Icelandic, when Iceland sank (economically ) in to sea,he just take his pass,or even not,and come to Norway and have all privileges like he is home.Is that lucky or unlucky? I am not saying that I should have more rights than others just because I suffer,but why others HAVE more privileges only because they are born in certain country?
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from L-Jay:
It is the peoples through out history that have made countries what they are today. It is about evolution of the human mind and civilisation. Different countires and cultures have had their glory in time – the Roman Empire, Persian Empire, Egypian Empire, the Huns, the English Empire. Now it is the ‘Western Empire’ that modern day people value. It is the Western Empire that is seen giving out better rights and equality than others. If Russia had the best rights and equalities in the world then I’m sure everyone would want to move there. However, it is likely that Americans, Finnish, Germans and people from Afghanistan would find it difficult to immigrate to Russia. People have more privaliges because of their country’s past treaties and alliances such as Norway and Iceland. Others have penalties because of their country’s past wars and invasions such as Norway and Russia. There is nothing a person can do about their country’s history or established relations. I’m sure at the moment it would be very hard for someone to migrate from North Korea, Turkey and Pakistan due to their country’s reputation. It took at least a century for Australians to shake off the ‘convict’ reputation. They were not welcomed in England as Australia used to be a dumping ground for England’s criminals. It wasn’t until Australia supported England in the first world war that the ‘criminal’ tag was lifted. It was then that we also got in good with the Americans. If this didnt happen, Australians could very well still carry the criminal stigma. This could have made it hard for Australians to migrate anywhere.
With the Haiti ruling – I think it would be better to help them re-develop their country instead of pulling them away from their people and heritage. I think it is ignorant of the Norwegian government to offer this option. The Haitian people who take up this offer would be a ‘stolen’ generation. However, there is a joke amoung Norwegains that if (or when) Iceland becomes destroyed by malt and lava that Norway will take them in. They will probably give then Svalbard
.
BTW I was always talking only about immigration here and my “dollar” is transferred meaning for opportunity or rights
So,conclusion is that you are lucky to be born in first world country because that is something that you didn’t have influence or power to choose. Everything that happened and you didn’t have power on it,and it is good, is luck,and everything that happened and you didn’t have power on it,and it is bad, is bad luck.Now we are coming to right to stay here after divorce, Icelandic women (or man) can stay here no meter what,and have right for be in love or not to be in love(with Norwegian or any Scandinavian citizen),nobody will check and treat them like criminals (that is how we feel because of treatment from UDI). Do they really need three years or more for prove of love? I think that false marriage can be proved much earlier than that.And what is about work? They don’t give me permission to work until my case is grounded. How they think that marriage will survive in any country in the world if you are struggling on every day basis,there is no such a love that can survive with destroyed finance completely. It is like we are on some punishment only because I am born in wrong country?!! Of course my marriage will be in crisis with no money and that will result to divorce and than they will say- “You see,we were wright,they were not in love,just want to use our country”! And BTW,nobody have benefit of not give me permission to work because I would pay taxes to this country if I would work and everybody would be happy. And again,after all this torture,Icelandic woman have more right to stay here than me,after divorce? And I was married before I came here,is that count? Seems like not. They just want to force us to leave this country and make very difficult just to play with our life’s .Hurts more when you see how easy is for others even when they didn’t deserve that in any other way but to be born in right country.
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from L-Jay:
Everything that you are going through I am also going through. The only difference from you and me is the places we get exported to if we don’t fulfill the permit requirements. I too feel like I’m seen as a ‘criminal’ especially when I walk into the immigration office. I have to take in my kids, my husband usually has to speak for me and I have to get witnesses to say that my marriage isn’t a fraud. Every year I’ve had to do this. (It is very embarrassing having to ask people to witness for us that our marriage is a loving one and not a ‘marriage of convenience’.) The image of immigrants effects all immigrants. I am just lucky that I can mostly hide my immigrant status because of the colour of my skin but as soon as I open my mouth I give myself away.
One of the major reason why Norwegians don’t like immigrants is because many immigrants claim social benefits. Norwegians think immigrants abuse their social system – they sit at home, have babies and don’t work, all-the-while working Norwegians have to pay for them. Immigrants have to constantly prove their value in Norwegian society because of this. I get frowned at for being a stay-at-home-mum as I’m seen as an immigrant who ‘has babies, sits at home and doesn’t work’. The other major reason is the crime statistics. There is more crime done by immigrants in Norway than Norwegians, especially very bad crimes like rape and stabbings from ethnic immigrants. Rape has become a big problem in Oslo and government authorities are telling Norwegians that it is the Norwegian girls fault as ethnic men think the girls want to be rape because of the way they dress. And the first people to get blamed for all the bad immigrants is UDI for letting them in the country in the first place. So you can see that a few bad seeds are spoiling it for the rest of us. UDI then reacts by changing laws that make it tougher for everyone (as sometimes you can’t tell if a person is a criminal until the commit a crime.) One of the reasons why certain countries a greater restrictions on immigration is because their home country does not keep sufficient records on criminal activity. In they let a psychopath into the country they just need to lay dormant for three years to get a settlement permit and then Norway can’t kick them out no matter what harm they do. So, even though the rules are strict on everyone, it is good to keep Norway safe for all of us, even immigrants.
I have a couple more months on my third residency permit before I can go for a settlement permit. I can’t wait because I’m hoping it will make me feel less on an ‘intruder’. But even on a settlement permit I have to check-in every two years to up-date my info and picture. But until then, I could still face a cancelation of my permit and be forced to go back home unless I apply for humanitarian consideration to stay in Norway for my kids. I certainly think this is not fair, not because I am Australian and from a first world country, but because I have given so much to this country. I have volunteered much of my time and talents for children, schools and the whole community. I’ve mentored youth, produced many activities and events and have supported festivals for no compensation. I do a lot more for the community than many Norwegians, but yet, this doesn’t mean a thing when it comes to immigration.
Immigration is hard but Norway is a lot easier than other first world countries. If you want to immigrate to Australia you have to pay the government heaps of money and are under a lot tougher restrictions than Norway. If you are an Asylum seeker you are put in a prison in the desert so you can’t escape. You have to live there until a court decides your fate and most are deported. Even if you arrive in Australia with not enough money in your pocket you can be deported. It would even be hard for me to return back to Australia because I would have to go through an immigration process even though I am a citizen. It is because I am not a resident. Australian actually has an agreement with New Zealand similar to Norway with other Nordic countries. At the moment it is easier for New Zealanders to enter Australia than me…lol.
But all this immigration stuff isn’t about Norway. It is about immigration – to any country. Don’t hate the country – hate the Western world immigration process.
Hello,
Can you guide us on “Study permit for Skilled worker”?
I found found some information about it on UDI website.
But still confused about requerment.
Can you help us in this?
Regards
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from L-Jay:
Read through the post and comments and you will find your answer.
Hi L-Jay!
Just wanted to thank you that I got residence permit in Norway after such a short period because of your advice,I could prepared many paper work prior entering to Norway:))
My husband is Norwegian citizen and I am Japanese.
After I arrived in Norway (with 90days permit),we arranged marriage with the court house. It was very smooth took us about 2weeks and could make an appointment right away we turned in the paper -declaration of marriage.
We had a little ceremony and had a temporary marriage certificate,then applied for family immigration to the local police station in town nearby.
paid in cash at police 3000NOK and lady at counter said it will take about 3 weeks if there is no problem.
Fortunately, we got paper back from them and said that I am entitled to get one year residence permit(comes with work permit also) bring my passport. very very lucky I think. Thank you again.
Now I am taking Norwegian course Trinn 1. still hard to speak.. but want to have work experience so will try my best.
One question for you, I know that it will take 3 years in order to apply permanent residence, also need to have 300 hours Norwegian course.. is there any free language course from government for residence permit? or need to take one of those school course which I go now and pay the fee(about 2000 NOK for 30 hours) until I finish 300 hours?
If you could give me an advise, I would really appreciated.
Tusen takk.
mvh,
Kana
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from L-Jay:
I think you should question your school about the fee you have to pay. Generally for immigrants who are married to a Norwegian citizen they get free tuition, usually up to 300 hours but sometimes up to 3000 hours. However, this depends on the kommune you belong to. I live in Tromsø and I get my tuition for free.
Well I have been threw this process over and over.. When i came to Norway i was married and my wife took everything from me.
Since then i have been threw the court system here 3x on the welfare of my son.
Norway insist i don’t see him even though he lives with me.. It has dissolved me of 17 years of my life.. Family and economy with no end in sight. Last time the UDI of Norway answered my case was 3 years ago. When i try to seek help with this.. no one knows anything.
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from L-Jay:
If you are still in Norway I’m sure you have an option to ge a state appointed lawyer to try your case. It sounds like you have grounds for humanitarian status.
Well L-Jay
We had over 7 Lawyers as it is.. nothing gets done they take there sweet time in the case which takes up to 3 years or more each time.. some of the Lawyers did not want to do the job at all after 2 years.. due to they get very little money from the community to do so.
We are still waiting a answer from the last .. which is now almost 3 years 2 months. which will bring me and my kids a Total of 18 years of this.
I have a question.
I want to work in Norway as an au pair. Since in my country there are no agencies providing au pair services to Europe is used a website called Au Pair world and found a Norwegian family.
The paperwork is already in Norway and I might be getting the permit in the next 4 months.
I just have a question. Does UDI check into those families like, do they make sure that the family is legal and actually exists? This worries me a little due to the fact I have read a lot about au pairs being used in human trafficking.
Is there a way that the family can be checked just to be 100% sure that I will be safe? Thanks
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from L-Jay:
Well, in your application you should have included copies of your host family’s passports. UDI says:
I’m sure that these passports should be checked by the authorities to make sure you are not related to them. Plus they fill in and sign forms etc that will be cross checked. Norway is one of the safest countries in the world ut if in doubt don’t do it.
Hi L-Jay
I really appreciate your website and the great info. I am engaged to a Norwegian and happily pregnant with his baby. I am currently in the US getting my paperwork together to send in for my fiance permit. I have called UDI several times and cannot get a clear answer on two things. First, my fiance wants to pay the fee for the paperwork to be sent in and we cannot figure out where or who to pay. Second, on the website it says I can send my paperwork to UDI on one page and on another says if I send it to UDI they will send it back. I have no idea where to turn in the paperwork. Everything is ready to go but we cannot seem to get any clear answers on these things from anyone. I was hoping you might know. Thank you so much for your help!
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from L-Jay:
If you are in the US you have to send (or give) your application to a Norwegian Embassy/Consulate on US soil. When you are in Norway you send (give) your papers to the immigration office at the police station in your town. UDI is an immigraion-governing organisation and only has an office in Oslo. Most often it is the consulate or police that can approve straight forwar applications. UDI only handles difficult ones like asylum or humanitarian seekers.
hi l-jay
im lebanese national, living in lithuania whic ie europeon country for six years i finished studies and got a deplom of general medecine here in lithuania and im thinking to go to norway to start residency, im married from a lithuanian nationality , and we r living in lithuania together and we want to travel to norway together so, is it easy to find a place for medical residency, and to get work permint , and another question is that i had unofortuned marriage so i had another wife with whom i devorced not from a long time, and now im having another wife , would this make problems for me to get work permit? thank you
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from L-Jay:
There are generally a good amount of medical jobs available in Norway. If you are duly qualified you should have good chances. You will need to make sure your English is up to scratch.
Great web page … Thanks a lot L-Jay
Hi L-Jay, I am Andy from Indonesia. Thank you very much for your cool website. It makes me feel that I am in Norway already!
My Indonesian friend will marry to a Norwegian man.
She will visit him using a tourist visa.
I think she can’t marry in Norway using a tourist visa right?
I told her about Fiance permit which she can apply on Norwegian Embassy in Indonesia
Is it possible for her to live in Norway during the permit processing time or she must not enter Norway till Fiance Permit granted?
Once again thanks for your kind help and do have wonderful days
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from L-Jay:
People from Indonesia need a visa to enter Norway and the Schengen area, therefore, your friend cannot apply for family reunion or fiance permit inside Norway. She must apply at a Norwegian Embassy in Indonesia and wait until her application has been approved before she can travel. Be aware that if she travels while waiting for the visa the visa application will likely be rejected.
Thank you very much L-Jay for the answer.
I just told her about your reply.
I suggest her to visit the Norwegian man for 3 months using a tourist visa.So they would know each other more.
They start to chat since August 2010, they will meet for the first time on February 2011 and she will stay with him till May 2011.
I told her to apply Fiance Permit to Norway Embassy in Indonesia when she arrive on May.
In your own opinion do you think UDI would approve the Fiance permit as they only meet on chat/emails since August, first time meet on February and go back to Indonesia on May ’11?
Because its just about total 9 months they know each other !
Thanks again for your kind suggestion, L-Jay
Sorry for my bad English
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from L-Jay:
I think it is very wise to meet first before committing to marriage and Norway. This will only help the application process and will give greater evidence at interview that the marriage will be for real.
Dear L-Jay…
I’m writing to you here because I’m very confused at the moment. I’m engaged to a wonderful guy who is a Norwegian national. We have been in a relationship for 2 and a half years, and we’ve been engaged since February. We are in a beautiful and genuine relationship and all that we both truly want is to be together. Whether it was in Norway, my home country or anywhere else in the world. But so far, we haven’t had luck in finding a way to stay together. He’s still a student so he’s bound to stay in Norway at least until his studies are done. For the last 2 years we have been reading up the laws, asked questions, sent e-mails. He called UDI personally to discuss what should be done. But we’re just hitting walls. We’re literally afraid to even apply for any kind of permit out of fear or not seeing each other for over a year. We’re holding on to a chance to at least be together for 3 months at a time, even though being pulled away from him has been a painful and traumatic experience for me every single time. I’m a very emotional person and get serious separation anxiety while being away from him. It’s really hard on us and we don’t know what the best course of action would be. We want to get married but we don’t know what the best way to do things is. We wanted to get married right after we got engaged. At that time I was in Norway and we thought that after we get married we could maybe apply for my permit at a police station. But everybody suggested that I should go back home either way and wait there. It scared us so we decided to investigate some more. But now I’ve read the message from Krista, the Japanese girl, and from her post it seems like she managed to get a permission to stay in Norway while her application is being processed. I really don’t understand. The best idea that me and my sweetheart have so far is to get married to Norway during one of my visits, then I’d go back to my home country, apply for family reunification with him and also for type – D visa so I could be allowed to enter Norway and wait for my application to be processed there. In that case we’d still need to be apart for 3 months since the date on type – D visa needs to be 3 months from the day you applied for it. We’re both very confused and we just want to do the things right so we can stop living in a fear of separation. The country I come from is Croatia btw. I have been visiting Norway very often during our whole relationship and I have never overstayed my visit. I’m also putting a lot of effort into investigating things and gathering all the possible information they would need. Also I can’t figure out how much time that process would take. The case processing times on UDI don’t specify how much time it’s usually needed for different kinds of family immigration applications. Do you have any information on how much time we’d have to be separated? I would be so very thankful for any information that you can provide.
Best wishes to you and your husband!
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from L-Jay:
Citizens from Croatia do not require a visa to enter Norway because of the exemption agreement between the two countries. This means that you might be eligible to enter Norway, get married within three months and then apply for family reunification while in Norway.
UDI says:
Oh I’m sorry, I just noticed I was referring to the wrong post. I was talking about a post from Kana, not Krista. So I just wanted to clear that up. Thanks so much for your help in advance.
hello! i would like to know something , my boyfriend is Norwegian, im gay and we have a relationship 2 years ago by internet i tried to travel before but my visa was rejected , im from colombia, now he is comming to colombia and we r going to be here together for 3 months, we have plans for the future we wanna apply for a marriage permit, can we do it ? is there any exception because we r a gay couple and it is impossilble to get married in colombia? i wanna be with him , we both love . he is 21 and im 18 could this be a problem ? he was in the army last year so he didnt have such as good incomes but now this year he has a normal job . can we still apply for that marriage permit ? please i wanna know this soon , coz we wanna be together but it is a big problem now, too much rules and too much things , even he has thought of moving to Colombia and live here . help please!
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from Moose:
In terms of getting a marriage permit, gay and hetero couples are equal by law in Norway. However, it may cause complications if your visa was rejected before. You really should check with the Norwegian embassy before making any life-changing decisions.