How to Obtain a Norway Student Visa?
A student visa, also referred to as a student residency permit, may be required if you intend to spend some time studying in Norway.
Who can enrol in school in Norway without a student visa?
Neither a student visa nor a police registration are required for students from Iceland, Denmark, Sweden, or Finland in order to enter Norway. But if you intend to stay longer than six months to pursue your studies in Norway, you must go to a tax office there to have your identification checked and to register your move.
Without requesting a student residence permit, students from member countries of the European Economic Area (EEA) and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) may study in Norway for up to 90 days.
For stays of more than 90 days, these students must apply for a student residence permit. The procedure is quite simple: you must first register online with the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration, providing information about your Norwegian correspondence address, and then, once you have arrived, you must go in person to the nearest police station to present the necessary documentation proving your right to live there.
You must prove:
- Your ID card
- Confirmation of enrolment in a school that has been approved
- European Health Insurance Card or personal health insurance (EHIC)
- Declaring that you have the resources necessary to support yourself while you study in Norway
If you qualify for one of the various exceptions to the visa requirement indicated on the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI) website, you do not even need to apply for a student visa.
Norway’s requirements for obtaining a student visa
You need to have been accepted to a course of study at a college or university in order to be granted a student visa for Norway (with some exemptions). Following receipt of your letter of acceptance, you should apply for a study permit from your place of origin by contacting the nearest Norwegian Embassy or Consulate.
While some applicants can submit their applications electronically from within Norway or through a Norwegian embassy, the majority of students must submit a paper application to the Norwegian embassy or consulate that is most convenient for them.
Your passport and other required paperwork must be sent with your completed student residency permit application form. You will have to supply:
- Filled-out application form
- Receipt for the application fee, which is NOK 5,300 (about US$650).
- A legitimate passport (i.e. passport)
- Two recent pictures the size of a passport with a white backdrop as proof of enrollment in a full-time course of study
Evidence of enough financial resources, including money to support any accompanying family members, should be in a Norwegian bank account for the duration of the research time (You can typically deposit the necessary money into an account set up by your educational institution as opening an account in a Norwegian bank without a Norwegian personal number can be challenging). You must demonstrate that you have access to NOK 116,369, or roughly $14,350, for each academic year (10 months).
- Proof that you are living somewhere (such as a house, apartment, bedsit or room in a hall of residence)
- Showing proof that you’ll depart Norway when your visa expires (usually in the form of a return ticket)
- Print off the completed and signed UDI document checklist and submit it with your other documents.
It is essential to submit an application as soon as you are able because student residence permits can take up to two months to process. If your request is approved, you will need to apply for a residency card. This document, which was issued by the local police department in Norway, serves as verification that you are authorised to reside there. The police station must be visited within seven days of your arrival in Norway. Within 10 working days, your residency card will be mailed to you after your fingerprints and photo are obtained.
