When you apply for a visa to Norway, you must hand in a set of documents along with your application. The Norway Visa requirements depend on the type of visa you want to apply for, as well as your nationality, your circumstances, or the specific Embassy in which you are applying.
However, there is a standard set of requirements that nearly all applicants have to submit, such as the Application Cover Letter, passport, pictures, and so on.
Norway Visa Requirements
The documents you have to submit when applying for a Norwegian Visa are:
- Your passport.
- Application Cover Letter.
- Passport-size pictures.
- Proof of employment.
- Travel health insurance.
- Bank statements.
- Travel itinerary.
- Invitation/Guarantee letter (if applicable).
- Proof of accommodation.
- Birth certificate.
- Marriage certificate (if applicable).
Then, depending on the specific reason you are traveling for, you may also need additional documents.
Make sure you hand in the original documents along with a copy for each of them. If any need to be translated, hand in the translated document as well as the original.
Passport
You have to submit your original passport along with copies of all the used pages in the passport. This includes the personal information page along with pages of any previous visas.
If you had any visas not included in your passport, include them as well.
Your passport must be valid for another three months after your Norway visa expires.
Application Cover Letter
To apply for a Norway Visa, you initially have to register on the website of the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI) and complete an online application. Once you do this, you will receive an email with a Cover Letter (as a PDF attachment), which you have to print out and submit with the rest of your documents.
Visa Pictures
You need at least one picture which meets Schengen Visa photo requirements. As such, it must be:
- On a white background
- Recently taken (within the last three months)
- 35x40mm dimensions
- Your face must be fully visible
- The picture must be of high quality (no shadows, discoloration, over-exposure, etc.)
- Don’t wear a hat. Head coverings are only allowed for religious purposes, and in that case, it must not cover your face.
Proof of Employment Status
If you are employed, self-employed, or a student, you have to submit the relevant documents as proof:
- If you are employed:
- Your work contract
- Permission for work leave, issued by your employer
- Bank statements for the last three months
- If you are self-employed:
- Certificate of business registration
- Bank statements for the last three months
- If you are a student:
- A Letter or Certificate from your university, college, or school
- If you are retired:
- Your Certificate of Retirement/Pension
Travel Health Insurance
Since Norway is part of the Schengen Visa Agreement, when you apply for a Norway Visa, you need travel insurance that complies with Schengen requirements. Your insurance policy must cover at least €30,000 for medical emergencies and evacuation in Norway and the entire Schengen Zone.
Bank Statements
You have to prove that you can cover your financial expenses when you are in Norway. As such, you should submit your bank statements (or other proof of finances), which show that you have at least NOK 500 per day (appx. USD 55) for the whole trip.
If you do not have enough money for your trip, then you need a Guarantor, such as a friend or family member who lives in Norway.
Travel itinerary
The travel itinerary is usually required in the form of a round trip reservation by Embassies. Therefore, to prove that you will return to your home country you will be asked to provide proof that you have booked a return ticket to your home country.
Invitation/Guarantee Letter
These documents are required only if you are travelling to Norway to visit friends or family members or for business purposes. As such:
- For a family or friend visit, you need:
- A “Guarantee Form for Visit” which your family member or friend has to fill and print out from the Directorate of Immigration (UDI) website.
- Invitation Letter for Visa Application, which they must sign
- A copy of your family member or friend’s passport or of their Norway Residence Permit, as applicable.
- If you are travelling for business, you need:
- A Letter of Invitation from the company you will visit in Norway, which states how long you will be there and the reason of your travel. It must also include their organization number.
- A Letter from the company you work in, in your home country, which states the nature of your business and the relations they have with the Norwegian company.
Proof of Accommodation
When you apply for a Norwegian Visa, the Embassy may also ask you to submit proof of accommodation in Norway. This can be:
- Hotel reservation or other tourist accommodation booking
- Rental agreement
- A letter from your guarantor confirming that you will stay with them
Birth and Marriage Certificate
You should submit a valid birth certificate along with your documents. If you are married, also attach your marriage certificate.
Norway Visa Requirements for Minors
If you are under the age of 18, with the other Norway Visa requirements, you should also submit:
- Copies of your parents’ or legal guardians’ passports
- Letter of Consent, signed by both parents or legal guardians. It must state that they authorize you to travel to Norway.
Norway Visa Requirements for Specific Visa Types
In addition to the standard set of documents, you also need additional documents depending on the type of visa you are applying for:
Should You Translate Your Documents for Norway Visa?
All the documents you submit have to be either in English or Norwegian. If they are not, you must have them translated by a certified translator, and then submit the translated documents along with the originals.
Should You Legalize Documents for a Norway Visa?
Certain documents, especially birth and marriage certificates or diplomas, may need to be legalized before you hand them in for your Norway Visa application. Depending on your nationality, you can legalize documents in one of the following ways:
- Through an Apostille Stamp. If you are from a country which is part of the Hague Convention, then you do not need to go through a long process to legalize a document – you can simply get an Apostille Stamp and it will be good to use in any other country within the Hague Convention, such as Norway.
- At the nearest Norwegian Embassy or Consulate-General. If you are not from a country that is part of the Hague Convention, then you must hand in your documents to the nearest Norwegian Embassy or Consulate to be legalized.
Where to Hand in Documents for Norway Visa Application?
When you collect your documents, you have to hand them to one of the following locations, depending on where you live:
- At the Norwegian Embassy or Consulate in your country.
- At a Visa Application Center. Sometimes, Embassies or Consulates outsource visa submissions to private visa application centres, who then forward the application to the relevant Embassy/Consulate. Even if you apply at a VAC, the nearest Norwegian Embassy/Consulate will process your application and make a decision.
- The Norwegian Embassy/Consulate in a neighbouring country. If there is no Norwegian Embassy or Consulate in your country, but there is one in a neighboring country, you may have to travel there to submit the documents. They may also allow you to hand them in via mail.
- The Embassy/Consulate of another Schengen country. In many cases, if there is no Norwegian Embassy/Consulate in your country, the Embassy of another Schengen country will handle the visa application. For example, you may have to submit the documents at the Finish Embassy.
Usually, when you start the Visa application on the Directorate of Immigration website and provide your nationality and country of residence, you will be shown where you can submit the documents as well.