Country Profile:

Located on the western side of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Norway stands alongside Sweden, Finland, and Denmark as one of the four Nordic nations. The country is a highly developed country,  from 2009 to 2011 and from 2013 to 2018, Norway consistently ranked at the top in the global Human Development Index.

Capital: Oslo

Population: 5,488,984  (2023,118th)

Ethnic Groups: 81.5% Norwegian

Area: 385,207 km²(61st)

Offical Language: Norwegian

Currency: Norwegian krone (NOK)

GDP per Captial: $82,236 (16th)

How To Immigrate To Norway:

Despite its population of roughly 5 million, Norway is home to nearly 877,200 international residents. Beyond those who come for family reunification, refuge, or employment, foreigners have options to relocate to Norway using self-employment visas（minimum income requirement 35, 719 euros per year） or the Svalbard digital nomad visa(minimum income requirement 35, 000 euros per year), facilitating long-term work and residence.

Independent Contractor Visa:

Norway offers a visa application channel called the “Independent contractor visa” for self-employed persons. The visa is valid for a maximum of two years and can be renewed at least once. The primary economic requirement for the applicant is a stable income of more than 35,719 euros per year.

Several key requirements for this visa are:

• Applicants must either be self-employed or running a business.

• Demonstrable economic links to Norway, including having at least one Norwegian client, and proof that the client offers substantial remuneration.

• A verifiable residence address within Norway.

The necessary documents for the visa include: passport, 2 passport-sized photos; completed application forms; proof of address and residence in Norway; proof of self-employment and business connections in Norway; proof of educational background; personal CV, including an income statement with bank transaction proof; and proof of payment of the application fee.

The required procedure is roughly as follows:

1. Entry to Norway: Applicants need to apply for a Schengen visa overseas and must enter Norway at least once.

2. Gathering all necessary documents: The applicant needs to confirm their address in Norway and collect proof of business connections in Norway.

3. Visa application: Once all the required materials are prepared, applicants can make a visa application appointment online (application address provided on the website), pay a visa fee of 600 euros, and then apply for the visa offline. If the applicant is in Norway, they can apply at a nearby police station. If outside Norway, they can apply at a consulate, but they must provide proof of a Norwegian address and business connection.

4. Await visa approval: The visa review process can take several months.

The self-employment visa in Norway is valid for a maximum of 2 years and can be renewed for another 2 years. After living in Norway for 3 years, foreigners can apply for permanent residency locally.

Svalbard Digital Nomad Visa:

Svalbard, an archipelago nestled in Norway’s Arctic extremes, is as cold as it is captivating, with ice and snow blanketing 60% of its expanse. Post-pandemic, Svalbard unveiled a digital nomad visa scheme to allure foreign remote workers, setting an annual income benchmark of over 35,000 euros.

The necessary documents for the visa are as follows:

• A passport with a validity of more than 6 months.

• Completed digital nomad visa application form.

• Two passport-sized photos.

• Proof of residence in Svalbard.

• Educational credentials.

• Proof of income.

• Valid health insurance.

• The applicant’s most recent CV.

The Svalbard digital nomad visa can be applied for entirely online, with the application process being:

1. Submission: First, applicants must register online on the Norwegian Immigration Bureau website. Once all the required materials are prepared, you can choose to submit the application online or in person at a Norwegian overseas consulate.

2. Entry: After a review process of approximately one month (or around two weeks if applied for within Norway), applicants will be informed of the visa decision. Once approved, the applicant can enter Svalbard. If intending to stay in Svalbard for more than 6 months, one must register at the local population office within 8 days of arrival.

The fee for the Svalbard digital nomad visa is 600 euros. There is no set validity period for the visa, meaning it’s essentially a lifetime visa.

Work Visa:

Norway has not joined the EU Blue Card program. For foreigners to obtain a Norwegian work visa, they must secure a contract from a local employer.

The general validity of a Norwegian work visa is 2 years, renewable every 2 years. After living in the country for 3 years, foreigners can apply for permanent residency in Norway.

Naturalization:

After legally residing in Norway for a full 3 years, foreigners can apply for permanent residency in Norway.

Foreigners who possess permanent residency and have lived in Norway for at least 8 of the past 11 years (or are married to a Norwegian and have resided locally for a minimum of 3 years), understand the Norwegian language (with a score of B1 or above in the Norwegian language test), are familiar with the country’s society, culture, customs, have no criminal record, and have stayed within Norway from the time of application to naturalization, are eligible to apply for Norwegian citizenship.

Passport Power:

Norway recognizes dual citizenship. Its passport is ranked jointly sixth in the world. Norwegian citizens can freely travel (either visa-free or with visa on arrival) to 189 countries and regions globally.

Useful Links：

Norway Visa：https://www.udi.no/en