6 Residence and work permits for members of the service staff of the mission

6.1 Members of the service staff of the mission

Members of the service staff of the mission are in the domestic service of a mission (Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations Article 1g). Service staff must register with the Protocol Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Each person who is to be registered must submit a completed registration card and two passport photographs. Service staff who hold official (service) passports should also submit a specimen of their signature. The Ministry will issue renewable one-year residence permits to persons taking up service as members of the service staff at foreign missions in Norway.

In principle, there are no objections to the recruitment of Norwegian nationals or permanent residents in Norway as service staff at foreign missions.

6.2 Family members of members of the service staff of the mission

Residence permits for family members of service staff who hold national passports and are employed at foreign missions in Norway, are not issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Applications should be sent to the Norwegian Embassy/Consulate General in the family members’ place of residence, and must be accompanied by proof of means of subsistence and social security coverage.

Please note that more time is required to deal with applications for family members of service staff than for the member of the service staff in question.