At the present time no visa for Norway is required of North American, or most Central American, South American and European citizens. Several other countries, mainly in East Asia, are also exempted from this requirement. For detailed information about tourist visa requirements see Norwegian Directorate of Immigration. You may also check with the internet pages of the Norwegian Embassy/Consulate General in your country.

Please note that it may take several months to obtaina a visa. Visa application procedures should therefore be started immediately upon admission to the ISS. ISS students who are not going to stay in Norway more than 3 months should apply for a tourist visa and not a student visa.

The application for visa should be made on a special form available from and addressable to the Norwegian Embassy/Consulate General in your country of residence. The application should be submitted together with your valid passport and the formal letter of admission to the International Summer School, including the enclosed insurance information. Beyond this the ISS unfortunately is not able to assist students with their visa applicaiton.

Should you have any problems receiving an answer to your visa application in time, you should contact the Norwegian Embassy/Consulate in your home country, or the Norwegian Immigration Authorities at the following address in Norway:

Utlendingsdirektoratet
P.O.Box 8108 Dep.
0032 Oslo, Norway
Telephone: +47 23 35 15 00
Telefax: +47 23 35 15 01
URL: http://www.udi.no/default.aspx?id=2112

A ban on primary immigration is still in force in Norway. This means, according to the immigration authorities, that no one will be given a residence permit for more than three months. Particular rules apply to EU-citizens, and exceptions are made for students who have already been accepted for studies during the regular terms of a Norwegian university or other educational institution, and the immediate family of Norwegians and of immigrants in Norway. Accordingly, students accepted for summer studies only do not qualify for a residence permit for a longer period of time.

Note: It may take several months to obtain a visa.