If you have been granted refugee status by the immigration authorities in Norway, as a general rule you will also be granted a refugee travel document. All other immigrants desiring Norwegian travel documents can apply for an immigrant’s passport.
Applications for a refugee travel document or immigrant’s passport are written on the form for this purpose and delivered in person to the police.
Information on how to contact the police in the district in which you live can be found on the police website
You must have a valid work or residence permit in Norway for your refugee travel document or immigrant’s passport application to be granted.
If you have been granted refugee status by the immigration authorities in Norway, you generally will also be granted a refugee travel document. The spouse, cohabitant or child of a person who has refugee status can also apply for a refugee travel document. The immigration authorities will then assess whether you also meet the requirementsfor being granted refugee status, and thus also a refugee travel document. All other foregn nationals who want a Norwegian travel document can apply for an immigrant’s passport.
If you have been granted a refugee travel document or immigrant’s passport, it is normally valid for all the countries in the world with the exception of your country of origin. However, it may become necessary to travel to your country of origin, and in such a case you can apply for an immigrant’s passport for a single journey which is also valid for travel to the country of origin. Such an application may be granted if there are strong reasonable grounds behind your need to travel to your country of origin. Examples of strong reasonable grounds, which must be documented, are the illness or death of a member of your closest family.
You can also apply for an immigrant’s passport for a single journey even if your application for a Norwegian travel document has previously been rejected. The UDI points out that such an immigrant’s passport is only issued where particular grounds so indicate, for example an emergency requiring urgent travel. This may also apply to trips to another country than your country of origin.
The police have the authority to grant applications for refugee travel documents or immigrant’s passports if specific conditions are met. Applications that the police cannot decide on their own are sent to the UDI for a decision.
The case processing times may vary. An updated list of the average case processing times at the UDI is available at
www.udi.no/caseprocessingtime.
If your application for a refugee travel document or immigrant’s passport is rejected, you may appeal the decision.
Appeals may be lodged by the applicant, a lawyer, guardian or representative with written power of attorney from the applicant. The appeal must be submitted to the police in the district where you live. The police send the appeal together with the other documents in the case to the UDI for processing. If the rejection is sent directly to you or your representative, the appeal may also be sent directly to the UDI. No fee is charged for processing the appeal.
The UDI assesses the appeal and whether the decision can be reversed. If the UDI reverses the decision, the case is sent back to the police so that a refugee travel document or immigrant’s passport can be issued. If the UDI does not reverse the decision, the appeal is sent to the Immigration Appeals Board (UNE) for processing.
More questions about refugee travel documents or immigrant’s passports?
If you are still unsure about who can apply for a refugee travel document or immigrant’s passport, you can contact your nearest police district or
the Information Service (OTS).
