Who can apply for family immigration?
People living in Norway are entitled, if they meet certain conditions, to bring their closest family members here. It is the family members abroad who must apply for family immigration. An overview of which family members can be granted a family immigration permit is shown below. NB: Separate rules apply for citizens of EEA countries.
You can be granted a family immigration permit if you are one of the closest family members of the person who lives in Norway. Here “closest family members” are defined as:
- A spouse or registered partner over 18 years of age, where the couple are to live together in Norway
- Cohabitants over 18 years of age, where the couple have lived together for at least two years and intend to continue their cohabitation
- Children, where both parents are or are going to be legally resident in Norway
- Children who only have one parent settled in Norway. It is a requirement that the parent living in Norway has sole parental responsibility or, if parental responsibility is shared, that the other parent gives his or her consent
- Adopted children with adoptive parents in Norway where the consent of the Norwegian Directorate for Children, Youth and Family Affairs is given before entry
- Parents and siblings under 18 years of age of a child who is a resettlement refugee or who has asylum status in Norway
- The mother or father of a Norwegian child. He or she must permanently live with the child and have parental responsibility for the child. The mother or father must not have a spouse or cohabitant when he or she comes to Norway
- A mother or father who has access rights to a child who lives in Norway with the other parent. The person must have lived in Norway with a permit for the previous year
You can find a more detailed definition of the conditions governing closest family members in sections 22 and 23 of the Immigration Regulations.
Other family members may also be granted a family immigration permit if more detailed conditions are met. You can apply for family immigration if you are:
- Over 18 years of age and intending to enter into marriage or a registered partnership in Norway
- A cohabitant who has or is expecting a child with the person you are applying for family immigration to join
- A single mother or father over the age of 60 without a spouse, cohabitant or relative in ascending or descending line in the country of origin, and for whom the son or daughter in Norway has special responsibility
- Parents may visit their children in Norway for up to 9 months, either consecutively or separately. This is a temporary permit and it is a requirement that the parents return to their country of origin on the expiry of the permit.
- A child aged between 18 and 21 years of age without a spouse or cohabitant, who has previously had long-term residence in Norway with a permit
- A child over 18 years of age without a spouse or cohabitant, who is or becomes left in the country of origin when the remainder of the family obtain residence in Norway, or who for medical reasons is completely dependent on personal care from parents in Norway
- A foster child, if the person living in Norway has exercised parental responsibility for the child in line with the law of the country of origin, and the child is an established member of the family. The foster home must be approved by the Norwegian child protection authorities
- A full sibling under 18 years of age with no mother or father living and without any other carer in the country of origin or country of residence
You can find a more detailed definition of the conditions governing closest family members in section 24 of the Immigration Regulations.
Definition of child
In these cases a child means a person under 18 years of age with no spouse or cohabitant.
Spouses and partners
Registered partners have the same status as spouses. This means that all information on spouses also applies to registered partners.
If you do not fall within any of the categories above, or do not otherwise meet all the conditions, the UDI will always assess whether there are any strong humanitarian considerations which indicate that your application for family immigration should nevertheless be granted.
More questions?
If you are still unsure about who can apply for family immigration, you can contact your local Norwegian embassy or consulate, or the Information Service (OTS).
Last updated:
10.04.2006
Published:
10.04.2006
