In order to obtain a settlement permit, you must as a general rule have lived in Norway for three consecutive years (see exemptions below). During these three years, you must have held a type of residence or work permit which constitutes grounds for a settlement permit. This covers among others persons who have been granted asylum, residence on humanitarian grounds, family reunification or a skilled worker/specialist permit. If you are unsure about whether your permit constitutes grounds for a settlement permit, you will be able to see this in previous decisions and in the regulations to which they refer.
In order to obtain a settlement permit, the terms under which the original work or residence permit was granted must continue to be met. For example, if you obtained a residence permit on the grounds that you married in Norway, you must still be married and living together with your spouse in order to obtain a settlement permit. However, once you have been granted a settlement permit, you cannot lose it, even if the grounds for the original permit no longer pertain, for example due to unemployment or divorce.
A settlement permit may be granted in certain cases if you have held a permit which constitutes grounds for a settlement permit for at least one year. There must be particularly strong grounds, or you must previously have lived in Norway for a long time with permission (a minimum of eight to 10 years). For example, this can apply if you have previously had a long period of residence in the country with a permit to study or if you are a citizen of the EU/EEA/EFTA who has previously had a long period of residence in the country with an EU/EEA/EFTA permit. In addition, a settlement permit may be granted to spouses/partners and children of Norwegian citizens employed at a Norwegian foreign service mission.
In order for residence to be considered consecutive, you must:
- In a three year period not have had residence between the permits that altogether is more that three months. Such periods without a permit are counted from the expiry date of a permit until the application for renewal is submitted.
- Not have lived outside Norway for more than seven months over the course of the last three years (see exemptions below).
Certain groups of applicant may stay abroad for up to 15 months without losing their right to be granted a settlement permit. This applies to foreign nationals with a work permit as a skilled worker/specialist, or to foreign nationals who have a permit based on a professorship or other academic position at a similar level at a Norwegian university or specialised university institution. It is a requirement in these cases that at least eight of these months outside Norway are on assignment for the employer.
The period of residence begins from the date on which you were granted your initial residence or work permit. If this permit was granted prior to your arrival in Norway, the period of residence begins from the date you report to the police after arriving in the country. This also applies to resettlement refugees. For asylum seekers who are granted asylum, the period of residence is counted from the date on which the asylum application was registered. The period of residence for asylum seekers who are granted residence on humanitarian grounds is counted from the date the residence permit was granted.
An application for a settlement permit may be rejected if you commit a criminal offence which could lead to deportation. If you receive a sentence or a fine but are not deported, an extended period of residence is required before a settlement permit can be granted.
On 1 September 2005, a new scheme made it the right and obligation of applicants to attend courses in Norwegian language (minimum 250 hours) and social studies (minimum 50 hours). Completion of this tuition is generally a condition of the settlement permit for everyone who:
- Was granted their first residence or work permit after 1 September 2005.
- Is aged between 16 and 55, and who is not exempt under paragraph 4, section 17 of the Act Relating to the Introductory Programme.
Information about your “Right and obligation to learn Norwegian”
If you are a national of an EU/EEA/EFTA country and wish to apply for a settlement permit, you must satisfy the same requirements. Thus if you wish to apply for a settlement permit, you must have a permit that constitutes grounds for a settlement permit (a work or residence permit pursuant to the EU/EEA/-EFTA regulations does not constitute grounds for a settlement permit).
More questions?
If you have more questions about how to apply for a settlement permit, you can contact the Information Service (OTS).
