If an EU/EEA/EFTA citizen wants a settlement permit, he/she may apply for a permit that will constitute grounds for the settlement permit.

 

These permits include:

The general rule is that a settlement permit may be granted after holding a permit that constitutes grounds for settlement permit for 3 consecutive years.

A settlement permit, however, may be granted if a person has held permits that constitute grounds for settlement permit if there are either:

The settlement permit is represented by a sticker in your passport. The sticker functions as a return-visa to Norway and the other Schengen area. It is valid for two years, and must therefore be renewed after this time. You must go to the police to have the sticker inserted in your passport, but it is not necessary to apply for renewal in advance. You can renew the sticker no more than six months before it expires.
 
An expired sticker does not mean that you have lost leave to settle. However, without a valid visa sticker, as a foreign national who requires a visa, you will require your own visa to re-enter Norway. It is therefore important to ensure that an expired sticker is renewed before leaving the country.
 
EU/EEA citizens who have a settlement permit do not require a sticker, as they can enter Norway without a visa. They are still given a sticker that is valid for 25 years.