Immigrate to Norway from USA

Updated on Tuesday 11th October 2022

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Norway is one of the most prolific economies in Northern Europe. With high living standards and conditions, but with multiple possibilities compared to other countries, Norway attracts investors and highly skilled people who want to work in top industries, such as gas and oil, and green power-related industries.

Not only citizens of other European countries seek to move to Norway, but US citizens are also attracted by the idea of living here. So, if you decide to immigrate to Norway from USA, this guide is for you.

Our lawyers in Norway can help you apply for the necessary type of residence permit in accordance with the duration of stay and your purpose.

Types of visas under which you can immigrate to Norway from USA

Short-term travels are conditioned by visitor or tourist visas for citizens of non-EU and non-EEA countries, however, when you plan to relocate to Norway from USA and stay here for more than 90 days (the standard validity of a tourist visa), you will need to obtain a residence permit.

Norwegian residence permits are divided into temporary and permanent ones, and to obtain the second type, you must apply for the first type in the beginning.

There is also the investor visa through which Norwegian residency can be acquired.

Our law firm in Norway is at your service with tailored services no matter the type of residence permit you want to apply for when moving here from the United States.

Temporary residency – the easiest path to Norwegian citizenship for US citizens

If you want to immigrate to Norway from USA, the temporary residence permit is the main visa you can apply for an easy relocation. The main advantage of obtaining is that it can validity periods, which provides for a high degree of flexibility.

The main purposes under which temporary residency can be obtained if you move to Norway from USA are:

employment;
business creation;
family reunification;
study.

Each purpose must be properly documented. For example, if you decide to relocate here based on employment, you must first seek and obtain a job offer and a work contract that will be used as proof when applying for residency.

If you decide to open a business in Norway, you can obtain a work and residence permit if you decide to be employed in your own company. However, if you are willing to invest at least 100,000 euros, you can qualify for the investor visa (this option, however, comes with additional requirements).

If you have family members that already live here, family reunification can be the simplest way to relocate to Norway from USA based on kinship.

If you are a student, the acceptance letter from the university can be used to enter and stay in the country for the period of your studies.

What should be noted about the temporary residence permit is that it can be granted for:

its minimum duration is 1 year, no matter the way you choose to move here;
its maximum duration is 3 years, following which you can apply for permanent residency;
if you do not want to apply for permanent residency, you can keep renewing the temporary one every 2 years;
citizenship can be obtained after 7 years of living in Norway.

Do not hesitate to discuss your options with our immigration lawyers in Norway. If you already live here, you can count on if you want to renew your immigration papers.

Conditions to obtain permanent residence as a US citizen in Norway

Apart from being required to live in Norway for 3 years, there are also other requirements to comply with if you want to remain here indefinitely.

There are:

in the 3 years prior to permanent residency, you must have not skipped the temporary renewal period by more than 3 months;
in the same 3 years, if you have left Norway, you must have not lived elsewhere for more than 7 months;
you have been financially independent during your stay here.

If you plan to immigrate to Norway from USA, no matter the type of residence permit you apply for, you should know that the paperwork is processed by the Directorate of Immigration.

Living in Norway as a US citizen

When you decide to move to Norway as a US citizen you should be aware that the salaries here are some of the highest in Europe, but so are the living costs. However, these also depend on the part of the country you live in. While around metropolitan areas, such as Oslo, living costs are higher, in more remote places, these are lower. However, Norway has one of the most advanced infrastructures on the Old Continent.

If you decide to immigrate to Norway from USA and need assistance, do not hesitate to contact our lawyers who can help you apply for any type of residence permit, including citizenship, if you decide on it.