Move to Norway from the UK - Rely on Our Immigration Lawyers

Updated on Wednesday 15th November 2023

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If you are planning to move to Norway from the UK, you need to get acquainted with the main ways you can do that and the types of residence permits you can obtain. Also, the immigration procedure can be divided into that of people holding EU residency and non-EU residents.

Below, our Norwegian lawyers cover both scenarios under which you can relocate here from the UK.

Immigrate to Norway from the UK as an EU residence permit holder

There is nothing easier than moving to Norway as a British citizen when you have already lived in this country or in another EU country, as you no longer need to go through the residence permit application phase. What is important to note however, is that Norway is not part of the EU, but of the Schengen Area. Also, once Brexit was completed and the Withdrawal Agreement also reached its end, only UK citizens who have lived in any of these countries previously enjoy the benefits of free travel to these states.

If you want to relocate to Norway from the UK and need assistance in applying for your permanent residence permit, you can rely on our law firm.

Types of visas and residence permits for first-time movers to Norway

If you are planning to move to Norway from the UK for the first time, you need a visa only if you intend to spend more than 3 months in a total period of 6 months in this country. For this purpose, you will need one of the following visas:

the D visa which enables you to stay in Norway for a maximum period of 6 months;
the visitor/tourist visa for short stays;
the business visa if you are an entrepreneur wanting to open a company in Norway;
the student visa if you are a student and were accepted in a Norwegian superior form of education;
the family visa which enables you to join relatives that already live in Norway.

In terms of Norwegian residence permits, the following options are available:

the retirement visa if you are a retired British citizen and meet the requirements to immigrate to Norway;
the work permit if you are a skilled professional and obtain a job in Norway;
the temporary residence permit which can be obtained for various purposes.

Our immigration lawyers in Norway can advise on the type of visa/residence permit to choose in accordance with your plans.

How to move to Norway from the UK and secure a residence permit

Norwegian temporary residency is available for all the visas mentioned previously than enable you to stay in the country for more than 3 months. Also, British expats are qualified to apply for a permanent residency permit after 3 years of residing in Norway. In this sense, you must file an application with the Norwegian Immigration Directorate (UDI). Upon approval, applicants will be issued permanent residency card which has a validity of 2 years.

If you want to move to Norway from the UK permanently, we can help you gather and file the necessary documents with the UDI.

Qualification for citizenship in Norway

If you immigrate to Norway from the UK with the intention of remaining here, you will become eligible for citizenship at a certain point. However, there are several prerequisites that must be satisfied in order to become a citizen of Norway. Depending on the type of permanent residency visa you possess, your eligibility will change. A few of these are:

having resided permanently in Norway for at least 8 years;
have good Norwegian language skills;
pass the Norwegian citizenship test.

How many British citizens live in Norway?

According to news, at the level of 2021:

there were 13,395 British citizens living in Norway;
at the same time, approximately 18,000 Norwegian citizens resided in the UK at that time.

If you need support to move to Norway from the UK, feel free to get in touch with our lawyers.