1. Once you have submitted all the application documents to the embassy, the embassy will decide within 15 days whether you can be granted a visa.
2. If the embassy is in doubt about whether you can be granted a visa, they will forward your case to UDI.
3. As soon as your application is next to be processed, UDI will consider and normally make a decision in your case within 45 days of submitting the application to the VFS application centre, embassy or consulate. 
4. Once your application has been processed, the embassy will notify you. If you have authorised someone to represent you in connection with your case, this person will be notified and has to inform you. 

If you have new documentation for your case, you must send it to the embassy. 

If UDI asked you to send us the documentation, you can send it directly to us. You can send it to the person who asked for it, or send it in as described on this page.

If the application is processed by the responsible embassy in the country where you apply, you will usually receive an answer within 15 days of submitting the application at the VFS application centre, embassy or consulate.

If your application is processed by an embassy in another country, it will take a few more days, because your application must be sent by courier to and from the embassy.

The vast majority of applications are processed by the embassy, but if the embassy is in doubt as to whether you can get a visa, they will send your application to UDI.

We cannot answer whether the case will be sent to UDI, since it is the embassy that decides this. If your case is sent to UDI, you will be notified by e-mail or SMS. If the case is sent to UDI for processing, you will usually receive a response within 45 days of submitting the application at the VFS application centre, embassy or consulate.

You will find more information about our waiting times here.

If your application for a visitor visa is still with the embassy, UDI cannot give you an answer as to how long it will take until it is completed. Please contact the relevant embassy (external website) or VFS (external website).

Unfortunately, UDI cannot assist you if your case is with the embassy or with VFS Global. They will answer you as soon as possible.

Please note that embassies/consulates can only be contacted via e-mail. You will find contact information for embassies/consulates by searching for the relevant embassy/consulate here (external website). You will find contact information for VFS (external website).

If you want a refund of an application fee, you must contact the relevant embassy (external website) that is responsible for your application. UDI cannot help you with reimbursement.

The application fee may only be refunded if you have not attended an appointment and submitted the application in person.

If you have completed the wrong application form, you must register a new application. To get a refund of the application fee for the first application, you must contact the relevant embassy (external website).

If you want to withdraw an application before you have attended an appointment in person to submit the application documents, you must contact the embassy you selected in the application form and request a refund of the fee.

You will find more information about refund of an application fee here.

When we receive the information that you want to withdraw your application, UDI will dismiss your case and send you a written confirmation of the dismissal.

As a general rule, we can only dismiss a case if the applicant sends a written request to withdraw the application. Dismissing means that we close the case without processing it. 

If you are a reference person, sponsor or host parent and wish to withdraw your consent for the applicant to stay with you in Norway, you must send a written notification of this to UDI. You can write a short letter in which you explain that you wish to withdraw your consent for the applicant to stay with you. You must send the letter electronically. If you withdraw your consent, this will be stated in the decision (rejection) that the applicant receives. 

We cannot dismiss a case because the reference person/sponsor/host parent wishes to. If any of these persons want to withdraw the application, we must still process the case, but it will be rejected on the basis that consent has been withdrawn.

If a person with power of attorney wishes to withdraw the application due to a separation, we must still process the application, but it will be rejected. The power of attorney expires when we receive information about the separation. 

The application fee cannot be refunded when the reference person/sponsor/host parent withdraws consent. This is because the application will be processed.