Which residence permit can I apply for on behalf of my child who was born in Norway?

When a child of foreign parents is born in Norway, the parents must apply for a residence permit for the child. This is to be done as early as possible following the birth.

The type of residence permit you may apply for on your child's behalf depends on the type of Norwegian residence permit you and the child's other parent hold.

Select the alternative that suits you as the child's parents:

If both parents have been granted collective protection

The following information explains the various possibilities you have for your child:

Protection (asylum)

You may apply for protection (asylum) for your child.

If the child is eligible for collective protection, we will grant collective protection to the child. Read more about applying for protection.

If you are living in an asylum reception centre you must present the confirmation of birth document you received from the hospital to those working at the centre. The asylum reception centre will send it to its respective UDI regional office, and UDI will register an application for the child.

If you do not live in an asylum reception centre, you are to visit the local police station where you live to hand in the confirmation of birth document you received from the hospital. The police will then register an application for the child.

Family immigration

You can apply for a family immigration residence permit for your child.

If a child is granted a family immigration residence permit, its parents will normally have to obtain a passport for the child from their home country in order to travel outside Norway. If the child holds such a passport, then it can visit the home country of the parents.

If contacting the authorities or the embassy of the parents' home country in order to obtain a passport puts the parents at risk, it is possible to apply for a Norwegian immigrant passport (blue) for the child instead.

If neither the mother's nor the father's residence permit forms the basis for a permanent residence permit, then the child's permit will not form the basis for permanent residence either.

If one parent has been granted protection (asylum), and the other parent has been granted collective protection

The following information explains the various possibilities you have for your child:

Protection for family members of refugees (derived refugee status)

You may apply for protection for family members of refugees (derived refugee status) on behalf of the child.

If the child is granted derived refugee status, he or she will be issued a refugee travel document (green). The child will not be able to visit the parents' home country.

If the parents lose their refugee status at a later point in time, the child will lose its refugee status as well.

Protection (asylum)

You may apply for protection (asylum) for your child

If the child is eligible for collective protection, we will grant collective protection to the child. Read more about applying for protection.

In order to apply you must visit the local police station where you live and hand in the confirmation of birth document you received from the hospital. The police will then register an application for the child.

Family immigration

You can apply for a family immigration residence permit for your child.

If a child is granted a family immigration residence permit, its parents will normally have to obtain a passport for the child from their home country in order to travel outside Norway. If the child holds such a passport, then it can visit the home country of the parents.

If contacting the authorities or the embassy of the parents' home country in order to obtain a passport puts the parents at risk, it is possible to apply for a Norwegian immigrant passport (blue) for the child instead.

One of the parents has protection status (asylum), and one of the parents is an EU/EEA citizen:

The following information explains the various possibilities you have for your child:

Protection (asylum)

You may apply for protection (asylum) for your child.

If the child is eligible for collective protection, we will grant collective protection to the child. Read more about applying for protection.

In order to apply you must visit the local police station where you live and hand in the confirmation of birth document you received from the hospital. The police will then register an application for the child.

The registration scheme for EU/EEA nationals and applications for a residence card for family members of EU/EEA nationals

Because one or both of the child's parents hold citizenship in an EU/EEA country, it is not necessary to apply for a residence permit for the child, but you must register the child with the police or apply for a residence card on the child's behalf. This applies also even if the child was born in Norway and has been issued a Norwegian personal number.

There is no deadline for registering your child/applying for a residence card for children under the EU/EEU regulations. UDI recommends registering children or applying for a residence card on their behalf as soon as they have a passport.

Family immigration

You may apply for a family immigration residence permit for your child.

If a child is granted a family immigration residence permit, its parents will normally have to obtain a passport for the child from their home country in order to travel outside Norway. If the child holds such a passport, then it can visit the home country of the parents.

If contacting the authorities or the embassy of the parents' home country in order to obtain a passport puts the parents at risk, it is possible to apply for a Norwegian immigrant passport (blue) for the child instead.

One of the parents has protection status (asylum), and the other parent has permanent residence (on the original basis of refugee status):

The following information explains the various possibilities you have for your child:

Protection for family members of refugees (derived refugee status)

You may apply for protection for family members of refugees (derived refugee status) on behalf of the child.

If the child is granted derived refugee status, he or she will be issued a refugee travel document (green). The child will not be able to visit the parents' home country.

If the parents lose their refugee status at a later point in time, the child will lose its refugee status as well.

Protection (asylum)

You may apply for protection (asylum) for your child.

If the child is eligible for collective protection, we will grant collective protection to the child. Read more about applying for protection.

In order to apply you must visit the local police station where you live and hand in the confirmation of birth document you received from the hospital. The police will then register an application for the child.

Family immigration

You may apply for a family immigration residence permit for your child

If a child is granted a family immigration residence permit, its parents will normally have to obtain a passport for the child from their home country in order to travel outside Norway. If the child holds such a passport, then it can visit the home country of the parents.

If contacting the authorities or the embassy of the parents' home country in order to obtain a passport puts the parents at risk, it is possible to apply for a Norwegian immigrant passport (blue) for the child instead.

If the parents are granted permanent residence

If both parents

  • are granted a permanent residence permit or Norwegian citizenship before the child reaches one year of age, or
  • fulfil the requirements for permanent residence or Norwegian citizenship and submit their applications for a permanent residence permit or Norwegian citizenship to the police before the child reaches one year of age

then it is also possible to apply for a permanent residence permit for your child. You must submit your child's application before the child reaches one year of age.

One of the parents has collective protection status, and the other parent has permanent residence (not based on refugee status):

The following information explains the various possibilities you have for your child:

Protection (asylum)

You may apply for protection (asylum) for your child

If the child is eligible for collective protection, we will grant collective protection to the child. Read more about applying for protection.

In order to apply you must visit the local police station where you live and hand in the confirmation of birth document you received from the hospital. The police will then register an application for the child.

Family immigration

You may apply for a family immigration residence permit for your child

If a child is granted a family immigration residence permit, its parents will normally have to obtain a passport for the child from their home country in order to travel outside Norway. If the child holds such a passport, then it can visit the home country of the parents.

If contacting the authorities or the embassy of the parents' home country in order to obtain a passport puts the parents at risk, it is possible to apply for a Norwegian immigrant passport (blue) for the child instead.

If the parents have permanent residence

If both parents

  • have been granted a permanent residence permit or Norwegian citizenship before the child reaches one year of age, or
  • fulfil the requirements for permanent residence or Norwegian citizenship and submit their applications for a permanent residence permit or Norwegian citizenship to the police before the child reaches one year of age

then it is also possible to apply for a permanent residence permit for your child. You must submit your child's application before the child reaches one year of age.

The mother has collective protection status but the father's identity is unknown or he resides outside Norway:

The following information explains the various possibilities you have for your child:

Protection (asylum)

You may apply for protection (asylum) for your child

If the child is eligible for collective protection, we will grant collective protection to the child. Read more about applying for protection.

If you are living in an asylum reception centre you must present the confirmation of birth document you received from the hospital to those working at the centre. The asylum reception centre will send it to its respective UDI regional office, and UDI will register an application for the child.

If you do not live in an asylum reception centre, you are to visit the local police station where you live to hand in the confirmation of birth document you received from the hospital. The police will then register an application for the child.

Family immigration

You may apply for a family immigration residence permit for your child

If a child is granted a family immigration residence permit, its parents will normally have to obtain a passport for the child from their home country in order to travel outside Norway. If the child holds such a passport, then it can visit the home country of the parents.

If contacting the authorities or the embassy of the parents' home country in order to obtain a passport puts the parents at risk, it is possible to apply for a Norwegian immigrant passport (blue) for the child instead.

If the mother's residence permit does not form the basis for a permanent residence permit, then the child's permit will not form the basis for permanent residence either.