As of 15 July 2024, anyone applying for protection must go to Råde to register their application at the National Arrival Centre. 

We cannot offer you a place to stay until you have registered at the National Arrival Centre.

You have to make your own travel arrangements to the National Arrival Centre, which means that you will have to pay for and organise your transportation to the centre. Children travelling alone (unaccompanied minor asylum-seekers) and others in particularly vulnerable situations will be able to get help to travel to the National Arrival Centre. Exceptions can also be made for anyone whose life or health is at risk.

You can choose whether or not you wish to stay at the National Arrivals Centre or in an asylum reception centre. You have to cover your own costs if you choose to stay in private accommodations.

When you arrive at the National Arrival Centre, you will be greeted by staff who will inform you about what you will be doing next.

You will sleep in a tent hall in the centre. There are a few rooms dedicated for use by people in particularly vulnerable situations. We evaluate individual needs for a room on a case-by-case basis.

At the National Arrival Centre, the following will be provided:

• 3 meals a day. Children will also receive fruit and yoghurt in between the main meals
• Food appropriate for babies/children
• Bed linen and personal hygiene items
• Toilet and shower access
• Access to a washing machine for clothes
• 24-hour workforce (personnel is available at all times)
• Access to healthcare when needed
• Access to a small exercise room used for training or table tennis
• Dedicated areas for children to watch cartoons, draw, do crafts or play with toys
• Volunteer organisations come almost every day to set up handicraft activities for children and adults, and Norwegian language training for those who choose to participate

How long will I stay at the National Arrival Centre?

Normally, you will stay at the National Arrival Centre for a short period of time. You will stay at the National Arrival Centre until you have completed several registration activities, which are part of the process of applying for protection.

You will:

• have an interview with the police
• provide fingerprints and a photo
• hand over your passport and other ID documents to the police
• be tested for tuberculosis
• meet with Caritas, who will inform you of your rights and obligations

The police will return your passport/documents if your application is assessed for collective protection. The police will hold on to your passport if your application is to be assessed on an individual basis.

You will also receive a card for asylum seeker and a D number from the police. When the police at the arrival centre have registered your application, they will send your application to UDI for processing. When UDI has received the application from the police, you will get an email informing you of this.

You do not need to be at the National Arrival Centre all the time. You will not be locked up at the National Arrival Centre. You are free to leave when you want, but you must be back by 11:00 p.m.

We recommend that you stay at the Centre until you have completed all the necessary activities. If you leave the National Arrival Centre before finishing the process, the entire application process might come to a halt. It may then take longer for you to receive an answer to your application.

Leaving the National Arrival Centre

Once you have completed all activities required as part of the application registration process, you will move somewhere else.

The authorities pay for your journey from the National Arrival Centre to the asylum reception centre where you will be staying. We only cover the cost of regular checked baggage. If your baggage is overweight and exceeds the free baggage allowance, you must cover the extra costs yourself.

Before the Norwegian authorities can grant you collective protection, they must know for sure who you are. You can verify your identity by providing:

Your passport (both biometric or non-biometric passport)

• National ID card from Ukraine
• Other documents, such as a birth certificate or expired passport
• If you do not have any identity documents, the police will have to conduct additional investigations to establish your identity.

If you have protection in Ukraine, you must provide documentation confirming that you have residency in connection with protection there, in addition to identifying yourself.

It is up to you to determine which residence permit may be relevant for you to apply for.

• If you have family here, you may be able to apply for family immigration.
• If you have a job in Norway, a work permit may be relevant for you.
• If you are a citizen of an EU/EEA country or a family member of an EU/EEA citizen, you may be entitled to residence under the EU/EEA regulations.

You must familiarise yourself with the requirements for other residence permits and determine what you wish to apply for.

See the overview of all residence permits you can apply for here.

You must meet certain requirements to be eligible to apply for permits other than protection (asylum) from Norway. The main rule is that you must be a skilled worker or have lived in Norway on a valid residence permit for the last 9 months.

There are a different set of rules for who can apply for family immigration from Norway. To find out whether you are eligible to apply from Norway, use our guide on udi.no and select the alternative that best describes your situation.

You can always apply for residence in accordance with the EU/EEA regulations from Norway.

If you apply for protection and are granted collective protection, you can still apply for other types of residence permits if you wish, after you have been granted collective protection.

You will come in contact with a variety of agencies and specialists when applying for protection in Norway. Here is an overview of who you can expect to meet.

The Police
You must contact the police to apply for protection (asylum). The police are responsible for registering you as an asylum seeker. The police do not decide whether or not you will be allowed to stay in Norway.

The Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI)
UDI will speak with you to find out more about why you have sought protection in Norway. UDI decides whether you will be allowed to stay in Norway or whether you will have to return home. UDI is also responsible for providing you with an offer for living accommodation while you are awaiting the outcome of your application.

The Immigration Appeals Board (UNE)
If UDI reach the decision that you are not allowed to stay in Norway, you may appeal to UNE. UNE will reexamine your case and decide whether you must return home or whether you can stay in Norway.

The Directorate of Integration and Diversity (IMDi)
Once you have been granted a residence permit in Norway, IMDi will help you to find a long-term place to live in one of Norway’s municipalities.

The Municipality
The municipality where you live is responsible for arranging services such as healthcare, schooling, daycare (childcare) and Norwegian language training.

Caritas
Caritas is an independent, non-governmental organisation. They provide information about the asylum process and your rights and obligations as an asylum seeker, and guidance about what it is important for you to say during your asylum interview.

The Interpreter
When you seek asylum, you have the right to have an interpreter present. An interpreter is a person who speaks both your language and Norwegian, and who can help you when you are going to speak with someone who does not know your language. If you do not understand what the interpreter says, it is important that you tell them. The interpreter is subject to a duty of confidentiality and is not a member of the Norwegian authorities.

The Lawyer
If you are not allowed to stay, the lawyer will help you to understand what UDI's decision, and the lawyer will help you to evaluate whether to appeal the decision.

You may be granted collective protection if you*:

• are a Ukrainian citizen, and you resided in Ukraine before 24 February 2022. This also includes Ukrainian nationals who were on holiday or a visit outside Ukraine, or who had fled for fear of war. If you were not in Ukraine on 24 February 2022, you must not have been abroad for more than 90 days to be eligible.
• have been granted protection in Ukraine before 24 February 2022.
• are a close family member of someone who has been granted collective protection, regardless of their nationality. By definition, close family members include a spouse, cohabitant, or children under the age of 18. To be considered a spouse or cohabitant, the marriage or cohabitation must have been entered into before 24 February 2022. You and your family member may apply at the same time.
• are in the category, other family member, and were part of the same household as the person granted collective protection prior to 24 February 2022. Examples of what may count as other family member includes children over the age of 18, grandparents or siblings. You and your close family member apply at the same time. The requirement to be part of the same household is considered fulfilled, even if the applicant stayed somewhere else than in the household before 24 February 2022 (for example, on holiday or to visit family), unless the applicant can be considered to have moved out of the household (for example, for studies).
• are a Ukrainian citizen and already had legal residency in Norway before 24 February 2022. This also applies if you had been granted a residence permit in Norway before 24 February 2022 but entered the country later. Your previous basis for being in Norway must have ended or be set to end less than two months after you apply for protection.
• are a Ukrainian citizen with legal residency in Norway, but the basis for your residence permit was invalidated (for example, a work permit if you have lost your job). The previous basis for being in Norway must have come to an end or be set to end less than two months after you apply for protection.

The regulations describing who is eligible for collective protection are published on UDI § Regulations:

• UDI 2022-004 Midlertidig kollektiv beskyttelse til personer fordrevet fra Ukraina (Temporary collective protection for persons driven from Ukraine) (external website) (in Norwegian only)

There are separate rules for children born in Norway, see Resident permits for children born in Norway and select the relevant category.

If you have ties to Ukraine but do not meet the criteria listed above, you are not eligible for collective protection in Norway.

*Even if you meet the criteria listed above, you will not be granted protection if you have:

• a permanent residence permit in Norway
  or
• a temporary residence permit in Norway that forms the basis for permanent residency
  or
• an equivalent permit (based on EEA regulations)
  or
• dual citizenship and you have citizenship in a country where the situation is considered by UDI to be generally safe (external website)

If you are not eligible for collective protection, we will assess your need for protection on an individual basis.

You are not eligible for collective protection if you:

• had residency in a country other than Ukraine or Norway up until 24 February 2022.
• stayed illegally in Norway or had a duty to return on 24 February 2022.
• have dual citizenship in a country and UDI considers one of them to be safe (external website).
• have another residence permit in Norway that you may continue to have. See the supplementary list of eligibility requirements for collective protection.
• are not a Ukrainian citizen, but have had a residence permit in Ukraine. Please note that you may be entitled to collective protection in Norway if you had protection in Ukraine. If so, you must provide documentation confirming that you had residency there on the basis of protection.

If you are among those who are not eligible for collective protection, we will assess your need for protection on an individual basis.

Ukrainians who also have citizenship in a safe country will no longer be granted temporary collective protection in Norway. If you are a citizen of a country on the list below, UDI believes that the situation in that country is generally safe, and that the authorities there can provide you with adequate protection.

• Overview of countries in the 48-hour procedure (external website) (available in Norwegian only)

This is a list of countries that UDI believes are safe, and in such cases an application for protection will be processed and rejected within 48 hours.

I have already been granted collective protection. Can I keep my permit?

If you have already been granted collective protection in Norway, you can retain your permit. However, as of 1 March 2024, your residence permit cannot be extended if you are a citizen of a safe country in addition to Ukraine.

• spouse or cohabitant
• children under 18 years of age
• other close family members, for instance childen over 18 years of age, grandparents or siblings.

I have dual citizenship from Ukraine and Russia. Can I apply for temporary collective protection in Norway?

Yes, you can apply for temporary collective protection in Norway. Russia is not on the list of countries considered generally safe by UDI. In order to be granted collective protection here in Norway, you are required to have been resident in Ukraine on 24 February 2022 at the time when the war broke out.

Read more about who may be granted collective protection (eligibility requirements).

I have dual citizenship and have applied for collective protection in Norway. One of the countries is on the list. What will happen to my application?

Your application will be processed and rejected within 48 hours.

In the course of this 48-hour period, you will be registered by the police, receive information from Caritas and UDI may want to conduct a short interview with you. You will be assisted by a lawyer, who can help you to submit a complaint.

In exceptional cases we may not be able to process an application within 48 hours. If such is the case, your application will be processed as a standard application for protection (asylum).

Yes, in some instances. This is the case if you:

• are a close family member of someone who has been granted collective protection, regardless of their nationality. By definition, close family members include a spouse, cohabitant, or children under the age of 18. To be considered a spouse or cohabitant, the marriage or cohabitation must have been entered into before 24 February 2022. You and your family member may apply at the same time.
• are in the category, other family member, and were part of the same household as the person granted collective protection prior to 24 February 2022. Examples of what may count as other family member includes children over the age of 18, grandparents or siblings. You and your close family member apply at the same time. The requirement to be part of the same household is considered fulfilled, even if the applicant stayed somewhere else than in the household before 24 February 2022 (for example, on holiday or to visit family), unless the applicant can be considered to have moved out of the household (for example, for studies).

Even if you meet the criteria listed above, you will not be granted protection if you have:

• a permanent residence permit in Norway or
• a temporary residence permit in Norway that forms the basis for permanent residency or
• an equivalent permit (based on EEA regulations)

Temporary collective protection

Collective protection means that UDI does not assess the need for protection individually but gives collective protection to Ukrainians and their family members fleeing the war in Ukraine. This ensures that Ukrainians fleeing the war will get the help they need faster.

The time-limited permit is granted for one year at a time, but may be extended for up to three years. The permit does not form the basis for a permanent residence permit during these three years. After three years, it is possible to obtain a new temporary permit which forms the basis for a permanent residence permit. UDI must make an individual assessment of who this applies to.

Ukrainians who are granted collective protection do not receive refugee status and refugee travel documents. Information about rights and obligations when granted collective protection.

Individual protection (asylum)

When people who have fled Ukraine seek protection in Norway, we first assess whether they are eligible for collective protection. The vast majority receive collective protection.

If you are not eligible for collective protection, we will inform you that your application will be assessed individually. This means that UDI must assess your application according to the ordinary requirements, which apply to all nationalities applying for protection in Norway.

This means that

1) you may be referred to another country according to the Dublin Rules, or Norwegian law, if you have travelled to Norway from a safe country.

2) You may be entitled to protection if you, as an individual,

• have a well-founded fear of persecution because of ethnicity, descent, colour, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or because of political opinion, or
• are in real danger of being subjected to the death penalty, torture or other inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment if you must return to your home country.

If the application is approved, the permit is usually of the type that forms the basis for a permanent residence permit.

If you are granted individual protection you will also normally be given refugee status and travel documents.

No, when applying you cannot choose between collective or individual protection. When you submit an application for protection the police and UDI will assess whether you fall into the category for collective protection or whether your application needs to be assessed on an individual basis.

You may return to Norway if you wish. As a general rule, you should not go to the National Arrival Centre or begin the protection process again when you arrive in Norway. What you should do when you arrive in Norway.

You who live privately are invited to participate in a digital information meeting with Caritas Norway. Caritas is an independent organisation that is not part of the Norwegian authorities. They will provide you with information about the asylum process and your rights and obligations as an asylum seeker.

At the meeting you will receive information about:

• Collective protection in Norway
• Who you meet when you apply for protection
• Life at an asylum reception centre and information for those who live privately
• Your rights and obligations as an asylum seeker
• The introduction program and what you will do if you are granted collective protection

The information is tailored to you who have applied for collective protection. You will have the opportunity to ask questions during the meeting.

The meetings are digital and conducted as a webinar by a Ukrainian/Russian-speaking adviser.

Sign up for a meeting by registering here (eksternt nettsted).

You will be contacted by an adviser and sent a link to the meeting.