If you have changed addresses in Norway since you applied for a residence permit, you need to inform the police of your new address when you meet with them, so that your correct address of residence is registered in the National Population Register (Folkeregisteret).

Register your address

• If you are a new postal recipient in Norway: fill in this form (external website) and hand it in at a post office or in-store post office. Remember to bring identification.
• If you are already a registered postal recipient, check that your correct postal address is registered with Posten (external website). The site requires login with BankID or MinID.
• Make sure you have your name on your letterbox.

Your residence card serves as confirmation of legal residency in Norway.

If you showed up and handed in your application in Norway in person, you do not need to book an appointment with the police. You will receive your residence card in the post within 3 weeks. 

If you applied from outside Norway or you did not hand in your application in person, you will have to book an appointment with the police for the purpose of ordering a residence card.

For some police districts, it can be a challenge to schedule an appointment before your deadline. In such case, you must book the first appointment available. Follow along on the police's website for up-to-date information (external website). 

How to book an appointment with the police

If you registered your application online on our website, you can book an appointment with the police from the My Applications page by logging into UDI's My Page (external website).  

If you live in Oslo and have not applied electronically, you will have to book an appointment with the police by phone (tel: 22 34 21 00). For other police districts, see Contact information for your local police. 

What do I need to do to receive my residence card by post?

• Make sure the names of everyone in the family are on your letterbox. Otherwise, the post office will not deliver the residence card and it will be returned to the police.
• If you are a new postal recipient in Norway, fill out this form and hand it in at a post office or in-store post office. Remember to bring identification.
• If you are already a registered postal recipient, check that your correct postal address is registered with Posten (external website, opens in new window). The site requires login with BankID or MinID.
• You should not book any trips abroad until you have received your new residence card.

After you have arrived in Norway and received your residence card, you can travel in and out of Norway as long as your residence permit lasts. For most temporary residence permits, there are requirements regarding the amount of time you must spend in Norway. You can read more about such requirements and whether they apply to you in your decision letter. 

You can visit other Schengen countries for up to 90 days.

You must have your passport/travel document (reisebevis) and your residence card when travelling. 

If you have been granted protection, you are not allowed to travel back to your home country.

Are you going to apply for a permanent residence permit later?

Long-term stays abroad can have implications on any future application for a permanent residence permit. More information about permanent residency .

You have rights to different types of healthcare, depending on your circumstances (external website). For more information about foreigners' rights to healthcare in Norway, contact Helsenorge (external website).

See your decision letter for information about the length of your residence permit and whether or not it can be renewed. 

You can apply for your family to come to Norway. More information about family immigration.

It is stated in your decision letter whether or not your permit can be renewed. If you want to apply to renew it, you can find more information here. You should apply for renewal 2 to 3 months before your current permit expires.

Your resident card serves as proof that you have the legal right to stay in Norway. See our Residence cards page for more information.

Many residents also have the possibility to download confirmation of legal residency on My Page. 

If you have not yet received your residence card, you will find information about documenting legal residency while waiting for a residence card.

You may apply for a different type of residence permit, but it is important to check whether you meet the requirements for the permit you wish to apply for. You will find information about the various types of residence permits and how to apply here.

Please note that it is not allowed to have 2 different residence permits for Norway at the same time.

More information about living in Norway:

• Information for people moving to Norway: New in Norway (external website)

• Contact the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration (NAV) (external website) if you have questions about work or public benefits

• Contact the municipality you live in if you have questions about language courses

• Contact the Norwegian Tax Administration (Skatteetaten) (external website) to report a move and for answers to tax-related questions.

It is possible to lose your residence permit for certain reasons. This is called revocation. It means that UDI decides that your residence permit is not longer valid. It can entail either that you will no longer be allowed to live in Norway or that you will be granted a new residence permit and your period of staying in Norway restarts.

There are different reasons for potentially losing your residence permit, including:

• you have provided false or incomplete information
• the reason you were granted residency in Norway is no longer valid
• you have been granted a different type of residence permit 

For more information, see Revocation - when a residence permit or citizenship is invalidated.

Do you have a residence permit as an au pair?

If you are going to change host families, you must apply to renew your residence permit. If you do not apply for renewal, you risk losing your residence permit. 

If you move from Norway before your residence permit has expired, you can notify us. UDI can revoke (cancel) you permit from the date you leave Norway. This may be in your interest, because you then will be able to document to other Schengen-countries that you no longer have a residence permit in Norway. If you apply for a visitor’s visa to another Schengen country while you still hold a valid residence permit in Norway, you can risk not being granted a visitor’s visa.

How to notify us:

1. Write a letter and explain that you have moved from Norway. Ask UDI to revoke the rest of your residence permit. Write the date you left Norway and your postal address abroad.

2. Remember to write your full name, and your DUF-number or your Norwegian national identity number.

3. Sign the letter.

4. Send the signed letter by mail or upload the letter to UDI through the form for sending additional documents to UDI.

If you have been granted a residence permit that gives you the right to work, you can start working when you have met with the police, and the police have ordered a residence card for you.

There can be long waiting times with the police to order a residence card. Even if you have not yet received a residence card, you can start studying or working now if you have been granted a residence permit that gives you the right to study or work, and you have booked an appointment with the police to order a residence card. This will not have any consequences for you.

If it is impossible to book an appointment with the police, you must contact UDI by phone or email to report that you are in Norway and starting to study or work. You must still meet with the police to order a residence card when possible.