Who can appeal?

If UDI has issued a decision where you are the applicant, you can appeal the decision yourself.

If you wish, you can grant power of attorney / authorisation in writing to another person (e.g. a family member or a friend in Norway) to act as your representive and appeal on your behalf.

You can also use a lawyer to appeal for you.

What is the deadline for appealing?

You must appeal within 3 weeks after the date when you, your authorised representative or your lawyer received your decision letter from UDI.

How do I appeal?

Your appeal must: 

• be in writing
• be signed by you or your representative, or be sent via eDialog by your lawyer
• specify which decision you are appealing
• describe how you want the decision you are appealing to be changed
• provide evidence showing that your appeal was submitted in time (in case it may be uncertain whether your appeal was made in time)
• be in Norwegian or English.

Your appeal should also mention your reason for appealing.

You must write your DUF number and your case number in your appeal (DUF numbers have 12 digits, case numbers have 3 digits).

You can submit your appeal either by:

• scanning and uploading your appeal via our online form for sending documents to UDI (udi.no/document),
  or
• sending your appeal by post to:

Utlendingsdirektoratet
Postboks 2098 Vika
0125 Oslo

Even though it may not be possible to submit all documentation within the deadline, you still need to appeal before the deadline. When you appeal, you need to add an explanation of why it was not possible to submit all documentation. You can then have up to two more weeks to submit the missing documentation.

• When you appeal a decision, UDI will examine your case again.
• If UDI does not change the decision under appeal, your appeal will be forwarded to the Immigration Appeals Board (UNE).
• If we send the case to UNE, you will be notified by email or SMS.
• UNE will then process your case once again.
• If UNE upholds UDI’s decision, you will have no further possibility to appeal.

If UDI reverses its decision in your favour, you or your lawyer may request that UDI covers the costs you have incurred. These costs must have been necessary to have the decision changed. One such example is lawyer expenses. The applicable rules are set out in the Public Administration Act, Section 36 (external website).

You must submit any such claims in a letter to UDI. You must enclose documentation showing the expenses you have incurred.

Please check our Waiting time webpage. Select the type of application you have submitted (e.g. visitor visa, work or family immigration) to see the waiting time for appeals.

Even if you had an application rejected before, you can apply again later if you are confident that you meet the requirements. Please see our overview of what you can apply for and information about how to apply.

If you were expelled from Norway, but you still want to travel to the country, you can apply to have your entry ban lifted.

Norwegian foreign service missions handle appeals of their own decisions on visitor visas.

If your application was processed by a foreign service mission, please read the decision letter carefully.

Who can appeal?

If you have received a decision concerning your own application, such as a rejection of an application for a visitor visa, you can appeal the decision yourself.

If you wish, you can grant power of attorney / authorisation in writing to someone else (e.g. a family member or a friend in Norway) to act as your representive and appeal on your behalf.

You can also use a lawyer to appeal on your behalf.

What is the deadline for submitting an appeal?

You must appeal within 3 weeks of when you, your authorised representative or your lawyer received your decision letter from the foreign service mission.

How do I appeal?

Your appeal must:

• be in writing
• be signed by you or your representative, or be sent via eDialog by your lawyer
• specify which decision you are appealing
• describe how you want the decision you are appealing to be changed
• provide evidence showing that your appeal was submitted in time (in case it may be uncertain whether your appeal was made in time)
• be in Norwegian or English.

Your appeal should also mention your reason for appealing.

You must write your DUF and your case number in your appeal (DUF numbers have 12 digits, case numbers have 3 digits).

You can submit your appeal either by:

• scanning and uploading your appeal via our online form for sending documents to UDI (udi.no/document),
  or
• sending your appeal by post to:

Utlendingsdirektoratet
Postboks 2098 Vika
0125 Oslo

You are to send your appeal to UDI – even if it was the embassy that processed your case and, consequently, has the responsibility for considering your appeal to begin with. UDI will forward your appeal to the embassy after you have submitted it to us.

Even though it may not be possible to submit all documentation within the deadline, you still need to appeal before the deadline. When you appeal, you need to add an explanation of why it was not possible to submit all documentation. You can then have up to two more weeks to submit the missing documentation.

When you appeal a decision concerning a visa application, the foreign service mission will first reconsider your case.

Then it will either reverse its decision and approve your application or forward your appeal to UDI.

If your appeal is sent to UDI, UDI will reconsider your case.

We will either uphold the foreign service mission’s decision or you will be granted a visa.

You can read more about how long it takes to get a decision on an appeal submitted to UDI. If UDI agrees with the foreign service mission that you are not entitled to a visa, you will have no further possibilities to appeal. You can always apply for a visa again.

Foreign service missions and UDI have different waiting times. If it is a foreign service mission that is considering your appeal, please refer to the mission’s webpages for its waiting times. If it is UDI that is considering your appeal, please check udi.no for its waiting times.

Foreign service mission waiting times: Please see the relevant mission’s webpages (external website) to check whether it has information concerning waiting times.

UDI waiting times: Please see the information regarding our waiting times.