Want to renew Family immigration


If you have a residence permit that can be renewed, it is important that you apply for renewal well in advance of your residence permit expiring.

What do I need to do?

  1. You should register your application online and book an appointment with the police well in advance, at least 3 months before your residence permit expires. Waiting times for an appointment with the police can be very long.

  2. Select the option that describes your family situation under "What is your family situation?" further down on this page, and log in to complete the online application form.

  3. Some people may now upload their documents digitally together with their application, while others will still have to print them out and submit them to the police. You will be told in the application form what you need to submit to the police.

When is my application considered submitted?

  • I can upload my documents digitally:
    We consider your application as submitted when you have paid the fee, uploaded your documents and submitted the application online. If you do this no later than one month before your residence permit expires, you will have the same rights while your application is being processed as you had before.
  • I have to hand in my documents to the police in person:
    We consider your application as submitted when you attend your appointment with the police and deliver your documents. If you have a residence permit that can be renewed and have attended your appointment with the police and submitted an application for renewal no later than one month before your current residence permit expires, you will have the same rights as your current residence permit. You can read about what rights you have if you are going to apply for renewal but do not get an appointment with the police in time here.

Who is going to process my application, and what does that mean in terms of how long it will take?

The police handle most applications for residence-permit renewal.

If the police are unsure of whether you meet all the requirements to renew your permit and, as a consequence, are uncertain of whether they can reach a decision in your case, they will have to send your application on to UDI to be processed.

UDI often has much longer processing times than the police for family-immigration applications for a permit renewal. For this reason, make sure that you submit everything on the checklist for renewals - that is, the necessary documentation showing that you fulfil all the requirements.

You can find information about processing times at the police (external website) (waiting times and priority) as well as waiting times at UDI.

You can find more information about renewals, requirements and what you are to submit here.

What if I have a reference person who also has a residence permit?

If there are several of you who are applying for a new residence permit, you may have to apply in different ways. Only some types of applications allow you to upload documents when applying online. Therefore, you may be able to submit your application and documents online before your appointment at the police station, while your reference person might have to apply using a paper application form or might have to bring all documents to the police station to apply. Both you and your reference person will be directed to the correct option in the digital application form.

Can I travel abroad?

Please note that you may have trouble travelling in and out of Norway while waiting for your new permit. This is because your residence card will not be valid after it has expired. Without a residence card, you could be stopped by border control in other countries. You may also have trouble getting into Norway again when you return.

What is your family situation?

  • My family situation has not changed

  • My spouse/cohabitant and I have separated and we have children together

  • I have become a widow/widower

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