Residence permit in Norway and renewal (UDI): guide

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If your residence permit can be renewed, apply early and no later than one month before it expires. You then normally keep your current rights, including the right to work, while you wait for a decision. After three or five years of continuous residence you may qualify for a permanent residence permit instead.

How do I know if my residence permit can be renewed?

The Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI) is responsible for residence permits, and the police (politiet) process most renewal applications and receive your documents. Not every permit can be renewed. Go to “Skal fornye” (want to renew) on udi.no and pick your permit type: work, study, family immigration, protection (asylum), or strong humanitarian considerations.

Examples from UDI’s work immigration page:

  • A skilled worker permit with an employer in Norway can be renewed.
  • Some types have a time limit. Employees of an international company or of a company abroad can hold the permit for up to six years, then must live outside Norway for two years before applying for a new permit of that type.
  • If you move to a new type of position, renewing is not enough. You must apply for a new permit and cannot start the job until you have it.

In general, the conditions you were granted the permit on must still be met, and you pay a fee if one applies to your application type.

What is the deadline for renewing?

The key rule: apply no later than one month before your permit expires. You then keep the same rights as your current permit while the case is processed. UDI recommends applying two to three months ahead, especially without an eID, because waiting times for a police appointment can be long.

Situation What UDI says
Work permit renewal with eID Register the application, pay the fee and upload documents at least one month before the permit expires
Application without eID (username and password) Register and pay in good time, ideally two to three months ahead, and book a police appointment to hand in documents
Protection (asylum) renewal No fee. Apply before the permit expires
Strong humanitarian considerations renewal Fee applies; check the current amount with UDI

Note: if you applied late because police appointments were hard to get, you may still have the right to work if you registered the application and paid the fee at least seven calendar days before the permit expired. This is an exception, so don’t rely on it. Aim for one month.

How do I renew step by step?

  1. Go to “Skal fornye” on udi.no and choose your permit type.
  2. Log in to the application portal (søknadsportalen) with an eID such as BankID, or with email and password.
  3. Fill in the application form.
  4. Pay the fee if one applies. For work permit renewals with eID, UDI states that the fee is not refunded once you have paid and submitted.
  5. You get a checklist (sjekkliste) of documents. If you apply with eID for work or study, upload them online and press “Send inn” (submit).
  6. Otherwise, book an appointment with the police from your application and bring the documents. The application counts as submitted when you hand in the documents to the police.
  7. Wait for the decision, and follow your case under “Min side” (My page).

How do I book the police appointment (biometrics and photo)?

  • You cannot contact UDI to book an appointment, and you should never go to UDI in person. Only the police control the booking calendar.
  • Log in, find your application, choose “bestill time” (book appointment), pick a place and an available time.
  • Choose the police office closest to where you live. You cannot change the location after submitting. If you chose wrongly, you must submit and pay for a new application.
  • You can change or cancel via the link in the police email. If you cancel, you must contact the police for a new appointment.
  • No free slots? Check your police district’s website for information on when new slots are released.
  • If you renew a work or study permit with eID and are over 18, you normally do not book an appointment, though the police may occasionally ask you to attend.

Photo, fingerprints and signature for the residence card (oppholdskort) are normally taken by the police. Check your letter or UDI’s page for your permit to see whether you must attend in person.

What should I bring? (checklist)

  • Valid passport or travel document and your current residence card.
  • The police email with your appointment, and the fee receipt.
  • The documents on the checklist for your permit type, such as an employment contract, proof of study place or family documents.
  • Anything UDI or the police asked for in a letter.

Don’t go with incomplete documents. The checklist you get after filling in the form is the reference. If something is missing, you can send it later by logging in and choosing “Last opp dokumenter” (upload documents).

Can I travel or work while I wait?

  • Work: if you applied at least one month before expiry, you have the same rights, including working. If you apply later, you have no automatic right to work.
  • Travel: once the permit has expired you have no valid residence card. You may be stopped at border control in other countries and have trouble re-entering Norway. Ideally postpone travel until you have your new permit.
  • Address: if you are registered in the National Population Register (folkeregisteret) and move, report it as soon as possible. UDI gets the new address automatically.

When can I apply for permanent residence?

A permanent residence permit (permanent oppholdstillatelse) lets you live and work in Norway indefinitely and gives extra protection against expulsion. It was formerly called bosettingstillatelse. UDI’s main requirements:

  • Residence time: three continuous years for most permit types (including work, and family of a Norwegian or Nordic citizen). Five years if your permit is based on protection (asylum), strong humanitarian considerations, resettlement, or as a family member of one of these.
  • Continuity: no more than three months in total without a permit, and no more than seven months outside Norway (three-year rule) or ten months (five-year rule).
  • Tests: for applications from 1 September 2025, if you are 18 to 67 you must have passed an oral Norwegian test at level A2 or higher and a civics test (samfunnskunnskap) in a language you understand. Exemptions exist, for example for particular health reasons or documented Norwegian education. See also learning Norwegian.
  • Conditions at decision time: all requirements must be met when the police or UDI decide. If your permit depends on full-time work, you must still work full time then. The self-support requirement can be met at application or up to the decision.

If you don’t meet the requirements, wait to apply and keep renewing your temporary permit. Permanent residents get a residence card valid for two years at a time. If you are on a family permit, also see the family reunification guide.

Frequently asked questions

What happens if my permit expires before I get an answer?

If your permit is renewable and you applied at least one month before it expired, you keep your rights while the case is processed. If you applied late, you have no automatic right to work, and time without a permit can count toward the three months allowed when residence time for permanent residence is calculated. See also work rights.

How long does processing take?

It varies by permit type and police district. The police publish waiting times for each district under “Ventetider og prioritet”, and UDI publishes waiting times for the cases it handles itself.

How much does renewal cost?

Fees change, so we give no amount here. Check the current amount on UDI’s fee page. According to the same page, protection (asylum) renewal has no fee.

I lost my residence card or it is about to expire. What do I do?

Under “Skal fornye” there is “Bestille nytt oppholdskort” (order a new residence card), for example if you lost your card or hold a permanent permit and your card is expiring.

Can UDI help me get a police appointment?

No. UDI has no access to the booking calendar. If booking fails, contact the police where you live.

Official sources

Last reviewed: 2026-10-29. This information is general and not legal advice; check with the official authority for your case.

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