Long-Stay Residence Permit — Family Immigration Verified 2026-05-12Norway Family Reunification Residence Permit (Long-Stay — Informational)
Informational guide to Norway Family Immigration permits — spouse, registered partner, cohabitant, children, parents, and siblings of Norwegian residents.
No visa is ever guaranteed — the final decision always rests with the Norway visa authority. We make sure your file is presented at its strongest.
Please note: SureshotVisa does NOT process Norway residence permits (work, study, family reunification, etc.). This page is provided for informational purposes only. For Norway residence permits, apply directly through the UDI Application Portal at selvbetjening.udi.no or consult a licensed Norwegian immigration lawyer. We specialise in short-stay Schengen visas where our Indian-side expertise adds the most value.
Processing
Typically 7–15 months from UDI receipt — spouse/cohabitant cases are the slowest category
Stay Duration
Same duration as the sponsor's residence permit (or permanent residence if sponsor is a permanent resident)
Starting Fee
NOK 10,500
Apply At
11 VFS centres
Good to know before you apply
Rules that apply to every Norway visa type — worth a quick read so nothing trips up your file.
- 1SureshotVisa does NOT process Norway Family Reunification permits — page is informational only.
- 2Apostille at Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India — not just notarisation.
- 3Sponsor's subsistence threshold updated annually — verify on udi.no before applying.
- 4Cohabitant route is well-documented but heavier on evidence than marriage. Build the paper trail over the 2 years.
- 5If sponsor is on a temporary residence permit (not permanent residence), the applicant's permit duration matches the sponsor's.
Who Can Apply
- Spouse, registered partner, or cohabitant of a Norwegian resident (sponsor)
- Children under 18 of a Norwegian resident
- Parents visiting their Norwegian-resident child (limited 9-month visit category)
- Parents living permanently with a Norwegian-citizen child under 18
- Full siblings under 18 of a Norwegian citizen (special cases)
- Parents and siblings of a child under 18 granted asylum/protection in Norway
What it costs
Government & VFS fees
Paid directly to Norway / VFS — these are not our service fee, and we never mark them up.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Family Reunification — spouse / partner / cohabitant | NOK 10,500 |
| Family Reunification — child | NOK 7,800 |
| Family Reunification — other (parents, siblings) | NOK 10,500 |
| Renewal of Family Immigration permit | NOK 3,200 |
| VFS service charge | ₹2,052 |
| Courier (outside Delhi) | ₹432 |
Government fees set by UDI in NOK. INR equivalent varies with exchange rate. Fees change annually — verify on udi.no before applying.
What to gather
Documents required
Having a document isn't the same as presenting it right — that's the part we handle.
Relationship Documents
4 items- Marriage certificate (legalised + translated)Required
For spouse cases — apostilled by India MEA, translated to English/Norwegian by authorised translator
- Birth certificate (legalised + translated)Required
For parent-child cases — apostilled by India MEA
- Documentation of cohabitation (if applicable)
For cohabitant cases — proof of 2+ years living together (joint lease, bank accounts, etc.)
- Children's right to be heard documentation
For cases involving children — UDI must consider children's views
Sponsor Documents
5 items- Sponsor's Norwegian residence card / passport copyRequired
- Sponsor's income documentationRequired
Sponsor must meet subsistence requirement: ~NOK 348,800/year (2024) verified via Norwegian tax data. Sponsor must NOT have received social welfare benefits in the last 12 months.
- Sponsor's tax return (Skattemelding) for last 2 yearsRequired
- Sponsor's housing — proof that accommodation is adequate for the familyRequired
- If sponsor is on residence permit (not Norwegian citizen) — copy of their UDI decision letter
Applicant Documents
5 items- Valid passport (full validity for permit duration)Required
- Passport-size photographRequired
- UDI online application + cover letterRequired
- Police clearance certificate (PCC) — for applicants 18+Required
From all countries where you've lived in the last 5 years
- Tuberculosis (TB) test — voluntary disclosure
Required on arrival for residents from high-incidence countries including India
Required · optional / if applicable
The journey.
6 steps from intake to approval. Curved spine on the right shows the natural pace — never as linear as government sites pretend.
- 01
Sponsor confirms eligibility + financial requirement
Norwegian sponsor verifies they meet UDI's subsistence requirement (~NOK 348,800/year) AND haven't received social benefits in 12 months.
- 02
Register the application online
Applicant (or sponsor with applicant's consent) fills the form at selvbetjening.udi.no → select 'Family Immigration' → relationship category → pay the NOK 7,800–10,500 fee.
- 03
Book VFS appointment in India
visa.vfsglobal.com/ind/en/nor — select Family Immigration.
- 04
Submit documents + biometrics at VFS
Apostilled marriage/birth certificates + sponsor's documents + PCC + biometrics. Originals + A4 copies (no staples).
- 05
UDI processes (long timeline)
Typical 7–15 months — spouse/cohabitant cases run slowest. UDI may request additional documents or interview the sponsor.
- 06
D-Visa + residence card + police registration
If approved, D-Visa for entry; residence card after arrival in Norway; police registration within 7 days.
What works
6 levers that flip a borderline case.
- Plan for 7–15 months of processing time. Don't apply just before a planned move date — UDI does not expedite Family Reunification.
- Sponsor income is the #1 reason for refusals. Sponsor must clearly meet the ~NOK 348,800/year threshold AND have no social welfare receipts in the last 12 months.
- Marriage certificate MUST be apostilled by India MEA and translated by an authorised translator. Generic notarised copies will be rejected.
- Cohabitant route requires 2+ years of documented joint life — joint bank accounts, leases, utility bills. Start gathering proofs early.
Download official forms
Official forms are hosted by VFS Global — we don't host third-party forms ourselves, so you always get the latest version.
How to download from VFS:
- Click the form name below — opens the official VFS Global page for Norway
- Select the visa category you're applying for (e.g. Tourist, Business, Student)
- Scroll down to the "Download Form" section at the bottom
- Click the PDF icon next to the form name → saves to your device
UDI Application Portal (selvbetjening.udi.no)
Mandatory online application for all Norway visas and residence permits. Fill the form, pay the fee, and print the cover letter you receive by email — bring it to your VFS appointment.
VFS Global Norway (India)
Book your biometrics appointment, view document checklists, and track your application status here.
UDI — Sponsor for visitors (Sponsorship & Invitation form)
For business or family/friends visas — your Norwegian host can fill in the digital form with their electronic ID, or use the paper form.
UDI — Word definitions & fee overview
Official UDI page listing application fees by category (visitor visa, residence permit, etc.).
VFS application centres
Quiz not yet available for this visa type
We're actively building per-visa quizzes. For now, the best way to assess your eligibility for Norway Family Reunification Residence Permit (Long-Stay — Informational) is a free 1-on-1 consultation with our team.
Free · No obligation · Reply in minutesFrequently asked
Questions, answered straight
Norway Family Reunification involves substantive decisions by UDI based on the Norwegian sponsor's tax/social-security/housing data — most of the workload is on the Norwegian side. Indian-side coordination (apostille, translation, PCC) is supportable but the substantive decision happens at UDI. We focus on short-stay Schengen visas where Indian-side expertise adds the most value.
Approximately NOK 348,800/year (2024 rate) verified via Norwegian tax data. Sponsor must also NOT have received social welfare benefits in the previous 12 months. UDI updates the threshold annually.
Family Reunification — particularly spouse / cohabitant cases — runs 7–15 months because UDI assesses relationship genuineness, sponsor's finances, housing adequacy, and may interview both parties. It's the slowest category in the UDI system.
You may apply for a Schengen visitor visa in parallel — but UDI / Embassy may scrutinise the visa application closely if a Family Reunification application is pending. A refusal on the visitor visa would not block the reunification decision, but inconsistencies hurt both.
Family Reunification is possible if the sponsor has a residence permit that supports reunification (Skilled Worker, certain study permits, permanent residence). The applicant's permit duration mirrors the sponsor's, and the substantive Norwegian-side checks (income, housing) still apply.
Limited cases only. Full Family Reunification for parents is restricted — typically only available where the Norwegian-resident child is a minor (e.g. parents of a child under 18 with asylum status). For visits, a 9-month Visit Permit for parents is faster than reunification.
Only narrow cases — full siblings under 18 of a Norwegian citizen, or siblings of a child under 18 granted asylum/protection. Adult siblings generally cannot reunify.
Still have a question about your case? Ask us directly — we usually reply in 5 minutes.
This page is for information only
SureshotVisa does not process this visa category. For other Norway visa types we can help with — Tourist, Visitor, Business, Student, or Family Reunification — see the related visa types below.
Other Norway Visa Types
Norway Tourist Visa (Schengen Type C — Short Stay)
Schengen short-stay visa for Indian citizens travelling to Norway for tourism, sightseeing, fjord cruises, and the Northern Lights — up to 90 days.
View guideNorway Business Visa (Schengen Type C — Business / Conference)
Short-stay Schengen visa for meetings, conferences, training, and trade events in Norway for Indian business professionals.
View guideNorway Visa for Visiting Family & Friends (Schengen Type C)
Schengen short-stay visa for Indian citizens visiting family or friends resident in Norway — up to 90 days.
View guideNorway Transit Visa (Schengen Type C — Transit)
Short-stay Schengen visa for Indian citizens passing through Norway en route to another destination — typically for stopovers requiring entry into the Schengen area.
View guideNorway Airport Transit Visa (ATV)
Visa for Indian citizens transiting through the international zone of a Norwegian airport (typically Oslo OSL) without entering the Schengen area.
View guideNorway Seafarers' Transit Visa (Schengen Type C)
Schengen transit visa for Indian merchant marine seafarers joining or leaving a vessel via a Norwegian port.
View guideNorway Study Residence Permit (Long-Stay — Informational)
Informational guide to the Norway Residence Permit for studies (higher education / vocational school / folk high school) for Indian citizens.
View guideNorway Work Residence Permit (Skilled Worker / Long-Stay — Informational)
Informational guide to Norway Residence Permits for work (Skilled Worker, Specialist, Self-employed, Independent Contractor, Seasonal Worker, Service Provider, etc.) for Indian citizens.
View guideSource & Disclaimer
Data on this page is sourced from the official VFS Global Norway website and Embassy of Norway. Last verified 2026-05-12. Always verify with the official embassy before applying — fees and requirements change without notice.