New requirements for permanent residence permit-Norway (Updated:17-01-2017)

Published: 16.12.2016 – Last changed: 13.02.2018

These are the tests which you take in connection with the tuition in the Norwegian language and social studies organized by the municipality (kommunen).  The requirement to have passed these tests comes in addition to the requirement to have completed the tuition in Norwegian and social studies.

Please use our guide to check which requirements for tuition and tests apply to you. 

The new requirements have been decided by the Norwegian parliament and government.

Who must meet the requirements?

You must meet the requirements if you

• have turned 16 years old and are under the age of 55 years old, and
• got your first residence permit which formed a basis for a permanent residence permit after 1 September 2013, and
• have finished filling out the application form in the Application Portal after 16 December 2016. (You received a confirmation by email when you finished registering your application.)

You must not meet the requirements if you

• are under the age of 16 years old or have turned 55 years old, or
• have been given an exemption by the municipality (kommunen) from the requirement to take the tests or the requirement for completing tuition in the Norwegian language and social studies, or
• are a skilled worker or a self-employed person from a country outside the EU/EEA, or the family member of such a work immigrant, or
• finished filling out the application form in the Application Portal no later than 16 December 2016 (You received a confirmation by email when you finished registering your application.)

Please use our guide to check which requirements for tuition and tests apply to you. 

What are the new requirements?

You must have

• passed an oral Norwegian test at a minimum of level A1 or meet the conditions to get an exemption, and
• passed a test in social studies in your chosen language or meet the conditions to get an exemption

Please use our guide to check which requirements for tuition and tests apply to you, and to see if you meet the requirements for an exemption to these requirements. 

Have you already passed the tests?

If you have already passed the tests when you participated in the tuition in Norwegian language and social studies, you do not need to take them again now.

Have you not yet taken the tests?

If you have not yet taken the tests, or been given exemptions, you should not apply for a permanent residence permit now.

If your current residence permit expires before you have been able to take the test, you must instead apply to renew your residence permit. Please remember to apply in plenty of time before your residence permit expires.

If you have already applied for a permanent residence permit even though you have not passed the test, your application can be rejected. If it is rejected the UDI or the police will renew your residence permit instead if you fulfill the requirements for this.