Norway permanent residence in 2026
Norway's national permanent-residence permit normally requires three or five years of continuous qualifying residence, depending on the type of residence permit held. Ordinary work immigration and many non-protection family categories use the three-year period; protection-related categories can require five years.
Applicants aged 18–67 generally need their own income of at least NOK 341,373 over the relevant prior 12-month period, unless an exemption applies.
For applications governed by the rules effective from 1 September 2025, adults generally must have passed an oral Norwegian test at level A2 or higher and a social-studies test in a language they understand, unless exempt.
All permanent-residence conditions except the financial-support requirement must be met when UDI or the police make the decision, not merely when the application is submitted.
Continuous residence also limits absence. For the three-year residence period, the general maximum is seven months outside Norway in total over the three years. For a five-year residence period, the general maximum is ten months over five years. Other continuity rules also apply.
Study and several temporary work/assignment permits do not form a basis for permanent residence, so time physically spent in Norway is not automatically qualifying time.
Official guidance: UDI permanent residence and UDI decision-time change.
Related: skilled work, family immigration, EU/EEA residence, Norway hub.
Official and supporting sources
- Official Norway source 1government · accessed 2026-09-20
- Official Norway source 2government · accessed 2026-09-20
- Official Norway source 3government · accessed 2026-09-20