Can foreigners live and work on Svalbard without a visa?
No permits, but rules on money, housing and travel via the mainland.
Short answer
Yes, foreigners need neither a visa nor a work and residence permit to live and work on Svalbard, because the Immigration Act does not apply there. You must still have the means to live there, and the Governor of Svalbard can turn away people who do not. Travel via mainland Norway may require a Schengen visa.
Why
- The Svalbard Treaty, signed on 9 February 1920, requires Norway to treat nationals of the treaty parties equally in areas such as access to the archipelago, hunting, fishing, mining and commercial activity.
- The Norwegian government states that the Immigration Act does not apply to Svalbard and that no visa or residence permit is required there.
- According to the Governor of Svalbard, settling on Svalbard does not in itself give you the right to live in mainland Norway or to Norwegian citizenship.
Details
Most housing on Svalbard is owned by employers and offered to their staff, so it is hard to find a home without a job. The Governor does not arrange work and advises getting a job and housing before you arrive. If you plan to live there for more than 6 months, you must report the move to the Population Register of Svalbard. If you move from abroad without a Norwegian national identity number or D number, you book an appointment with the Tax Administration on Svalbard to apply for a D number.
Tip
Secure a job offer that includes housing before you book your ticket. Without the means to support yourself the Governor can turn you away, and housing is hard to find without a job.
What may differ
If your nationality needs a Schengen visa, you need one to travel via mainland Norway, and it should allow at least two entries so you can return after your stay. The requirement to have the means to live on Svalbard applies to Norwegian citizens too. UDI has changed its guidelines for visa applications from Russian citizens who are on Svalbard.
Common misconception
Svalbard is visa-free, so you can get there without any visa.
What actually happens
Svalbard itself requires no visa. But if you travel there via mainland Norway or another Schengen country and your nationality needs a Schengen visa, you must have one, with at least two entries.
People also ask
- Can you move to Svalbard and work there?
- Can anyone move to Svalbard without a residence permit?
- Does the Norwegian Immigration Act apply to Svalbard?
Sources
This answer is for reference only. Rules can change, so check the Governor of Svalbard (Sysselmesteren) before you travel.
Svalbard: accommodation in LongyearbyenRelated questions
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Does Norway have a working holiday visa?
Norway gives working holiday permits only to young citizens of six countries: Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Argentina, Andorra and Canada.
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Do I need to stop at customs when driving into Norway from Sweden?
When you drive into Norway from Sweden, you only need to stop at customs if you have goods over the quota or value limit to declare.
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What happens if I bring more than the duty-free quota into Norway?
If you declare the goods over the quota and pay the duty, you keep them, but undeclared goods found by customs lead to a fine and are confiscated.
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How do I declare goods at Norwegian customs?
You declare goods either in Tolletaten's Kvoteappen before you reach the border or in the red channel at a staffed customs office, where you pay the duty.