Who needs a visa to visit Norway?
Visa-free countries, Schengen visas, fees and the Svalbard exception.
Short answer
Your passport decides: citizens of the EU/EEA and of visa-free countries such as the US, the UK and Japan can visit Norway without a visa. Visa-free visitors can stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period, and UDI publishes the list of these countries. Most other travellers, including citizens of China, India and Türkiye, need a Schengen visitor visa.
Why
- UDI keeps the official list of visa-free countries, and the exemption depends on which country issued your passport.
- People with a residence permit in another Schengen country can also visit Norway without a visa if they carry their residence card and passport.
- A visitor visa costs EUR 90 for adults and children over 12, EUR 45 for children aged 6–12 and nothing for children under 6.
Details
You can apply for a visitor visa no earlier than six months before you travel and hand in the application at a visa application centre, an embassy or a consulate. Applicants need valid travel insurance and a passport issued within the last ten years that is valid for at least three months after the visit. For some countries, visa-free travel applies only to biometric passports, for example Albania, Serbia and Ukraine. ETIAS, a planned online travel authorisation for visa-free travellers, is not in operation yet.
Tip
Check your nationality on UDI's visa-free list before you book, and note whether your country is listed only for biometric passports.
What may differ
Svalbard has no visa requirement of its own, but if you travel there via mainland Norway and need a Schengen visa, the visa must allow two entries so you can return to the mainland. Diplomatic, service and special passports follow separate rules on UDI's list.
Common misconception
ETIAS is a new visa for travelling to Norway.
What actually happens
ETIAS is not a visa. It is an electronic pre-screening for travellers from visa-free countries, and it is not in operation yet. EU/EEA citizens will not need it.
People also ask
- Do I need a visa for Norway?
- Do you need a visa to travel to Norway?
- Does Norway require a visa?
Sources
- UDI: Persons who do not need a visa to visit NorwayChecked at:
- UDI: Visitor visa to NorwayChecked at:
- UDI: Fees for visitor visasChecked at:
- Info Norden: Passport requirements when travelling to NorwayChecked at:
- Norwegian Police: ETIASChecked at:
This answer is for reference only. Entry rules can change, so check UDI before you travel.
Travelling and moving to NorwayRelated questions
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.