Country Update 2021: NORWAY

Contributed by: Félix Olivier Helle (Humlen Advokater AS)

May 2021

1. Legislative Changes

Immigration Act Section 62: New requirement of five years’ residence for permanent residence, instead of three, for refugees, family members of a refugees, immigrants with a permit based on strong human considerations and their family members.

2. Business Immigration

There have been no new significant legislative changes within the business immigration area.

3. Family based immigration

There have been no new significant legislative changes within the Family based immigration area.

4. Asylum

Immigration Regulation Section 8-14: Former asylum seekers with 16 years’ residence by 1 October 2021 are eligible for a residence permit if their country has refused to accept them, they have a total age and period of residence of at least 65 years, they lived in Norway on 1 January 2019 and they haven’t been convicted of a crime.

5. Deportation

Immigration Act Section 70: When considering if an expulsion would be appropriate, the immigration authorities may consider that a reaction to acts mentioned in section 66 (1) a (false information, illegal stay etc.) may require up to three years' additional time for a future application for a permanent residence permit to be granted instead of expulsion.

6. Citizenship

The Citizenship Act Section 10 has been repealed and it is now permitted to have one or more citizenships in addition to a Norwegian citizenship.