Norway Visitor Visa - Definitive Guide

Formally known as the ‘Friends and family visit visa’, this Schengen permit is required by anyone who will need a permit to enter Norway. Being a Schengen C category, nationals of other Schengen nations and from the visa-exempt nations do not require a permit. The visitor permit is issued for a maximum stay duration of 90 days in the 180-day period. However, the validity can be anything up to 1 year.

The application for the Norway visitor visa for Indians is done online. However, the submission of the application must be done offline at a Norway Visa Application Center (VAC) located across the country. Before starting the application, you must check the eligibility conditions for the permit. After this, you can proceed to make the application as follows - 

1. The first step is to gather all the documents you need for the visit visa.
2. Visit the online portal of the Norway visa application, and register an account. 
3. Login to the portal and fill in the application form. You will have to mention your purpose of visit as ‘family/friend visit’. 
4. Proceed to pay the fees online. 
5. After this, you will receive a cover letter on your registered email. Take a print out of this and sign it. 
6. You must now proceed to book an appointment for the application submission at a VAC. 
7. Visit the respective VAC for the appointment, along with your cover letter, and the documents. 
8. You will also have to submit your biometrics at the VAC as well. 

Please note that if you have submitted your biometrics for a Schengen visa in the past 59 months, you do not have to submit them again. Biometric data from your previous Schengen application will be copied and used. In this case, you may send the application via a third party as long as they carry a personal ID and an authorization letter signed by you. Also, ensure that you submit only genuine documents and true information. If you submit fake documents and wrong information, you may face a Schengen visa rejection.

To be able to apply for the Schengen visitor permit, you must meet the following conditions -

• You must be living in the country you are lodging the application. If you are residing in a residence permit in a foreign country, you can apply it to the respective embassy.
• You must possess a passport that is valid for at least 6 months from the date of the intended journey.
• Your primary motive of the visit must be to meet your relatives or friends living in Norway, and you must be invited by them.
• You must possess enough funds to cover your expenses during the stay in the country.
• You must apply for the permit only if Norway -

• 1. Is your only destination, or
  2. Is one of your multiple Schengen destinations -  in which case you will be spending the majority of the time here, or
  3. Is your port of entry. 

As per the requirements, the following are the list of documents required for the application - 

• A valid passport- 

• 1. It must contain at least 2 blank pages.
  2. It should be valid for at least 6 months from the date of travel.
  3. Old passports, if any, are to be attached.
• Printed out the cover letter from the online application 
• Printed out a fully filled C category questionnaire
• Letter of invitation from the family member or friend stating the purpose of your visit and the relationship with you. 
• If visiting family, a document of proof of relationship
• Travel itinerary/documents - 
  1. A detailed travel itinerary 
  2. Round trip flight booking
  3. Proof of accommodation 
• Medical travel insurance coverage of at least 30000 Euros
• Proof of occupation - 

Proof of occupation such as employment letter, Copy of business license, etc.

• Financial documents -

Financial documents such as bank statements of the past 3 months, Passbook copy, ITR, etc.

• Dimensions: 35mm X 45mm
• Colour: Coloured
• Head must occupy the central position
• Must be captured within the last 3 months
• Background: Solid, plain white or grey
• 80% face coverage
• Neutral expression
• Glasses: Non-thick framed and prescription glasses
• Headgears - only for religious reasons
• Facial hair - permitted

The time taken to process the ‘Norwegian family/friend visit visa’ depends on several factors such as the number of entries, the validity of the permit, the volume of applications at the embassy, as well as your previous travelling history. For example, if you have possessed a Schengen, UK, US, Australia, or Canadian visas in the past, the embassy will take less time in processing your application. Normally, it takes around 15 working days to process the application. However, in certain cases, it may take 30 working days, and in extreme cases, this can even take up to 60 days. As a result, it is suggested that you apply for it well in advance of the date of travel. 

The total fees for the process include the application fees, the biometric charges, as well as any other service charges levied by the VAC. the application fees can also vary upon the foreign currency rates. As a result, you must check the exact amount before starting the application.

Once you have submitted the visitor application successfully, it will be forwarded to the embassy for processing. Even though you have submitted the application at a VAC, the processing is totally done by the embassy only. The VAC has no influence whatsoever in this. If your permit is approved, you can collect it directly from the VAC, or have them deliver it to you for an extra delivery charge. Note that you should not buy the tickets until you get the visa.

You can check the status of your application by visiting https://www.vfsvisaonline.com/Global-Passporttracking/Track and entering your application reference number and date of birth. You can also check your status by contacting your travel agency and have them track it for you.

Once you have been approved the visa, and you have received it, you must keep in mind the following key points to ensure that you have a pleasant stay. 

• Be aware of the expiry date, duration of stay, as well as the number of entries mentioned on the visa sticker. Your journey must be in accordance with these. 
• Carry all the travel documents before travelling. If you do not possess them, you will be denied entry. 
• Ensure that you travel to Norway within 6 months of the issue date, or as mentioned in the visa sticker. After this date, your permit will become invalid and you will not be able to enter the country. 
• While you are travelling within the country, carry a copy of your travel documents with you. 
• While you are on a visitor permit, you cannot work on a payroll of a Norwegian company or establishment. You may, however, take part in unpaid volunteer or charity work. 
• You will not be able to extend the visitor visa under any normal conditions.
• You can move within the Schengen zone with this permit. And depending on your entry type, you may enter the Schengen as many numbers of times as allowed.