Does Norway have free movement of EU citizens? - 2023 (2023)

FAQs

Does Norway have free movement of people with EU? ›

Through the EEA Agreement, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein are equal partners in the internal market, on the same terms as the EU member states. This includes having access to the internal market's four freedoms, the free movement of goods, persons, services and capital.

If you are an EU/EEA national you have the right to live, work and study in Norway. Depending on where you are from, family members of an EU/EEA national can either apply for a residence card or use the registration scheme.

All EU/EEA nationals are allowed to work in Norway

All EU/EEA nationals have the right to work in Norway. EU/EEA nationals can move to Norway and start working right away, but they must register with the police no later than three months after arriving in Norway. Registration is free.

Norway is not a member state of the European Union (EU). However, it is associated with the Union through its membership of the European Economic Area (EEA), signed in 1992 and established in 1994.

The EEA includes EU countries and also Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. It allows them to be part of the EU 's single market. Switzerland is not an EU or EEA member but is part of the single market.

The Freedom House's latest report showed that Sweden, Finland, and Norway were ranked the first as the freest countries out of 210 countries, globally. Respectively, Taiwan was ranked the second freest country in Asia and ranked seventh place in the world with Germany, Estonia, Chile, Barbados, and Iceland.

Norwegian politicians believed that a Nordic pact could only stand with military support from the United States and countries from Western Europe. Norway failed to reconcile this disagreement with Sweden and remained unconvinced that the Nordic option would truly guarantee security.

After three years holding valid residence permits, it's possible for non-EU/EEA citizens to apply for a permanent residence permit meaning you can live and work in Norway indefinitely with no need to renew permits. Other conditions apply, including a requirement to learn the Norwegian language.

EU/EEA citizens do not need a visa to visit Norway, and can stay for up to three months. If you wish to stay longer, you must register with the police.

A residence permit is necessary for most types of work and stays over 90 days in a period of 180 days. For nationals of other countries: Nationals of EU/EEA countries do not need a residence permit to stay or work in Norway.

What are the benefits of being a Norwegian citizen? ›

The benefits of Norwegian citizenship

Some of the services and benefits provided by the NAV (Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration) include unemployment benefits, financial assistance, occupational injury insurance, sickness benefits, health services, family-related benefits, employment schemes and pensions.

Nationals of EU/EEA countries do not need a residence permit to stay or work in Norway. However, all nationals of EU/EEA countries who want to stay for longer than three months must register with the police.

At the beginning of 2023, the largest group of foreign citizens living in Norway came from Poland. There were nearly 112,000 Poles living in Norway that year. Lithuanians and Swedes made up the second and third largest groups, with nearly 50,000 and nearly 37,000 inhabitants each.

Academics have proposed several explanations for why Iceland has not joined the European Union: The importance of the fishing industry to Iceland's economy and the perception that EU membership (and its Common Fisheries Policy) will have an adverse effect on the fishing industry.

Both belong to the Schengen zone: in 2005, 55% of the Swiss voted in favour of joining it. Both keep out of the customs union and have steadfastly refused to join the actual EU, mainly to preserve their own cherished sense of independence and sovereignty.

The main themes of the "No" campaign were loss of sovereignty if Norway should join the Union, as well as the fundamental differences in economic structure between Norway and the EU, as Norway has an economy based heavily on natural resources (especially oil and fish), in contrast to the EU's more industrial economy.

Norway is part of the EEA, the EFTA and Schengen, but not of the EU. Inversely, Ireland, Croatia, Bulgaria, Cyprus and Romania are all part of the EU/EEA but not of Schengen. What is this? Switzerland is part of the EFTA and Schengen, but not the EEA, the EU or indeed, the eurozone.

Moreover, by virtue of Norway's membership of the European Economic Area (EEA), Norwegian citizens also enjoy freedom of movement within all EEA member states.

From 1 January 2020, it is allowed to have one or more citizenships in addition to a Norwegian citizenship.

While public healthcare is available across Norway, it is only free for people 16 years and younger. It also free for pregnant and/or nursing women, regardless of coverage. Everyone else must pay an annual deductible equivalent to an average of 2,040 NOK (222 USD).

What country is #1 in freedom? ›

In the Human Freedom Index report of 2020, New Zealand was ranked first for personal freedom, fourth for civil freedom, and eighth for economic freedom.

The dissolution of the union between Norway and Sweden was the result of a conflict over the question of a separate Norwegian consular service.

Did you know that France hosted NATO for 15 years? And that although it withdrew from NATO's military structure in 1966, it remained an Ally? What was President de Gaulle's rationale?

Most migration theories say that people move to a country for higher pay, better jobs, or safety. In this respect, it seems like people would want to stay in Norway. However, around 30,000 people leave Norway every year, more than during the famous emigration peaks to the Americas in the 1800's.

Although there is no retirement visa, Norway does grant citizenship and permanent residence visas. To obtain permanent residence, a person must meet several criteria, including an annual income of at least NOK 191,422, or about $21,300. Applicants must also learn Norwegian and pass the relevant tests.

The United States and Norway enjoy a long tradition of friendly relations based on democratic values and mutual respect. Norway is a co-founder and steadfast strategic Ally in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). It hosts and participates in NATO exercises and in operations with Allies and Partners.

United States is 31.2% more expensive than Norway.

Foreign citizens living in Norway and people living abroad may freely purchase housing or property in Norway. However, you should be aware that certain types of property may involve an obligation to live in the property (boplikt) or farm the land on the property (driveplikt).

You can become a permanent resident in Norway after three years of legal residence in the country with a temporary residence permit. As an EU/EEA citizen, you can apply for permanent residency after five years of living in Norway. The application is done in person before your current residence permit expires.

Can EU citizens claim benefits in Norway? ›

You might be able to claim benefits if you're from the EU, European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland and you live in the UK. The EEA includes EU countries and also Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein.

Expats will be happy to know that there are no restrictions for foreigners purchasing property in the Nordic country. If you are a first-time buyer, you may qualify for the first-time buyer mortgage which allows you to borrow 100% of the purchase price.

The best Scandinavian country to live in: Iceland and Finland. When it comes to deciding which Scandinavian country is easiest to immigrate to, you might also look at Iceland and Finland. These countries aren't always classed as “Scandinavian”, but they often fall into the Nordic category.

The exact circumstances for how to move to Norway from a non EU/EEA country will depend on your country of citizenship (find more information here), but essentially you will need to apply for a residence permit that will fall under one of these categories: family immigration, work immigration, study, au pair, and ...

The sovereign wealth fund is integrated into Norway's fiscal budget: 4 percent of the fund's assets can be spent each year by the government. Unlike the Alaska Permanent Fund, no dividends are paid out each year to its citizens.

If you hold a valid residence permit in Norway and you live here on a permanent basis, you can apply for Norwegian citizenship. Your residence permit must be valid both when you apply for Norwegian citizenship and while your application is being processed.

You are entitled to have two passports, one from each country. In principle, you are entitled to consular aid and help from the authorities of both countries. However, it can be difficult for Norwegian authorities to help you if you are staying in the country in which you have your other citizenship.

In Europe, countries that give residence permits easily are Portugal, Cyprus, Greece, Montenegro and Malta. You can easily obtain residency in the Americas in Antigua and Barbuda, Mexico, Belize, and Nicaragua. Asian countries whose residence permits are easy to get are Cambodia, Malaysia, and Thailand.

When you apply for registration as an EU/EEA citizen, you must also apply for a Norwegian identification number (external website) and tax card (external website) from the Tax Administration. If you stay in Norway for longer than three months without registering, you may be fined.

In order to apply for a permanent residence permit, you must have held a residence permit in Norway for at least three years and meet certain other requirements. If you have a permanent residence permit, you will be issued a residence card that is valid for two years at a time.

Is Norway friendly to immigrants? ›

Norway is one of the five most tolerant countries towards immigrants together with Canada, New Zealand, Iceland, and Ireland .

The ten most common countries of origin of immigrants residing in Norway are Poland (97,197), Lithuania (37,638), Sweden (36,315), Somalia (28,696), Germany (24,601), Iraq (22,493), Syria (20,823), Philippines (20,537), Pakistan (19,973) and Eritrea (19,957).

Denmark has been a member of the EU since 1973 and a majority support continued Danish membership of the EU. Greenland, after establishing home rule in 1979, voted to leave the European Communities in 1982 while remaining a country of the Kingdom of Denmark.

The four freedoms

Through the free movement of persons, all EEA nationals have the right to work in any other EEA state. Students, pensioners and people not in paid employment also have the right to reside in another EEA state.

Chronology of the Swiss votes

6 December 1992: joining the European Economic Area is rejected by 50.3% of voters. This vote strongly highlighted the cultural divide between the German- and the French-speaking cantons, the Röstigraben.

The UK is the only sovereign country to have left the EU. The UK had been a member state of the EU or its predecessor the European Communities (EC), sometimes of both at the same time, since 1 January 1973.

Currently, the United Kingdom is the only former member state to have withdrawn from the European Union.

The oil and gas industries play a dominant role in the Norwegian economy, providing a source of finance for the Norwegian welfare state through direct ownership of oil fields, dividends from its shares in Equinor, and licensure fees and taxes.

Sweden has avoided adopting the euro by not joining the European Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM II). Sweden fulfills all of the criteria for adopting the euro but has argued that membership of the ERM II system is optional and has refused to join.

Can I live in Norway as an EU citizen? ›

If you are an EU/EEA national you have the right to live, work and study in Norway. Depending on where you are from, family members of an EU/EEA national can either apply for a residence card or use the registration scheme.

Yes, Norway is still a high cost country, and has also been hit by soaring inflation, higher energy prices, and financial unrest, like many other Western countries, as a result of the war in Ukraine and other global challenges.

Iceland, Norway and the non-Schengen territories are not part of EU, and Åland not part of the EU customs union, so there are still customs borders.

If you come from a country outside the EU/EEA and want to move to Norway, you must apply for a residence permit. The main regulation is that you must apply for this, and the permit must be awarded, before you move to Norway.

The Schengen area is a travel zone without borders between the 27 Schengen countries. It allows EU nationals and many non-EU nationals to travel freely without border checks. Since 1985, it's kept growing, and now covers almost all EU countries and a few non-EU countries (Liechtenstein, Norway, Iceland, Switzerland).

EU/EEC citizens can visit and work in Norway for up to 90 days without any permit. After 90 days they have to register with the police. With a residence permit from an EU country and a valid passport, you can visit Norway for a maximum period of 90 days without a visitor's visa.

Yes, some countries don't allow dual citizenship with America. Among them are China, United Arab Emirates, India, Austria, Japan, and some others. If you want to obtain citizenship of these countries, you need to renounce your American passport.

To apply for Norway citizenship, you must have lived in Norway for at least seven out of the last ten years. This means, during the last ten years, you must not have been out of the country for more than two months per year, and if you add up all the time you lived in Norway, it has to total at least seven years.

EU social security coordination provides rules to protect the rights of people moving within the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.

Every citizen of the Union has the right to move and reside freely within the territory of the Member States. Freedom of movement and residence may be granted, in accordance with the Treaties, to nationals of third countries legally resident in the territory of a Member State.

Does the EU allow free movement of people? ›

As EU citizens, all nationals of the Member States of the European Union have the right to move freely within the European Union and to enter and reside in any EU Member State. This right to freedom of movement is guaranteed by Article 21 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU (TFEU).

Norway's economic freedom score is 76.9, making its economy the 12th freest in the 2023 Index. Its score is unchanged from last year. Norway is ranked 9th out of 44 countries in the Europe region, and its overall score is well above the world and regional averages.

An EU citizen is an individual who is considered part of the European Union member states. As an EU citizen, you have the right to live, work, or study anywhere in the European Union, provided that you report your presence after three months in the country.

EU/EEA citizens in Sweden

If you are a citizen of an EU/EEA country and you are employed, self-employed, studying or have sufficient funds to support yourself, you have the right of residence in Sweden. This means that EU/EEA citizens can stay in Sweden for more than three months without a residence permit.

Free movement of persons enables every EU citizen to travel, work and live in an EU country without special formalities. Schengen underpins this freedom by enabling citizens to move around the Schengen Area without being subject to border checks.

Switzerland signed a free-trade agreement with the then European Economic Community in 1972, which entered into force in 1973. Switzerland is a member of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), and took part in negotiating the European Economic Area (EEA) agreement with the European Union.

End of free movement rights

British citizens' EU citizenship and free movement rights ended when the Brexit transition period expired on 31 December 2020. Those rights had enabled them to visit, live, work or study in an EU Member State without needing a visa.

In general, non-EU foreigners can purchase property in Italy without any limitations. The acquisition must be authorized by an international agreement and their funds must be properly documented. However, there are no restrictions on what EU citizens can buy.

Do Brits have freedom of movement Europe? ›

The UK government has three separate agreements with the 31 European countries that accept freedom of movement. Each agreement provides a strong level of protection for British citizens living or moving to Europe until the end of the transition period.

Article 93 guarantees the right to life, and freedom from the death penalty and torture. Article 95 states the right to a fair trial, and makes judges and the courts independent. Article 98 defines all people as equal. Article 108 guarantees the preservation of Sami language, culture, and way of life.

Norway is politically stable, with strong property rights protection and an effective legal system. Productivity is significantly higher than the EU average. Norwegian lawmakers and businesses welcome foreign investment as a matter of policy and the government generally grants national treatment to foreign investors.