Norway dependent visa
Family reunification in Norway runs through a single route the Directorate of Immigration (UDI) calls family immigration (familieinnvandring). If your spouse, registered partner or parent already lives in Norway on a work, study or other residence permit, you apply for a family immigration residence permit that lets you live with them. There is no separate 'dependent visa' and no shortcut for Indian applicants: your right to stay is built entirely on the reference person, meaning the family member in Norway who sponsors you, and the permit is granted only once UDI is satisfied that the relationship is genuine and every legal condition is met. The final decision always rests with UDI.
The mechanics are straightforward but exacting. The reference person must hold a valid residence permit (or Norwegian/Nordic citizenship), and in most cases must satisfy a subsistence (income) requirement, which is among the most common reasons applications are refused. Each family member files their own application: you register and pay the fee through UDI's online portal, then book an appointment at a VFS Global application centre in India to hand in your documents and give biometrics (photograph and fingerprints). As an Indian national you normally apply from India, and once UDI grants the permit you receive an entry visa to travel to Norway.
Who this visa is for
- ✓Your reference person in Norway holds a valid residence permit (for work, study or otherwise), a permanent residence permit, or is a Norwegian or Nordic citizen.
- ✓Spouses and registered partners qualify. As a general rule both parties must be at least 24 years old and intend to live together in Norway, and the marriage must be validly entered into and capable of recognition in Norway. UDI can waive the age requirement in defined circumstances.
- ✓Cohabitants (samboer) may qualify if you have lived together in a stable, established relationship for at least two years, or have or are expecting a child together. Couples who instead plan to marry in Norway within six months apply under a separate fiance permit.
- ✓Children under 18 can apply to join a parent who holds a permit in Norway.
- ✓The reference person generally must meet a subsistence (income) requirement, set by UDI as a minimum annual income before tax and updated periodically; own savings usually do not count toward it.
- ✓In some cases dependent parents and other close family may apply, but the qualifying conditions for these categories are narrower and assessed strictly.
Visa options for Norway
Spouse or registered partner
For the husband, wife or registered partner of a reference person living in Norway. Both are normally required to be at least 24, the marriage must be recognisable in Norway, and you must plan to live together.
Cohabitant (samboer)
For an unmarried partner where you have lived together in a stable relationship for at least two years, or have or are expecting a child together. Documentation of a genuine, ongoing relationship is central to the assessment. Couples planning to marry in Norway within six months apply instead under a separate fiance permit.
Child under 18 joining a parent
For a minor child joining a parent who holds a residence permit in Norway. Birth certificates and, where relevant, custody or consent documentation are required to establish the parental relationship.
Family member of a worker or student
Where the reference person holds a work permit (for example a skilled worker) or a study permit, their immediate family can apply. The family permit generally tracks the reference person's permit and is not granted for longer than it.
Documents typically required
- ✓Passport valid for the intended stay, with copies of the relevant pages
- ✓The cover letter and personalised checklist generated after you complete the online UDI application, printed and signed
- ✓Recent passport-style photographs meeting UDI's specifications
- ✓Marriage certificate (for a spouse) or documentation of cohabitation (for a samboer), validly registered and, where required, legalised
- ✓Birth certificate for a child, showing the parental relationship, plus custody or consent documents where relevant
- ✓Documentation of the reference person's status in Norway, such as their residence, work or study permit or Norwegian ID
- ✓Documentation of the reference person's income to show the subsistence requirement, for example employment contract, recent payslips and tax assessment
- ✓Documentation of suitable housing where the family will live in Norway
- ✓Proof of the UDI application fee payment and the VFS service-fee receipt
- ✓Biometrics (photograph and fingerprints) captured at the VFS centre
Your exact checklist depends on your profile — we confirm it during your case analysis. Every visa decision rests with the embassy or consulate.
You apply in two stages. First, register the family immigration application and pay the fee on UDI's online portal; UDI then issues a cover letter and a personalised document checklist. Next, book an appointment and attend a VFS Global Norway application centre in India in person to submit your documents and give biometrics (photograph and fingerprints). VFS Norway operates centres in Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai, New Delhi and Pune; book at a centre convenient to you. VFS charges a service fee per applicant (payable in Indian rupees), and each family member must lodge a separate application. Once UDI approves the permit, you obtain an entry visa (D-visa) to travel to Norway, and after arriving you must book and attend an appointment with the local police within seven days to complete your registration, after which your residence card is produced.
Frequently asked questions
Do you guarantee the visa?
No. The decision rests solely with the relevant immigration authority, and no one can honestly guarantee a visa. What we can promise is a frank reading of your case and the strongest, best-documented application we can build around it. Over the last 2-3 years, the applications we have handled have carried a 97% success rate.
Can I work in Norway on a family immigration permit?
Yes. Once you hold a family immigration residence permit, it generally allows you to take up employment in any type of job without applying for a separate work permit. The permit is tied to your family relationship rather than to a specific job.
Can my children attend school or kindergarten?
Children who hold a family immigration permit generally have the right to attend kindergarten or school in Norway. This is handled by your local municipality after you arrive and register, not by UDI, so you should contact the municipality about placement.
Is there an income requirement, and who has to meet it?
Yes, in most cases. The reference person (your family member in Norway) must show a subsistence income, set by UDI as a minimum annual amount before tax and updated periodically. It is among the most common reasons family cases are refused, so the sponsor's income and tax records need to be documented carefully; own savings usually do not count.