Norway tourist visa
The fjords, the midnight sun, the Northern Lights over Tromsø: whatever draws you to Norway, the door is a Schengen short-stay (Type C) visa. It covers tourism, sightseeing and visits to friends or family, lets you stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period, and opens the entire Schengen area to you. There is no visa-on-arrival for Indian passport holders, so this stamp has to be in your passport before you fly. Applications lodged in India are decided by the Royal Norwegian Embassy in New Delhi, whose reach also extends to Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and the Maldives; a Consulate General in Mumbai handles Maharashtra, Gujarat and Goa.
Which mission you apply to depends on your itinerary. Choose Norway when it is your main destination, meaning the country where you spend the most days, or, if no single country stands out, when Norway is where you first enter the Schengen area. The paperwork, fees and biometrics go through VFS Global, Norway's appointed external service provider, which runs centres across India. VFS only collects; the decision is always the consulate's. Expect around 15 days from the moment your file reaches the Embassy, though difficult cases can run up to 45.
Who this visa is for
- ✓Indian passport holders travelling to Norway for tourism, sightseeing or visiting friends or family, for a short stay of up to 90 days within any 180-day period.
- ✓Norway must be your main destination in the Schengen area (where you spend the most days); if your stay is split evenly across countries, apply to Norway when it is your first point of entry into the Schengen area.
- ✓Passport valid for at least three months beyond your planned departure from the Schengen area, issued within the last 10 years, with blank pages for the visa.
- ✓Ability to document sufficient funds for the trip; Norway's India mission indicates a minimum of about NOK 500 per day per person.
- ✓Valid travel medical insurance with at least EUR 30,000 cover, and demonstrable ties to India (employment, studies or business and family links) supporting your intention to return.
Visa options for Norway
Schengen short-stay visa (Type C)
The standard visitor visa for tourism or visiting family, issued single- or multiple-entry, for stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period across the Schengen area.
Multiple-entry Schengen visa
For applicants with a sound travel history, the consulate may grant a multiple-entry visa valid for up to 1, 2 or 5 years under the EU Visa Code; each stay is still limited to 90 days in any 180-day period.
Residence permit / long-stay (over 90 days)
For stays longer than 90 days, this is not a Schengen visa and is handled separately by the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI).
Documents typically required
- ✓Passport valid at least three months beyond your planned departure from the Schengen area, issued within the last 10 years, with at least two blank pages.
- ✓Completed and signed Schengen visa application form, submitted via Norway's online Application Portal, with the visa checklist and appointment confirmation.
- ✓Two recent passport photographs meeting Schengen/ICAO specifications.
- ✓Travel medical insurance valid throughout the Schengen area with minimum EUR 30,000 cover, including repatriation, urgent medical care and hospitalisation, covering your whole stay.
- ✓Flight tickets and a day-by-day travel itinerary.
- ✓Confirmation of accommodation for the entire stay (hotel bookings, or a host invitation) in Norway and any other Schengen countries you will visit.
- ✓Proof of sufficient funds through recent personal bank statements; Norway's India mission indicates a minimum of about NOK 500 per day per person.
- ✓Proof of employment or studies with approved leave: employer letter and recent salary slips, or for the self-employed, business registration/GST proof, plus Income Tax Returns for recent years.
- ✓Cover letter stating the purpose and dates of your trip.
- ✓Fingerprints (biometrics) captured at the VFS centre, unless already registered in the previous 59 months.
Your exact checklist depends on your profile — we confirm it during your case analysis. Every visa decision rests with the embassy or consulate.
Applications from India are decided by the Royal Norwegian Embassy in New Delhi (jurisdiction: India, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and the Maldives), with a Consulate General in Mumbai covering Maharashtra, Gujarat and Goa. Applications, fees and biometrics are submitted through VFS Global centres in cities including Delhi, Chandigarh, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad, Chennai and Bengaluru; appointments are booked through VFS. You may apply no earlier than six months before travel (nine months for seafarers) and no later than 15 calendar days before departure; the Embassy recommends applying at least four weeks ahead to allow for courier time. Fees comprise the Schengen consulate visa fee plus a VFS service fee, payable at application.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I apply for a Norway Schengen tourist visa in India?
The decision is made by the Royal Norwegian Embassy in New Delhi, which also serves Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and the Maldives, alongside a Consulate General in Mumbai. You lodge the file and give biometrics at a VFS Global centre once you have booked an appointment through VFS. Apply to Norway when it is your main destination in the Schengen area, or, if no single country dominates the trip, when it is your first point of entry.
How long does a Norway Schengen visa take, and when should I apply?
Reckon on about 15 days from the day your file reaches the Embassy, stretching to 45 in exceptional cases. The window to apply opens six months before travel and closes 15 calendar days before departure, but the Embassy advises submitting at least four weeks ahead. Both the timeline and the outcome are the consulate's call.
Is travel insurance mandatory for a Norway Schengen visa?
Yes, and there is no way around it. You need travel medical insurance valid across the whole Schengen area, covering at least EUR 30,000, with repatriation, urgent medical care and hospitalisation, running the full length of your stay. It is a uniform Schengen rule; an application without valid insurance is refused outright.
Do you guarantee the visa?
No one can. The decision rests solely with the Norwegian consulate and UDI. What we do is give you a frank, honest assessment of your profile and make your application as complete and strong as possible. Over the last 2-3 years our applications have seen a 97% success rate.