Find out who needs a visa to visit Norway, how the Schengen rules work, and what to expect from the application process before planning your trip.
Norway attracts visitors from all over the world, whether for hiking in the fjords, experiencing the midnight sun, or chasing the northern lights.
But before booking your ticket, it’s important to understand whether you need a visa to enter the country. The rules vary depending on your nationality, how long you plan to stay, and the purpose of your visit.
This guide explains who needs a visitor visa for Norway, what it allows you to do, and how to apply.
Norway and the Schengen Area
Although Norway is not a member of the European Union, it is part of the Schengen Area.
This agreement between 29 European countries allows people to move freely across borders without passport checks at every crossing. For non-EU/EEA visitors, this means a single visa policy applies across the whole region.
If you hold a valid Schengen visa issued by another country, you can also use it to enter Norway, provided your total time spent in Schengen countries does not exceed 90 days within any 180-day period.
Conversely, if your trip begins in Norway, the same visa allows you to continue on to France, Germany, Spain, and the other participating nations.
Who Needs a Visitor Visa?
Whether or not you need a visa depends entirely on your nationality.
Citizens of many countries—including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and most of Latin America—can enter Norway without a visa for stays of up to 90 days. These are the ‘visa-free countries'.
During this time you can travel for tourism, short business trips, or family visits. What you cannot do is work or study.
Important! However, from late 2025 to early 2026, a new electronic travel authorisation will be required for visitors from visa-free countries. More on this later in the article.
If you are a citizen of a country that does not have a visa-free agreement with Schengen, you must apply for a short-stay Schengen visa, also called a C visa.
This applies to many travelers from India, China, the Philippines, Pakistan, and much of Africa and the Middle East.
Because the list of visa-required countries can change, it is always best to check the official website of the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI) before you travel.
What Does a Visitor Visa Allow?
A Schengen visitor visa is designed for short stays. With it, you can:
- Spend up to 90 days within any 180-day period in Norway or other Schengen countries.
- Travel for purposes such as tourism, visiting friends or relatives, business meetings, cultural events, or short training courses.
The visa does not allow you to take up paid work, study long-term, or remain in Norway beyond the 90-day limit. If your plans include employment, looking for a job, family immigration, or education, you must apply for the relevant residence permit instead.
What About Svalbard?
As with all things legal, there are many ifs and buts! Unlike mainland Norway, Svalbard is not part of the Schengen Area and has no visa requirement of its own. In principle, anyone can travel there without applying for a visitor visa.
In practice, however, most travellers reach Svalbard via Oslo or Tromsø, which means they must pass through Norwegian border control. If your nationality requires a Schengen visa, you will need one to transit through Norway before continuing north to Svalbard.
Regardless of nationality, all visitors are also expected to show proof of accommodation, a return ticket, and sufficient funds to support themselves, requirements designed to ensure nobody is left stranded in this remote Arctic community.
How to Apply for a Visitor Visa
If you need a visa, you must apply before travelling. Norway processes applications through embassies and consulates.
In some countries, the Norwegian Embassy partners with other countries (e.g. Sweden, Denmark) or an external service provider, VFS Global.
Here are the main steps:
- Register your application online. Begin on the UDI website, where you’ll fill in your details and pay the application fee.
- Book an appointment. You’ll need to visit a Norwegian embassy, consulate, or visa application centre in your country of residence.
- Prepare your documents. Requirements vary, but typically include:
- A valid passport (with at least three months’ validity beyond your planned departure).
- Completed application form and receipt of payment.
- Proof of travel insurance covering medical expenses and repatriation.
- Flight booking or itinerary.
- Accommodation details, such as hotel reservations or an invitation from your host.
- Evidence of sufficient funds to cover your stay.
- An invitation letter if you are visiting friends, family, or a company.
- Attend your appointment. You’ll submit your documents, provide fingerprints, and may be asked additional questions about your trip.
- Wait for a decision. Most applications are processed within 15 calendar days, although busy periods or complicated cases can take longer.
The standard fee is €90 for adults and €45 for children aged 6 to 12. Children under 6, students on certain exchange programs, and some other groups may be exempt.
New Travel Authorisation from 2025/26
While the current rules remain in place, travellers should be aware that big changes are on the horizon.
From 12 October 2025, the EU will begin rolling out the new Entry/Exit System (EES), which will replace manual passport stamping for non-EU travellers.
Your entry and exit dates will be recorded electronically, and biometric data such as fingerprints and a facial image will be taken when you first arrive. The system will be phased in over several months, with full implementation expected by April 2026.
Shortly after, another change will follow. The European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) is scheduled to launch in the last quarter of 2026.
Once in place, citizens of visa-exempt countries—including the United States, Canada, the UK, and Australia—will need to apply online for authorisation before travel.
ETIAS approval will be valid for multiple trips over a period of three years, but it will add a new step to the process of visiting Norway and the rest of the Schengen Area.
Practical Tips for Visitors
When it comes to travel paperwork, preparation is everything. If you do need a visa, apply well in advance of your trip.
Applications can be lodged up to six months before you travel—or nine months if you are a seafarer—and it is wise to do so early, especially in summer when processing times often slow down.
It’s also important to understand the so-called 90/180 rule. Even if your visa is issued for a longer period, you cannot stay in the Schengen Area for more than 90 days within any rolling 180-day window.
This rule catches out some travellers who assume a multiple-entry visa allows them to come and go indefinitely.
Border checks are usually straightforward, but it is a good idea to carry paperwork that supports your travel plans. Officers may ask for proof of accommodation, evidence that you have enough money to support yourself during your stay, and a return or onward ticket. This is true even if you are from a visa-free country.
Finally, if you are travelling by sea, remember that the same visa rules apply to cruise passengers. An Indian citizen boarding a Baltic cruise that stops in Oslo or Bergen, for example, will need a valid Schengen visa covering the entire trip.
A Final Word
For many travellers, entering Norway is simple thanks to visa-free agreements. For others, the Schengen visa process ensures short visits are possible, provided the paperwork is in order.
The key is to check your own nationality’s requirements well in advance of travel and allow plenty of time for the application.
With the formalities handled, you can focus on what really matters: planning your Norwegian adventure, whether that’s a summer hike above a fjord or a winter night under the dancing northern lights.
