Norwegian visa resources
Norway's immigration authority (UDI)
The Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI) is the central agency that processes residence permit, visa and asylum applications for Norway.
Important
The national body responsible for immigration to Norway is the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration, known by its Norwegian abbreviation UDI (Utlendingsdirektoratet). It sits under the Ministry of Justice and Public Security and is the central agency that implements and helps develop Norway's immigration and refugee policy.
UDI is the decision-maker on most national immigration cases. It processes applications for protection (asylum), family immigration, residence permits for work and study, permanent residence, citizenship and travel documents, and it also makes decisions on refusal and expulsion. Other bodies play supporting roles: the police and the Service Centre for Foreign Workers (SUA) receive applications and biometrics in Norway, embassies and visa application centres do so abroad, and the Immigration Appeals Board (UNE) handles appeals.
What UDI does
- Decides residence permit, visa, permanent residence, citizenship and asylum applications
- Checks the validity of information and works to prevent misuse of the system
- Publishes route requirements, checklists, fees and expected waiting times
Who else is involved
- Police / Service Centre for Foreign Workers (SUA): receive applications and biometrics in Norway
- Embassies and VFS application centres: receive applications from abroad
- Immigration Appeals Board (UNE): decides appeals UDI does not overturn
Next steps
Official sources
For the most accurate and up-to-date information, always refer to the official government sources.
Verified against official sources · last reviewed 2026-08-21. Information only — not legal advice.