Before moving
You need work and residence permists before moving. People coming to Norway who are not skilled workers/ specialists or EU/EEA nationals need to register with the police. (politiet.no)
The Norwegian directorate of immigration (UDI)
As a rule, you must hold a residence permit to be able to work in Norway. Citizens of EU/EEA/EFTA countries, with some exceptions, no longer need to apply for a residence permit, but they are still required to register with the police. The Directorate of Immigration (UDI) is the central agency responsible for processing work and residence permit applications. Their website contains comprehensive information about different kinds of permits and about how to apply. Information is available in over twenty languages. (udi.no)
Service centre for foreign workers (SUA)
SUA is a cooperation between the Labour Inspection Authority, the police, the Tax Administration and UDI. At SUA, you can sort out everything you need to work in Norway. The aim is to process your applications quickly and provide guidance in several languages. You can get help at SUA if you’re a foreign worker, a foreign self-employed person, a family member of a foreign worker or the employer of a foreign worker. At the centre, you can apply for a residence card, a tax card and a Norwegian national identity number, the latter being essential for a number of public and private services in Norway, for example opening a bank account, telephone subscriptions, signing up for a General Practitioner, buying insurance etc. (sua.no)
Checlist before arriving in Norway
- Passport: must be valid for at least three months after arrival.
- Visa, if applicable.
- Work permit, if applicable.
- Proof of sufficient financial means for the initial month.
- Birth certificate(s).
- Marriage certificate.
- Divorce decree(s) that include any financial agreement(s) or alimony.
- Academic certificates: if possible, have them translated into Norwegian Recognition scheme (hkdir.no)
- Professional or vocational certificates and work records.
- Schengen certificate (needed for narcotic medicines).
- Medical records if you would like to transfer treatment to Norway
- Driving license (International licence if your driving licence does not have a photo or the information on your driving licence is written in an alphabet other than the Latin alphabet)
- Bank card that works in Norway
- No-claim certificate from previous car insurance company.
- Child benefit claims from another country usually provide information on your last payment date and registration date. Check your relevant documentation for these details.
- Proof of purchase: Duty tax might be charged on expensive items. It is advisable to be able to document receipts of such purchases when brought into the country.
- Documentation for the importation of cars, plants, foods,
and animals.
After arriving in Norway
- Apply for a residence permit and national identity number.
- Contact the local National Register (Folkeregisteret) to
record your residence – remember if moving within Norway
to update address. - Contact the local tax office to get a tax card
and to inquire about taxation matters. - Enroll your children in school, kindergarten, or day-care
centre (contact your municipality for more information) –
need national identity number. - Register with your country’s embassy or consulate
- Open bank account and Bank ID - need national identity
number.
- Subscribe to services, such as telephone, internet, and
cable TV - need national identity number. - Arrange child benefit (if applicable) – need national identity
number. - Buy insurance policies (e.g., homeowners, car) – need
national identity number. - Consider employment matters (e.g., professional
associations and/or trade unions). - Register with Digipost for digital postal service used by
public sector – need national identity number.
Healt care
Norway provides a nationally accessible, high standard of government-funded healthcare for all citizens and registered long-term residents. Currently, there is a notable emphasis on defining the parameters of good health and exploring effective strategies for its promotion.
When the issue is non-urgent or falls within regular weekdays (08:00 – 16:00), please reach out to your designated general practitioner (fastlege). You can locate their name, address, and contact number in the correspondence you received from the Norwegian Health Economics Administration (HELFO) helfo.no. In the event that your general practitioner is unavailable, the medical clinic (legekontor) will assist in redirecting you to another qualified doctor.
For medical inquiries over the phone during regular hours, contact your general practitioner directly. If you have a medical situation after office hours (after 16:00) or if you do not have a designated general practitioner, please call legevakt 116 117.
Nationwide
Emergency Medical Treatment (legevakt) Dial: 116 117
AMBULANCE, Dial 113 24 hours
Mental healt line, Dial 116 123
Poisons information centre, Dial 22 59 13 00
Haugesund
Main Public Emergency centre (legevakt)
Karmsundgata 59 B
5531 Haugesund
Telephone: 116 117 Open 24 hours
General Practitoner (GP)
Each person registered in Norway is assigned a General Practitioner (GP). If you are unsure who your GP is, you can reach out to the GP Helpline (fastlegetelefonen) at 23 32 70 00 or visit helsenorge.no You hold the right to change your general practitioner twice per calendar year. For more details, please refer to the provided link: tjenester.helsenorge.no
Dental care
The Public Dental Service (Den offentlige tannhelsetjenesten) operates dental clinics providing free dental care principally for children up to 18 years and subsized for young adults up to 24 years. Dental care for adults is mostly private, and fees will be charged for treatment. Note that fees vary from practice to practice. However, there are some conditions/situations where the National Insurance scheme will cover some of the cost of treatment. For more information helsenorge.no The public Dental clinics can be found here: tannhelserogaland.no
PHARMACIES Prescription medicines can only be collected from a pharmacy (apotek). Pharmacies also sell over-the-counter medicines, first-aid and medical supplies, and lotions and creams. Most pharmacies belong to one of the four major chains listed below: Apotek 1, apotek1.no Boots, boots.no Ditt Apotek, dittapotek.no Vitus Apotek, vitusapotek.no Pharmacists are very knowledgeable on available products and answer questions willingly. Most pharmacists speak English.
Pregnancy
All pregnant women are entitled to free check-ups with their midwife and/or General Practitioner (GP). A total of nine pregnancy consultations, encompassing fetal diagnostics and ultrasounds, are provided as part of this service. Additionally, if you and your healthcare provider, whether it be your GP or midwife, mutually determine that further consultations are necessary, you may be offered additional appointments. You will be given an Antenatal Health Card which gets filled in. Bring the card with you to each consultation.
Midwives (jordmødre) in Norway are highly trained and specialise in all aspects of prenatal care, delivery, and postnatal care for you and your baby. Unless complications occur during labour, the midwife will deliver your baby. Every municipality is required by law to have a midwife.
In Norway, most women give birth at a hospital, and the baby’s father (or other companion) can attend the birth. As a member of the Norwegian National Insurance Scheme, you receive free medical care during the birth of your baby, and your hospital stay is also free.
A pediatrician will conduct an examination of your baby when they are at least six hours old, typically on the day following birth. As breastfeeding assistance is often needed, the hospital staff will provide support with feeding and offer guidance on practical aspects of infant care. Typically, discharge occurs one to three days after a normal delivery and within this timeframe, you can choose when you feel ready to return home. Breastfeeding support: ammehjelpen.no
All children’s vaccinations are free. Please contact your local health station for more details. Healt station Haugesund
Bring your family
The Directorate of Immigration (UDI) serves as the primary agency overseeing the processing of work and residence permit applications. The website offers various forms for work, family reunification, visas, study permits, citizenship, and asylum. It also provides information on statistics, case processing times, fees, settlement permits, travel documents, and all application forms. It’s important to be familiar with the diverse types of permits available, noting that permits for Family Reunification typically have a duration of one year. You must apply for renewal three months before your permit expires udi.no It is important to be aware of Norwegian laws and regulations in regards to child rearing. Violence against children is illegal in Norway. This applies to all forms of violence including corporal punishment and use of physical violence in child rearing. (bufdir.no)
Utelek
Cathrine Grindheim