Norway self-employed visa (own sole proprietorship)

The permit is for running your own sole proprietorship (enkeltpersonforetak); a limited company does not qualify. It must be necessary for the establishment and operation of the business that you live in Norway and take an active part in it. You may only work in this business, with no other jobs or remote work, unless UDI agrees for special reasons that you also work as an employee. If the activity needs a public licence, you must hold it or have the authority’s confirmation that it will be granted.

UDI counts you as a skilled worker if you have a completed vocational programme of at least three years at upper secondary level with a Norwegian equivalent, a completed university or university college degree, or special qualifications from long experience, generally at least six years documented with detailed work certificates. For vocational-level jobs such as chef, car mechanic, carpenter, painter, bricklayer or hairdresser, UDI applies extra checks to documents issued in Türkiye and several other countries, and these cases may take longer.

The work you will do in the business must require these skilled-worker qualifications.

The business must be likely to give you a profit of at least NOK 341,373 a year before tax. You document this with a detailed description of the business, including a market assessment, sales potential and your role, the location of the premises and the business name. A new business adds a first-year budget showing expected income, expenses and profit; an established one adds accounts and business bank statements for the past 12 months, and contracts with clients if you have any.

From abroad the route is the same for all residence permits: register the application in UDI’s portal and pay the fee, then hand in the documents and originals in person at the Norwegian embassy or consulate responsible for your place of residence, or at the external service provider it uses. The mission verifies the originals and forwards the case to UDI, which decides. Your passport and originals are returned when the case is finished. Documents not in English or Norwegian need a translation, and for work permits the translation must be made by an authorised translator showing the translator’s name and date.

If you need a visa to travel, the Norwegian mission issues an entry visa (D visa) once the permit is granted. After arrival you must report to the police within seven days to have fingerprints and a photo taken; the police then order your residence card, a plastic card sent by post. Put your name on the letterbox so the card can be delivered, and avoid trips abroad until you have it. You should also report your move to the Norwegian Tax Administration to obtain a Norwegian identification number.

The permit is granted for one year at a time and renewed while the requirements are met. Family members can apply for family immigration, and joint applications are decided together. After three years you can apply for permanent residence. A separate category exists for self-employed persons with a sole proprietorship abroad who carry out a contract for a Norwegian business: two years at a time, up to six years, and it does not lead to permanent residence.

If UDI refuses, you can appeal within three weeks of receiving the decision letter. The appeal is free, must be signed and written in English or Norwegian, name the decision and explain what should change, and should contain new information; it can be uploaded through udi.no. If you cannot gather all documents in time, appeal anyway and explain, and you get up to two more weeks. UDI reconsiders the case and sends it to the Immigration Appeals Board (UNE) if it maintains the refusal.