Tanzanian Association Oslo

Why do I need a visa?

In 2008 117,000 applications for visitor's visas to Norway were processed. Why do some have to apply for a visa and others not?

Practice relating to visas is different from other public administration areas because the actual point of departure is that people are handled according to where they come from. One country may decide that nationals of certain countries may be allowed to enter freely and visit while the nationals of other countries must attain a visa for this purpose.

In the case of Norway, we do not decide this by ourselves. Norway is part of the Schengen Agreement, which reduces border control between countries that are in the agreement, but also has a common list of countries from which visitors must have a visa. A visa to one Schengen country will also provide entry to all other Schengen countries.

Applications are processed abroad

Almost all applications for visitor's visas to Norway are handled at the Norwegian embassy or consulate in the applicant's country of origin. Of the 117,000 applications processed last year only 2,700 were handled by the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI) as the first instance.

When the foreign service missions and UDI process visa applications we are obliged to assess whether the applicant will return home on expiration of the visa. This must be done to prevent people abusing visas to enter the Schengen area in order to apply for another residence permit or to settle illegally. Since this is an assessment of what is likely to happen in the future there is no answer book. The foreign service missions and UDI therefore use specific criteria in the assessment of the application. You can read more about this here.

Both country and applicant

Simply said, this is about assessing what reasons the applicant has to return home. This is determined by a general assessment of the applicant's country of origin and an individual assessment of the applicant. Is it a poverty-stricken country characterised by social unrest and conflict? It is considered more likely that many want to emigrate from this type of country than one that is rich and peaceful. If the applicant is young, unmarried, poor and without family there is less that binds him to the country of origin than a mature person with a spouse, children, permanent work and property.

The Schengen treaty has published a common set of instructions which provide guidelines on how visa applications are to be handled.

Visa processing practice online

Some applicants might feel that being declined a visitor's visa is unfair. UDI feels it is important that all applicants have access to good and relevant information about the rules beforehand so they can themselves assess the chances of being granted a visa. UDI has therefore made available information on visa processing practice for, among others, Turkey and Pakistan here www.udiregelverk.no.

You can also read more about rules applicable to visas and how to apply on UDI's visa page at www.udi.no

Sist oppdatert: 16.03.2009 

Publisert: 16.03.2009