Before arrival
Here you will find information about the most important things you need to know before you travel to Norway.
In order to apply for protection, you must be in Norway or on the Norwegian border.
Refugees from Ukraine are eligible for collective protection in Norway. Collective protection means that the Norwegian authorities will not assess the need for protection individually, but grant protection to refugees from Ukraine and their family members as a group.
If you are not among those eligible for collective protection, you can apply for protection and be given an individual assessment of your application. On the Directorate of Immigration’s website you can read more about the difference between collective protection and protection on individual grounds.
The Norwegian authorities need to know who you are in order to grant you collective protection. You can document this, for example, by:
- Your passport (biometric or non-biometric passport)
- A national ID card from Ukraine
- Other documents, such as a birth certificate or expired passport
If you do not have ID documents, the police in Norway must carry out additional investigations to establish your identity.
If you have been granted protection in Ukraine, you must, in addition to identifying yourself, show documentation that confirms that you have residence on the grounds of protection there.
If you have a biometric passport, you can travel to Norway without a visa. If you do not have a biometric passport or ID documents, you can find information about legal entry to Norway on the Directorate of Immigration’s website.
Read more about legal entry to Norway on the Directorate of Immigration’s website.
If you apply for protection in Norway and meet the conditions for collective protection, your application will be processed in Norway.
If you are not eligible for collective protection, you may apply for protection and individual assessment of your application. However, if you have already applied for protection, or have a residence permit in another European country, then that country may still be responsible for processing your application, and you may be required to return there. This is covered by the Dublin Regulation. You can read more about how the Dublin Regulation works here.
Example of when the Dublin Regulation applies: You have a residence permit in another European country and left Ukraine long before 24 February 2022. As a result, you are not eligible for protection in Norway. We will then contact the country you received your resident permit from so that your application for protection is processed there.
If you are fleeing the war in Ukraine and you are entering Norway with your pet, you must follow the Norwegian Food Safety Authority's animal health requirements.
Even though you can enter Norway with your pet, there are rules for pets in asylum reception centres.
If you bring your car with you to Norway, you are required to have liability insurance.
If you are able to show you have a green card, then you have the insurance coverage you need. A green card is an international insurance card, confirming that you possess valid liability insurance for your vehicle.
If you do not have a green card, you can obtain the necessary insurance by contacting Norwegian Customs when you arrive in Norway.