Family reunification is the right to live in Norway together with close family. The application is sent to UDI, and the reference person in Norway is responsible for meeting the maintenance requirement.

Who can apply for family reunification?

Family reunification (Immigration Act §§ 40–53) applies to:

  • Spouse of a person with a residence permit, permanent residence permit, or Norwegian/Nordic citizenship
  • Cohabiting partner (at least 2 years of stable cohabitation)
  • Children under 18 years of age of the reference person
  • Parents over 60 years of age (limited, stricter requirements)
  • Partners of EU/EEA citizens – own rules under the EEA Agreement

Reference person: The one who already lives legally in Norway and applies for reunification.

The maintenance requirement 2026: amounts and exceptions

The maintenance requirement is a requirement that the reference person in Norway has sufficient income to support the entire family.

2026 rate (adjusted 1 January 2026):

  • The reference person must have had income of at least 88 % of step 19 in the state salary scale during the last calendar year. In 2026, this corresponds to approximately 338 600 kr per year (check the exact rate on udi.no – adjusted annually).

Exceptions from the maintenance requirement:

  • Norwegian/Nordic citizen marrying a spouse from the EEA
  • The reference person is a refugee and applies to be reunited with spouse/children from the homeland
  • The reference person is under 24 years of age (special rules for 'forced marriage prevention')
  • The applicant is an unaccompanied minor asylum seeker with residence
  • Children under 18 years of age who apply to live with a parent in Norway

Documentation: what UDI actually requires

Before the application, you should prepare:

For the reference person:

  • Copy of valid residence permit or citizenship certificate
  • Latest tax return/tax assessment certificate (documents income)
  • Employment contract and payslips
  • Rental agreement or property document (housing)

For the applicant:

  • Valid passport (at least 6 months remaining validity)
  • Birth certificate (official and apostille-stamped)
  • Marriage certificate for spouses
  • Documentation of family relationship (DNA testing may be required if documents are missing)

For children:

  • Child's passport and birth certificate
  • Consent from both parents for the child to move (if the child does not live with both)

UDI may request additional documentation. Start the process early.

Processing time and appeal options

Processing time: UDI processes family reunification applications on average 6–12 months (as of 2026), but complex cases may take longer. Check the expected time on udi.no/forventet-behandlingstid.

While the application is being processed:

  • The family cannot come to Norway without a visa – they wait in their home country
  • Children under 18 with an application under review may in some cases be granted temporary permission

Rejection and appeal:

  • Rejection from UDI can be appealed to the Immigration Appeals Board (UNE) within 3 weeks
  • Appeal processing in UNE often takes 12–24 months
  • Free legal aid may be provided (means-tested) – contact a legal advisor

Specifically about Ukrainians and family reunification

Ukrainians with temporary collective protection under Immigration Act § 34:

  • Have the right to family reunification, but the rules may differ from the ordinary application process
  • Ukrainians can in many cases come to Norway with ID documents and register at the police
  • Check udi.no/ukraina for updated information – the rules are dynamic

See also residence permit renewal and deadlines.

The maintenance requirement in 2026: amounts and exceptions

The maintenance requirement is the most important economic requirement for family reunification in Norway. In 2026, the requirement is set at NOK 347 200 per year for a household, or approximately NOK 28 933 per month.

If you are to have a spouse or registered partner with you, you must show income of at least this amount. For each child, the amount should increase. For the first child you add NOK 57 000 per year, for the second child NOK 38 000 per year, and for the third and subsequent children NOK 28 500 per year. This may seem high, but it is important to understand that the requirement is designed to ensure that the family does not become dependent on social benefits.

It is important to know that multiple sources of income can be counted together. Salary from an employer, social benefits, pension, and income from self-employment can all count. If your partner also has work or income, that income can also be added.

There are exceptions to the maintenance requirement. If you are a refugee who has received protection in Norway, you are exempt from the requirement – this is your right. You can bring your closest family members without having to show that you can support them.

Also, if you are an EEA citizen (European citizen from the EU/EFTA) the maintenance requirement is not as strict. EEA nationals working in Norway can obtain family reunification with lower amounts than those set for others.

If you are unemployed or work part-time, it is possible to obtain family reunification if the family member you are calling has some income from their own work, social benefits, or another source. The right to family reunification is yours – you only need to show that you will not be a heavy burden on the state budget.

What happens after UDI receives the application?

When you have submitted your application for family reunification to UDI, a process begins that takes time, but follows a fixed procedure. UDI (The Norwegian Directorate of Immigration) receives thousands of applications each year, so it is important to understand that the process can take several months.

The first step is that UDI sends you a receipt of receipt by email. In this receipt, you will find your reference number. This number is your best tool – it is the only way you can track your application. Keep it and use it when you have questions.

Then the case processing begins. A case officer at UDI reads through your entire application and all your attachments. He or she checks that you have submitted everything that is required, and that the documents appear to be valid. If anything is missing, UDI will send you a message with details of what needs to be added – and it is crucial that you submit this within the deadline that is set, normally 3 weeks.

UDI also verifies that the maintenance requirement is met, that the family relationship is documented, and that none of these persons have been punished for serious offenses. This can take both several weeks and months, depending on the complexity and whether information needs to be obtained from other countries.

When the case processing is complete, UDI makes a decision. The decision can be yes, no, or conditional yes (for example that the applicant must complete a language course). If the decision is yes, the family member receives a visa and can come to Norway. If it is no, you receive an explanation of why, and you have the right to appeal.

If you disagree with UDI's decision, you can appeal to UNE (Immigration Appeals Board). UNE is an independent body that reviews cases again. The appeal is free and you can get free legal help. You must submit the appeal within three weeks after receiving the decision.

Family reunification for children under 18 years of age

The rules for bringing children under 18 to Norway are simpler and more flexible than for adults. If you are a father or mother with residence in Norway, you can bring your child to you without having to show the same amount of documentation and economic requirements.

For children under 18 years of age, there is no maintenance requirement when it comes to at least parents who are together. It is perfectly fine to have low income or be unemployed – the most important thing is that you can show that the child is to go to a father or mother in Norway.

You must still show that you have accommodation, and that the child is to live with you. It is not possible to bring the child to Norway if they are to live with someone else or if you cannot document that you are father-child or mother-child.

If it is only one parent who is to bring their child to Norway, and the other parent is dead or has surrendered parental rights, it is particularly simple. You only need the birth certificate and possibly a death or custody document.

For adopted children or children from previous relationships, it is important that you have documentation that you are the legal guardian of the child. If the child is to go to a stepfather or stepmother, the process is somewhat more complicated – then both biological parents or the other legal guardian must approve or consent.

Rejection and appeals: your rights

If UDI has rejected your family reunification application, it is not the end of the matter. You have the right to appeal, and you should know your rights.

First: you have the right to understand why you were rejected. UDI is required to give you a detailed explanation of its decision. If it states that the maintenance requirement was not met, it should state exactly how they calculated it, and how much was missing. If it is documentation that is missing, it should state what was missing.

You have three weeks from receiving the decision to submit an appeal to UNE. The appeal is free – it costs nothing to appeal. You write a brief explanation of why you think UDI made a mistake, and send this to UNE together with the decision from UDI.

While the appeal is being handled by UNE, your family member can apply for residence on other grounds, or wait in their home country. It is not possible to stay in Norway while the appeal is being handled, unless the person already has residence rights there.

UNE will review the entire case again. They look at the same documentation as UDI saw, and can also request new documents if needed. UNE is independent of UDI, so they can make a completely different decision. Many rejections are overturned by UNE.

It is possible to get free legal help when you appeal. You can contact Legal Aid or a lawyer who works with immigration law. Many lawyers offer free consultation to assess your case. If you are entitled to free legal aid, the state pays for the lawyer.