# From family immigration to permanent residence: requirements

Have you come through family immigration and want to apply for permanent residence? See how residence time, your own income, tests and family permit are assessed.

Canonical: https://samfunnprep.no/en/articles/familieinnvandring-til-permanent-opphold
Language: en
Publisher: SamfunnPrep
Author: Hlib Suslov
Published: 2026-10-03T20:58:56.512+00:00
Modified: 2026-10-07T07:24:24.478016+00:00
AI use policy: https://samfunnprep.no/ai-policy.txt

## Key takeaways

- Three or five years The residence requirement for family immigration depends, among other things, on the residence basis held by the family member in Norway.
- Your own income The self-support requirement for permanent residence generally concerns the applicant's own income, not the reference person's maintenance requirement.
- Conditions when a decision is made Requirements other than self-support must still be met when the police or UDI decides your application.

When moving from family immigration to permanent residence, check your own permit, residence time, income and tests. The income shown by your family member in Norway when you obtained your family immigration permit is a different requirement from the income you usually have to show yourself for permanent residence.

## What requirements apply from family immigration to permanent residence?

You can apply when your permit provides a basis for permanent residence and you have lived in Norway long enough without interruption. The requirement is often three years, but it may be five. Utlendingsdirektoratet (UDI), the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration, also assesses whether the conditions for your temporary permit are still met, your own income and the relevant tests. The rules were checked on 1 October 2026.

| Question | What to check | Who does it concern? |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Does the family permit provide a basis for permanent residence? | Read your decision letter from UDI | The applicant |
| Is your residence period long enough and continuous? | Three or five years, absences and any gaps | The applicant |
| Are the requirements for the family permit still met? | For example, your relationship with the person you received the permit through | The applicant, with family information |
| Is the self-support requirement met? | Income you personally had during a relevant twelve-month period | As a general rule, the applicant aged 18 to 67 |
| Have you passed the tests, or do you qualify for an exception? | Oral Norwegian at least A2 and social studies in a language you understand | As a general rule, the applicant aged 18 to 67 |

On [the permanent residence topic page](https://samfunnprep.no/en/tema/permanent-oppholdstillatelse) you can find an overview of the requirements. Always start with your own decision from UDI.

## Is the residence requirement three or five years after family immigration?

Both are possible. If your family immigration permit is with a Norwegian or Nordic citizen, or with a foreign citizen who does not hold a permit based on protection or strong humanitarian considerations, the main rule is three years. If your family immigration is with someone in a group UDI links to protection or strong humanitarian considerations, the main rule is five years. It may still be five years even if that person later receives permanent residence.

UDI says that the permit you hold **when you apply for permanent residence** determines whether the three-year or five-year rule applies. Earlier permits must also be of a type that counts. The period must be continuous. UDI sets limits, among other things, on gaps without a permit and time spent outside Norway. Do not count only the years since you arrived in Norway. Use [the guide to residence time for permanent residence](https://samfunnprep.no/en/articles/botid-permanent-oppholdstillatelse-norge) and check the start date against UDI's rules.

**Example:** A person receives family immigration with a Norwegian spouse. The permit provides a basis for permanent residence. After three years of continuous, qualifying residence, the person can check the other requirements. Another person has family immigration with a refugee. In this case, the requirement may be five years. The same type of family relationship therefore does not always mean the same residence period.

## Who needs income: the reference person or you?

It depends on **which application** you mean. For an application for family immigration, the maintenance requirement usually concerns the reference person, the family member who already lives in Norway. UDI assesses past and future income under rules that vary by case. In some situations, the applicant's lawful income in Norway can be included; exceptions also exist. See the separate [guide to the maintenance requirement for family immigration](https://samfunnprep.no/en/articles/familieinnvandring-underholdskrav).

For **your application for permanent residence**, you have a separate self-support requirement, generally if you are aged 18–67. As of 1 October 2026, UDI states that you must have at least **341 373 kroner before tax** during a qualifying twelve-month period. Your spouse's salary, gifts and money in a bank account do not count as your own income. UDI has separate lists of income that counts and exceptions for particular circumstances. Approval of the reference person's maintenance for the earlier application is therefore not proof that you meet your self-support requirement.

The income requirement may be met when you submit your application to the police, or during the period before a decision is made. If you already met it when you submitted the application, UDI says a later change in income does not change this part of the assessment. The other requirements must still be met when the case is decided. [The guide to your own income for permanent residence](https://samfunnprep.no/en/articles/selvforsorgelseskravet-permanent-opphold) explains which income types to check.

## Which tests must you have passed?

For applications submitted after the rule change on 1 September 2025, the main rule is that you must pass an oral Norwegian test at **A2 level or higher** and pass the social studies test in a language you understand. As a general rule, this applies to people aged 18 to 67. UDI may assess exceptions from one or both tests in specific cases.

Completed Norwegian and social studies training is no longer a separate requirement for permanent residence. This does not necessarily mean that a training obligation under the Integration Act has ended. If you need clarification about a municipal obligation or exemption, contact adult education where you live. If you want to practise for the social studies test, read SamfunnPrep's explanation of the test format.

## What if the family relationship or permit changes?

Then check the temporary permit before relying on it in your application. From 1 September 2025, the conditions for a permit that provides a basis for permanent residence must still be met when the police or UDI decides the case. For family immigration, changes in your relationship or family circumstances may therefore matter. Do not assume that three or five years of residence alone is enough.

Some people may qualify for an independent permit after a relationship ends or other circumstances change. This is a separate assessment. Ask UDI for advice about your situation, especially if your current permit is about to expire. UDI provides a personal document checklist when you register your application. That list determines what you actually have to submit.

## Checklist before you register your application

You can make your case clearer by collecting documents according to the requirement, rather than according to which family member owns them:

1. Find your latest decision letter. Check whether the permit provides a basis for permanent residence and when it expires.
2. Write down the dates of your first qualifying permit, renewals and every stay abroad. Check whether the three-year or five-year rule applies.
3. Check whether the conditions for your family permit are still met.
4. Get a record of **your own** income for the last twelve months and read UDI's exceptions if you do not meet the amount.
5. Find your test certificates or relevant documentation for an exception. Use UDI's tailored checklist when you register the application.

SamfunnPrep also has a calculator for residence and time spent in Norway that can help you organise the dates. It does not decide your case; always compare the result with UDI's decisions and rules. If the test is what you are missing, you can practise for free with SamfunnPrep through [registration](https://samfunnprep.no/register).

## FAQ

### Does family immigration count towards permanent residence?

Many family immigration permits provide a basis for permanent residence. Check your UDI decision letter; residence time counts only under the rules for your permit.

### Is the residence requirement always three years?

No. UDI uses a three-year or five-year requirement. Family immigration with someone who has protection or a permit based on strong humanitarian considerations may mean five years.

### Can my spouse's income meet my self-support requirement?

No. For permanent residence, applicants generally have to show their own income. The maintenance requirement for family immigration concerns a different application.

### Must I have completed a social studies course?

Completed training has not been a separate condition for permanent residence since 1 September 2025. The test requirement generally still applies, and a separate training obligation may remain.

### What if we no longer live together?

A change in family circumstances can affect the conditions for your temporary family permit. Contact UDI about your basis for residence and whether an independent permit may be relevant.

## Sources

- [Oppholdstid for permanent oppholdstillatelse](https://www.udi.no/ord-og-begreper/beregne-oppholdstid-for-permanent-oppholdstillatelse/)
- [Krav om å forsørge deg selv for å få permanent oppholdstillatelse](https://www.udi.no/ord-og-begreper/krav-til-a-forsorge-seg-selv-for-a-fa-permanent-oppholdstillatelse/)
- [Krav til inntekt i familieinnvandringssaker](https://www.udi.no/ord-og-begreper/krav-til-inntekt-i-familieinnvandringssaker/)
- [Skal søke: Få permanent oppholdstillatelse](https://www.udi.no/skal-soke/permanent-opphold/permanent-oppholdstillatelse/?g=1)
- [Endring i tidspunktet retten til permanent oppholdstillatelse inntrer](https://www.udi.no/viktige-meldinger/endring-i-tidspunktet-retten-til-permanent-oppholdstillatelse/)

Citation: Hlib Suslov, "From family immigration to permanent residence: requirements", SamfunnPrep, 2026-10-03T20:58:56.512+00:00, https://samfunnprep.no/en/articles/familieinnvandring-til-permanent-opphold