The four-year requirement means that the reference person must have worked or studied in Norway for four years. From 1 September 2026, the requirement becomes easier to document. If the reference person earned enough in a calendar year, that year automatically counts as full-time work.
What is the four-year requirement?
The four-year requirement is found in the Immigration Act (utlendingsloven) § 40 a. The reference person must have worked or studied in Norway for four years. The reference person is the person who already lives in Norway, and the applicant wants to move to.
The requirement applies only to a residence permit for a spouse under the Immigration Act § 40. This is called family establishment (familieetablering). This means that you became a couple after the reference person came to Norway. If your case concerns family reunification, the rules are different. See what is required for family reunification: requirements and documentation.
The Directorate of Immigration (UDI) processes the application. More articles about the regulations can be found on the page on family immigration.
Who does the four-year requirement apply to?
The four-year requirement applies only when the reference person has a certain type of permit. The Immigration Act § 40 a lists these groups:
- asylum under the Immigration Act § 28
- permit as a resettled refugee under § 35 third paragraph
- collective protection in a mass flight situation under § 34
- permit based on particularly compelling humanitarian grounds or special connection to the realm under § 38
- permit as a family member under §§ 40 to 53
- permanent residence permit based on one of the permits above, under § 62
If the reference person has Norwegian citizenship or another type of permit, the requirement does not apply.
What counts as work or education?
The work and education must together constitute full-time activity. This is stated in the Immigration Regulations (utlendingsforskriften) § 9-1 first paragraph. Full-time higher education corresponds to at least 60 study points per year.
This counts:
- paid work
- primary school
- secondary education
- university or higher education
- introduction programme as qualifying activity and instruction in Norwegian and civic knowledge under the Integration Act
- qualification programme and equivalent qualifying measures
- childcare for 46 weeks after birth or adoption, if the reference person had earned the right to parental benefits (five additional weeks per child)
Sickness benefits, disability benefits and old-age pension from the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Service (NAV) also count as work. The percentage of the benefit determines the full-time equivalent.
What changes on 1 September 2026?
From 1 September 2026, income alone can demonstrate that a year was full-time. The Ministry of Justice and Public Security established this change on 15 June 2026 in Regulation FOR-2026-06-15-1087. It was announced on Lovdata on 16 June 2026.
The Immigration Regulations § 9-1 will receive a new fourth paragraph. If the reference person had a total employment income corresponding to the requirement for previous income for family immigration in a calendar year, the requirement for full-time work shall be considered met for that year. The same applies for each month the reference person had 1/12 of this income.
The requirement for previous income is found in the Immigration Regulations § 10-9 first paragraph. This is the provision the new paragraph refers to.
Note carefully what does not change. The reference person must still have four years of full-time work or education. The level is the same. What becomes easier is the verification and documentation. For a year with sufficient income, you no longer need to show hours and full-time equivalent in detail. Fewer documents, same requirement.
The exemption for reference persons who have turned 67 years old remains unchanged. It only moves from the fourth to the fifth paragraph in § 9-1.
What amount applies for which year?
The new paragraph uses the average basic amount (grunnbeløpet) for the calendar year in question. G (the basic amount in the National Insurance) changes on 1 May each year. The Norwegian Labour and Welfare Service (NAV) publishes both the rate and the average for the year.
Here many make a mistake: they use today's amount for an earlier year. An earlier year is always measured against the average G for that specific year.
| Type of income | Rule | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Previous income 2024 | Immigration Regulations § 10-9 | 391,120 kroner |
| Previous income 2025 | Immigration Regulations § 10-9 | 409,972 kroner |
| Future income, from 1 May 2026 | Immigration Regulations § 10-8 | 436,957 kroner |
These amounts are UDI's published figures. Use them as they stand, and do not calculate them yourself. The amount for future income belongs to the maintenance requirement. It should not be used for a previous income year. SamfunnPrep updates the amounts when UDI publishes new rates.
What is the difference between the four-year requirement and the maintenance requirement?
The four-year requirement measures time. The maintenance requirement measures money. These are two different requirements, and both can apply in the same case.
The first is a requirement for activity: four years of work or education in Norway. The second is a requirement for income and is found in the Immigration Regulations §§ 10-8 and 10-9. See what rates and exemptions apply for the maintenance requirement in family immigration.
The change on 1 September 2026 links them together without merging them. If the reference person reached the income level in § 10-9 in a calendar year, this proves full-time work for the four-year requirement for that year. The requirements remain two separate requirements.
Some are exempt from the requirement for previous income. This applies to, among others, a Norwegian or Nordic citizen, or a person with a permanent residence permit, who completes 60 study points or a one-year vocational programme. This also applies to military service or civilian service, net assets exceeding 1 million kroner at the two most recent tax settlements, old-age pension or disability benefits, and skilled workers under the Immigration Regulations § 6-1 first paragraph. Allowances under the Integration Act are not counted as registered income.
When does the four-year requirement not apply?
The four-year requirement does not apply in two cases under the Immigration Act § 40 a second paragraph. The first is that the marriage was entered into, or that you had conceived a child, before the reference person came to Norway. The second is that you married or conceived a child while both had residence permits in Norway.
In addition, an exemption may be granted if special circumstances warrant it. The law mentions consideration for the unity of the family. UDI assesses this on a case-by-case basis.
What do you do if UDI rejects your application?
You can appeal a rejection. Send the appeal to UDI, which may change its decision. If UDI does not, the case goes to the Immigration Appeals Board (UNE). The deadline is normally three weeks from when you received the decision.
Check which amount UDI used for which year. Using the wrong basic amount is a common source of misunderstandings. See how you appeal to UNE if UDI rejects your application.
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