Start with your residence basis. Police registration, the Population Register and an ID number are different things.
Understand how it works
For a planned stay of at least six consecutive months, check whether you must report a move to the National Population Register. Some residence permits lead to automatic registration. A national identity number normally follows registration as a resident; a D number serves people who do not meet those conditions.
When and how long?
Check in your first days. EU/EEA workers staying over three months normally register with the police within three months; Nordic citizens use separate moving rules.
Have these ready
- Passport or accepted ID
- Residence decision or evidence of your EEA residence basis
- Norwegian address and documents requested by Skatteetaten
What to do
- Use Skatteetaten’s moving guide for your nationality and planned stay.
- Check whether your permit has already led to registration before submitting another notification.
- Book any required ID check and keep the appointment confirmation.
From a D number to a national identity number
A D number is not a temporary residence permit and is not deleted when five years pass. Skatteetaten normally sets its status to inactive after five years. If a service needs an active number, follow the reactivation procedure; the identity remains yours.
Receiving a national identity number requires meeting the Population Register's conditions. It is not an automatic conversion after six months with a D number. Follow the moving notification and identity-check instructions that apply to your permit. When a new number is assigned, ask the bank, employer and other services to update their records.
Keep in mind
You cannot apply independently for a D number. An authorised authority or business requests it when needed. An ID number does not grant permission to live or work in Norway.
