Have you received a summons to a police interview as a suspect? Clarify your status, when you must attend, and whether you need an interpreter or lawyer. You may have to attend even though you do not have to give a statement about the case. Do not leave the summons unanswered.
What does being a suspect or formally accused mean?
Being a suspect does not mean you have been convicted. The police are investigating whether you may have committed a criminal offence. Ask the contact person to explain which incident the case concerns and your role in it.
The police must explain your role and rights at the start of the interview. Politiet’s explanation of the procedure shows that a case can have different outcomes. An interview alone does not determine the outcome.
| Term | What does it mean for this interview? |
|---|---|
| Mistenkt — suspect | The police are investigating whether you may have committed an offence. |
| Siktet — formally accused | You have acquired a more formal status in the criminal case. This is still not a conviction. |
| Vitne — witness | You are asked about information you may have about the case. Different rules may apply. |
| Fornærmet — injured party | You are the person the offence may have harmed. This role has its own rights. |
The status of siktet can arise, among other things, from a formal declaration by the prosecuting authority or certain measures, such as arrest or a search. The rules appear in section 82 of straffeprosessloven, the Criminal Procedure Act. Ask for an explanation if your status is unclear or changes.
This guide is for adults summoned as suspects. The rules were checked on 2 November 2026. SamfunnPrep has more explanations of services and rights.
Must you attend if you do not want to give a statement?
Attendance and giving a statement are two separate questions. As a suspect, you are not obliged to give a statement about the case. However, you may have to attend the police station to clarify whether you wish to give one.
Section 230 of straffeprosessloven covers, among other things, summonses to the police station in the district where you live or are staying. If you fail to attend without a valid reason, the police may bring you in under the conditions set out in law. These include the summons having been made known to you.
Contact the person named in the summons if you are ill, do not understand the appointment time or believe you cannot attend. Ask what documentation the police need, and request confirmation of any new time. A message saying that the time is inconvenient is not, by itself, an agreement to postpone.
Do not use the rules for witnesses in court to decide what you must do as a suspect at a police interview. If you are unsure about the summons, ask the police to clarify your duty to attend and speak to a lawyer about your situation.
Can you have a lawyer, and who pays?
You can get help from a defence lawyer, a lawyer who safeguards your rights in the criminal case. The right to this help does not automatically mean the state pays.
The guidelines from Riksadvokaten, section 5.1, explain the general starting point: suspects can choose a defence lawyer, but do not have an unconditional right to one paid for by the state. The rest of the document particularly concerns children and vulnerable people. Special rules for children do not automatically apply to all adults.
Public appointment depends on the legal conditions and an individual assessment. An ordinary summons is therefore not a promise of a free lawyer.
Raise these questions before the interview:
- Can I speak to a defence lawyer before deciding whether to give a statement?
- How do we arrange for the defence lawyer to take part?
- Could public appointment apply, and who clarifies this?
- If I must pay myself, what will it cost?
Ask the lawyer to explain the price and who is responsible for payment before you engage their services. Do not assume the police have arranged a lawyer simply because you asked about the possibility.
How do you request an interpreter?
Tell the police early if you need an interpreter to understand questions and rights. State your language and any dialect. Also tell them if you have hearing difficulties or need other adjustments.
Being able to hold an everyday conversation in Norwegian does not always mean you understand a police interview well enough. Legal terms, stress and details can make the conversation harder. Integrerings- og mangfoldsdirektoratet explains when public bodies must use an interpreter.
Ask the police to assess the need and arrange an interpreter. Family and friends are not a good substitute for an impartial interpreter. The interpreter’s job is to convey what is said, not to give you legal advice.
Speak up during the interview if you do not understand the interpreting or a particular word. Ask for the question to be explained again. Do not confirm that you understand just to move the conversation along.
What should you clarify before the interview day?
Read the summons and make a short list of practical questions. The aim is to understand the arrangements for the meeting.
In particular, check:
- Time and place: Which entrance should you use, and whom should you ask for?
- Contact person: Whom should you notify if you are ill or delayed?
- Identity: What identification should you bring?
- Language and assistance: Has the need for an interpreter and, where relevant, a lawyer been clarified?
- Documents: Have the police asked you to bring anything specific?
If a message is unclear, ask for a simple explanation. Note whom you spoke to and what you agreed. You can ask for written confirmation of practical changes.
You can also make a list of questions for the lawyer. This guide cannot decide whether you should give a statement or how a particular piece of information affects your case.
What happens during the interview?
Before the interview, you must be told what the case concerns and that you are not obliged to give a statement. Ask if you do not understand the information about your rights.
Politiet’s guidance on interviews on Ung.no describes how the conversation usually proceeds. Ask the interviewer to explain the arrangements and how your statement will be recorded. Say if you need a break or do not understand a question.
Once a statement has been written down, it must be read aloud or given to you to read. Read carefully before signing, if you sign. If something is wrong or missing, specify what needs correcting. Under section 230, corrections and additions must be included in the report.
You can request access to the case documents. This right may be limited, including for the sake of the investigation or other people. Do not expect to receive all the documents before the interview. Ask the police or defence lawyer to explain what you can see now.
Before leaving, ask whom to contact next and how you will be informed of the next step. SamfunnPrep’s practical tools can help you further with Norwegian services and terms.
