You can appeal decisions from government agencies. The appeal deadline is usually three weeks from when you received the decision. You send the appeal to the agency that made the decision, for example NAV or UDI. It is free, and you can get help.
What does it mean to appeal a decision?
To appeal a decision means that you ask the government to review your case again. You believe the answer is wrong, and you want a different result.
An individual decision is a decision that concerns your rights or duties as a person. Examples are a rejection of unemployment benefits from NAV, a rejection of a residence permit from UDI, or a decision from the municipality about kindergarten or social assistance. You can appeal most individual decisions.
The rules are in the Administration Act (the law about how government agencies must handle cases). The right to appeal is part of the rule of law: the state must follow the law, and you can have the decision reviewed again. If you want to understand how this fits together, read more about courts and the rule of law.
What is the appeal deadline for a decision?
The appeal deadline is three weeks. The deadline runs from when the notice of the decision reached you, according to the Administration Act § 29.
This means you should act quickly. Count the deadline from the day the letter or digital message arrived, not from the day you opened it.
If you miss the deadline, you can still ask the agency to handle your appeal. If you had a good reason for being late, for example illness, they can consider your appeal. But the safest way is always to appeal within three weeks.
If there is no appeal deadline mentioned in the letter, three weeks still applies as the main rule. If you are unsure, you can ask the agency directly. The decision must always inform you that you can appeal the decision, what the deadline is, and where to send the appeal.
How to appeal step by step
You appeal in writing. According to the Administration Act § 32, you send the appeal to the agency that made the decision – that is, back to NAV, UDI or the municipality that decided.
- Find the decision. In the letter it says who made the decision, what the appeal deadline is, and where you send the appeal.
- Write what you are appealing. Mention which decision it concerns (date and case number) and what you think is wrong.
- Explain why. Briefly write what you disagree with and what you want the outcome to be.
- Attach documents that support your case, if you have any.
- Request a stay of execution if the decision takes effect immediately. Then the agency can wait to implement the decision while your appeal is being processed.
- Send within the deadline and keep a copy.
You do not need fancy language or legal terms. The most important thing is that it is clear what you disagree with.
What rights do you have when you appeal?
You have several rights that allow you to appeal on an equal basis with the government:
- Reasoning. An individual decision must usually be reasoned, according to the Administration Act §§ 24 and 25. If you get a rejection, you have the right to know why. If the reasoning is missing, you can request it.
- Right to access. You have the right to see documents in your own case (access to case documents). Then you understand what the decision is based on.
- Guidance. The government has a duty to help you understand the rules. You can ask the agency how to appeal.
- Representative. You can let someone else help you or appeal on your behalf – a friend, an organization, or a lawyer. This person is called a representative.
- Free. Appealing costs nothing. You do not pay a fee to have your case reviewed again.
The right to be heard is connected to human rights in Norway, which protect individuals against arbitrary decisions.
What happens to your appeal? The two levels
Your appeal goes through two levels. First, the lower level examines the case – that is the agency that made the decision. They can change the decision if they agree with you.
If they still disagree, they send the appeal to a higher appeals body. Who that is depends on your case:
- The County Governor is the appeals body for many municipal decisions, for example about social assistance, health and education.
- NAV Appeals handles appeals on decisions from NAV. Read more about NAV for immigrants.
- UNE (Immigration Appeals Board) is the appeals body for decisions from UDI about residence and protection. If your case concerns residence, see also residence permit and deadlines.
The appeals body reviews the case again and gives you a new answer. This often takes some weeks or months. If the agency takes an unusually long time, you can ask when the case will be decided.
What if you still think it is wrong?
If you still disagree after the appeal, you can go to the Ombudsman. The Ombudsman is elected by Parliament and monitors that the government follows the law and treats people correctly.
Complaining to the Ombudsman is free. But you must first have used your right to appeal in the administrative system, that is, received a final answer. The deadline is one year after the final decision. The Ombudsman cannot change the decision themselves, but can ask the agency to review the case again.
For some decisions you can also take the case to court, but that costs money. For most people, appeal and the Ombudsman are enough.
Ready to practice?
Rule of law and public administration are part of the curriculum for the Citizenship Test. With SamfunnPrep you practice exactly these topics – how Norway is governed and what rights you have. SamfunnPrep explains the rules in simple language so you feel confident both on the test and when dealing with government agencies.
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