Yes, you can lose a permanent residence permit, but it does not happen automatically. It can lapse (in Norwegian: bortfalle) if you stay continuously outside Norway for more than two years, and it can be revoked if, among other things, you have given incorrect information. It is UDI – Utlendingsdirektoratet, the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration – that makes the decision. If you are going to be abroad for a long time, you can apply to keep the permit, preferably at least six months before you have been away for two years. Below we explain when the right lapses, which limits apply, and what you must do to keep it.

When does the permanent residence permit lapse?

It lapses when you have stayed continuously outside Norway for more than two years. This follows from the Immigration Act (utlendingsloven) § 62 (the law in force as of 2026), and it is UDI that makes the decision on lapse. Lapse therefore happens because of a long absence from Norway, not because of something you have done wrong.

Note two things. First, the stay counts as continuous even if you have made one or more short trips to Norway during the period. Second, "lapse" (bortfall) is something other than "revocation" (tilbakekall), which we explain further down. Both mean that you lose the permit, but the basis and the rules are different.

How long can you be abroad?

You cannot be abroad continuously for two years or more, and you also cannot have several stays abroad that together add up to two years or more within a four-year period. These are the limits UDI uses when it assesses lapse.

Some stays do not count. If you are abroad for less than two months during one calendar year, it does not count as a stay abroad. And if you have been in Norway continuously for 15 months, you can once again stay abroad for up to two years. In short: short trips are safe, but long and repeated stays abroad can together cause the permit to lapse.

If you are going to travel a lot or live abroad for a period, it is wise to keep track of your travel days. You can read more about what the rules mean for travel in the guide on travelling outside Norway with a residence permit.

How to apply to keep the permit

If you are going to be outside Norway for more than two years, you can apply to UDI to keep the permanent residence permit. Then it does not lapse even if you are away for a long time. You should apply at least six months before you have been abroad for two years, so that you get an answer in time.

To have your application granted, you must meet certain conditions:

  • You must already have a permanent residence permit.
  • You must plan to settle in Norway again.
  • The stay abroad must be for a reason that UDI accepts, for example military service, work, education beyond upper secondary school, or that you are accompanying a spouse, cohabitant or a parent who works or studies abroad.

The list of approved reasons is decided by UDI and may change, so check the updated requirements at udi.no before you apply. If your application is granted, you keep the permit even if the stay abroad becomes long.

Revocation: when UDI withdraws the permit

A revocation is something other than lapse. Here UDI withdraws the permit with a separate decision, regardless of how long you have been abroad. The rules are in the Immigration Act § 63 (the law in force as of 2026).

The permit can mainly be revoked in two situations:

  • If you, against your better knowledge, have given incorrect information or withheld information that was of essential importance for the decision. Put simply: if the permit is based on something you knew was wrong. Revocation can also follow from general rules of administrative law.
  • Out of consideration for fundamental national interests, cf. § 126 annet ledd (second paragraph), when a foreign national who is not a citizen of a Schengen country has been ordered to be expelled from such a country.

For the vast majority who obtained the permit on an honest basis, revocation is not something you need to worry about in everyday life.

Advance notice: you get to have your say before the decision

UDI cannot take the permit away from you without letting you comment first. If UDI believes there are grounds for lapse, it sends you an advance notice (forhåndsvarsel). There you are asked to give an explanation, for example if the travel record UDI has relied on is wrong.

Use this opportunity. Reply within the deadline stated in the letter, and feel free to attach documentation of when you were actually in Norway, such as payslips, tickets or stamps in your passport. You can normally appeal a decision from UDI; the appeal deadline and how to appeal are stated in the decision, and you can always ask UDI if something is unclear. Do not leave a letter unanswered – it is easier to put things right before the decision is made.

Do you have a permit based on refugee status?

If you were granted a permanent residence permit because you have refugee status or protection, separate rules for lapse and revocation may apply, among other things if your refugee status ceases. These rules may be different from the main rules above.

We do not go through the details here, because they depend on your specific case. If this applies to you, you should check the rules directly with UDI or ask for guidance, so that you get an answer that fits exactly your situation.

How to keep the permanent residence permit

The simplest advice is: stay within the limits for time abroad, and always give correct information to UDI. Then your permit is safely kept.

A short checklist:

  • Do not be continuously abroad for two years or more.
  • Make sure that repeated stays abroad do not add up to two years or more within a four-year period.
  • If you must still be away for a long time, apply to keep the permit at least six months before two years have passed.
  • Keep documentation that shows when you have been in Norway.
  • Always reply to advance notices and other letters from UDI within the deadline.

If you want to know which requirements apply to obtain and renew the permit in the first place, see the overview of the requirements for permanent residence. If you want an even more secure status that cannot lapse because of time abroad, you can read about becoming a Norwegian citizen. Norwegian citizenship cannot lapse because you live abroad for a long time, the way a residence permit can.