Do you want to run your own business in Norway and are you a citizen of a country outside the EU/EEA? Then you can apply to the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI) for a residence permit as a self-employed person. UDI is the state agency that processes applications for residence in Norway. To get the permit you must have your own enkeltpersonforetak (a Norwegian sole proprietorship, not an aksjeselskap, a limited company), have competence as a skilled worker, and be able to show that the business gives you enough to live on – a likely profit of at least 341 373 kroner a year before tax (UDI's requirement as of 2026). The permit is granted for one year at a time, the application costs 6 300 kroner in fees, and the permit can form the basis for a permanent residence permit.

Who can get a residence permit as a self-employed person?

You can get the permit if you are going to run lasting business activity in your own enkeltpersonforetak, and it is necessary for you to be in Norway and take an active part in running the business in order to establish it or keep it going. The rules are set out in the Immigration Regulations (utlendingsforskriften) § 6-18. They apply to you as a citizen of a country outside the EU/EEA; if you are an EU/EEA citizen, you have your own, simpler set of rules.

An important condition is that the work requires you to have competence as a skilled worker (utlendingsforskriften § 6-1). That means completed vocational training from upper secondary school (at least three years), a completed education or degree from a university or college, or special qualifications you have built up through long work experience. These are the same competence requirements that apply to a skilled worker, but here you work in your own business instead of for an employer.

Requirements for the business, competence and income

Beyond being a skilled worker and taking an active part in running the business, you must be able to prove that there is an economic basis for the activity. The requirement is met if it is likely that the business will give you a profit (business income) of at least 341 373 kroner a year before tax. This amount is UDI's operative requirement as of 2026 and follows the subsistence requirement in the regulations, so it is adjusted regularly – always check the current figure on udi.no before you apply.

When the economic basis is assessed, funds from public grant schemes can count, for example support from Innovasjon Norge, the county authority (fylkeskommunen) or other public institutions. Even so, the business income must make up the main part of what you live on.

If the business requires a permit from other public authorities under other rules, you must either have such a permit or an advance statement from the authority that the permit will be granted.

Documents you must submit

Under § 6-18 of the regulations, the application must at least contain these documents:

  • documentation of your competence and of what role you have in the business;
  • an exact description of the kind of business you are going to run;
  • financing and budget plans for the operation;
  • accounts, if the business already has them;
  • an advance statement that the necessary permits from other authorities will be granted, if the business requires such permits.

This is the minimum list in the law. UDI's own document list is more detailed and depends on which country you are a citizen of, so always use the country-adapted checklist you get in UDI's application solution.

How to apply step by step

  1. Check that you meet the requirements, and find the document list that applies to your citizenship on udi.no.
  2. Register and fill in the application in UDI's online application portal.
  3. Pay the application fee of 6 300 kroner.
  4. Book and attend an appointment with the police in Norway or at a Norwegian embassy/foreign service mission, where you hand in the documents and give biometrics (photo and fingerprints).
  5. Wait for an answer from UDI, and do not start running the business before you have received a permit that gives you the right to do so.

Note that registering the enkeltpersonforetak itself is a separate step. You can read about how to set up the business in the guide how to register an enkeltpersonforetak.

Time, fee and what the permit gives you

The application costs 6 300 kroner for applicants over 18 years, and the same amount applies for renewal; for applicants under 18 years the fee is 3 150 kroner (UDI's rates as of 2026). You pay the fee whether or not the application is granted.

How long UDI takes to process the application varies and is not given as a fixed number. See the up-to-date processing time for your case type in UDI's waiting-time tool on udi.no.

If the application is granted, you get a permit for one year at a time. The permit is tied to your specific business, and as a rule you can only work in this company – you cannot take other work on the side. The permit forms the basis for a permanent residence permit, and after three years of continuous residence you can apply for a permanent residence permit. Your family members can apply for family immigration.

Common pitfalls

The most common misunderstanding is to think that registering an enkeltpersonforetak in itself gives the right to live and work in Norway. It does not: registering the business is one thing, the residence permit is another, and you must have the permit itself before you start operating.

Another pitfall is the company form. This permit requires an enkeltpersonforetak and, as a rule, cannot be granted for an aksjeselskap (AS, a limited company). If you are considering an AS, other rules apply – see the guide on starting a limited company (aksjeselskap) in Norway. If you are unsure whether an enkeltpersonforetak or another arrangement suits you, the overview freelancer or enkeltpersonforetak can help you choose.

Finally: applications that rest only on "special qualifications" from work experience, without formal vocational training, are rarely granted. If you can, therefore document a trade certificate, a degree or other formal education.

Where can you get help?

The official and up-to-date information is found at UDI. Use the page about self-employed persons with a business in Norway on udi.no, and follow the application guide for your country. If you have a complex case – for example unclear documentation of competence or income – it can pay off to get help from a lawyer or another professional before you send the application.