Permanent residence for children and young people raises specific age questions. Before the 18th birthday, the family should check the child's own residence permits and residence time. Age must be considered on two different dates: at application for test requirements, and at the decision for income.
Which requirements apply to the child?
The child's own residence history must be checked, even if the parents have lived in Norway for a long time. The Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI) describes a requirement for children under 18 of three or five years of continuous residence and permits that provide a basis for permanent residence. Some children may be exempt from the residence-time requirement. Which residence period applies depends on the basis for residence, not just the child's age. The guide to qualifying residence time shows how to make an overview of the permits.
Check the child's decision letters, not just the parents' cards. UDI says young people themselves become responsible for having a valid residence permit after turning 18. Find the start and end of each permit, and whether it provides a basis for permanent residence. If the child arrived in Norway later than the parents, the dates may differ. Also check stays abroad and any periods without a valid permit. UDI assesses each child's case individually. A parent having permanent residence does not mean an older child automatically gets the same.
There is a special rule for some children under one year old who were born in Norway. UDI lists conditions related to the parents' residence and requires the child's application to be submitted before the first birthday. This rule does not automatically apply to a 15- or 17-year-old. Use UDI's guide for the age group and family situation that actually applies.
What changes on the 18th birthday?
Age must be checked on two different dates. UDI's guideline says the age limit of 18 for the test requirement is calculated on the application date. For the self-support requirement, age at the time of the decision is decisive. An applicant who is under 18 when the decision is made is not subject to this income requirement. If the applicant has turned 18, income or a relevant exemption must be checked. So it is not safe to assume child rules apply just because the application was registered before the birthday.
Under the rules in effect from 1 September 2025, UDI's oral Norwegian test and social studies test requirements for permanent residence apply to applicants aged 18 to 67. If the applicant was under 18 when the application was submitted, turning 18 while waiting does not trigger the test requirement for that application. If the young person applies after turning 18, tests or relevant exemptions must be checked. The other conditions that apply to the case must still be met when the decision is made. Do not book a test for a minor based only on a general webpage. Read about exemptions and accommodations for tests if the adult applicant has a documented need.
| Timing | What to check for the child or young person |
|---|---|
| Several months before turning 18 | Their own permits, residence time, documents and expected processing time. |
| At application | Valid permit, correct personal document list and age for the test requirement. |
| If a decision may come after age 18 | Personal income or an exemption; a birthday after application does not create a new test requirement. |
| Throughout the waiting period | Conditions of the temporary permit and its renewal date. |
Two family situations that show the difference
Siblings can have different dates even if they live at the same address. Suppose a parent and a 17-year-old child received permits that provide a basis for permanent residence in August 2023. A younger sister arrived in August 2025. The family cannot use the same residence time for both children. The older child may, in principle, have an earlier possible application date. If the application is submitted when the child is 17, age at application is relevant for tests; age at the time the case is decided is relevant for income. The younger child must be assessed based on their own first qualifying permit.
In another family, the child was born in Norway six months ago. The parents have or meet the conditions for permanent residence under the special rule UDI describes. The family must then look into an application for the child before the child turns one. This is different from the usual check of three or five years of residence for older children. These examples show what to check; they do not decide whether a particular family will be granted an application.
Does the young person have to take tuition or tests?
For permanent residence, the age limit for the test requirement is tied to the application date. Keep this separate from any right or duty to receive Norwegian tuition under other rules. Ask the municipality whether the young person has a separate duty to attend tuition, and ask UDI or the police about test conditions in the specific application. No one should be told that attending school automatically replaces a test after turning 18; UDI assesses specific, documented exemptions.
If the young person becomes an adult before the decision, schooling may also be relevant to an exemption from the self-support requirement. UDI has specific rules for, among other things, participation in primary or upper secondary education before age 25. The conditions concern the type and period of education; simply having a place at a school is not enough to reach a conclusion. Obtain confirmation from the school and check the specific exemption rule with UDI.
Checklist before the family applies
Create a separate folder for each child. This makes age, residence time and documents easier to check:
- Write down the date of birth and the 18th birthday, as well as the dates in every decision letter for the child.
- Mark which permits UDI says provide a basis, and note periods spent abroad.
- Use UDI's guide with the child's citizenship and basis for residence; download the child's personal document list.
- Find a passport or other identity document, decisions, school confirmation for a relevant exemption and any other documents on the list.
- Check the test requirement based on age when the application is submitted, and the income requirement based on age when the decision is made.
- Check renewal of a temporary permit before it expires if the case is unresolved.
On SamfunnPrep, the family can use the residence-time tool to organise dates for each person. The tool does not make a UDI decision. If the young person applies as an adult and needs to prepare for the social studies test, they can practise for free on SamfunnPrep after the test requirement is clarified.
Sources and rules checked on 1 October 2026.
