After a separation, children in Norway have the right to spend time with both parents – regardless of the parents' marital status. The rules are regulated by the Child Law and prioritize the best interests of the child in all decisions.
What is Parental Access and Who Decides?
Parental access is the child's right (not the parents') to maintain contact with both parents after the parents separate.
Parental access can be arranged in three ways:
- Private agreement between the parents – the most common solution
- Agreement through mediation at the Family Counseling Office (mandatory mediation if you have children under 16 and are seeking separation/divorce)
- Court decision (ruling from the district court) if the parents cannot agree
Section 43 of the Child Law states that children have the right to parental access with the parent they do not live with regularly. The starting point is "parental access of standard scope" = one afternoon per week + every other weekend + 14 days of vacation = approximately 20% of the time.
Both parents can agree to more parental access than this. Shared residence (50/50) is becoming increasingly common.
Child Support: How NAV Calculates the Amount
Child support is the money paid by the non-custodial parent (the parent the child does not live with most of the time) to the parent the child lives with regularly.
NAV uses a support capacity assessment and maintenance cost model with five factors:
- Income of both parents
- Age of the child (costs increase with age)
- Number of children
- Scope of parental access – the more parental access the support-obligated parent has, the lower the support
- Any special needs of the child
You can use NAV's child support calculator on nav.no to estimate the expected amount. NAV can set the support administratively, or it can be set by the court.
Minimum deduction (2026): A support-obligated parent with income below approximately 27,000 kr/month (set by NAV) cannot be required to pay support. This is a basic living expense deduction that ensures the support-obligated parent can cover their own basic needs.
What if the Other Parent Prevents Parental Access?
If the custodial parent prevents parental access without legal grounds:
- Document each instance (write down the date, what happened, witnesses)
- Bring the matter to the Family Counseling Office – free assistance and mediation
- Request enforcement from the bailiff (namsmann) of an existing access agreement or court ruling
- Go to the district court to modify the access arrangement
Prevention of parental access can affect the question of residence – the courts emphasize who best facilitates contact with the other parent.
The police can assist with collecting the child for access if there is a court ruling on access and it is being refused.
Conflicts: The Family Counseling Office and the Court
Family Counseling Office (free):
- Mandatory mediation for separation/divorce
- Voluntary mediation for unmarried couples after separation
- Helps parents create an access agreement
- Can provide a mediation certificate that is required to go to court
District Court:
- Next step if mediation is unsuccessful
- Can order temporary access arrangements (interim ruling)
- Can appoint an expert to assess the child's best interests
Immigrants: Children in Two Countries and International Rules
This is especially important for immigrants:
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Unlawful removal: It is unlawful to take the child abroad without the other parent's consent if it conflicts with an access or residence ruling. The Hague Convention of 1980 regulates the return of children who have been wrongfully removed across national borders. Norway is a signatory.
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Dual citizenship: Children can hold citizenship of both parents' countries. This does not change Norwegian courts' jurisdiction as long as the child is resident in Norway.
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Child support across borders: NAV can assist with collecting child support from a parent living abroad through International Child Support Collection. There are bilateral agreements with many countries.
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Access during extended trips: The court can determine that access should take place in Norway, or that special guarantees (such as passport deposit) apply.
Read more about paternity declaration and parental responsibility in Norway.
Shared Residence (50/50): What Does It Mean in Practice?
Shared residence means the child's daily home is with both parents equally – approximately half the time with each. The legal definition is found in Section 48 of the Child Law: both parents have custody and the child's residence is divided practically equally between them. To achieve shared residence, the court requires that the parents share responsibility both legally and practically.
In practice, a 50/50 arrangement means the child lives, for example, week by week (Monday to Monday), or every other weekend and some weekdays. Some children commute daily between two homes, while others have their main residence for the week and stay elsewhere on weekends. There is no standard model – the parents can agree on the arrangement that works best for the child.
As for school, the child is registered at the same school based on the place where they actually reside most of the time. If the parents live in two municipalities, the child can be registered at schools in both municipalities if flexibility is needed – but the child must be registered at least one school as their primary address.
Child support with shared residence: if the child has 50/50 residence, child support is calculated differently. The parent who earns more pays half of their normal support obligation to the other. If both earn the same, neither pays support. NAV has its own child support calculator on nav.no – enter both parents' incomes and residence status, and it will show how much should be paid.
Example: Father earns 600,000 kr annually, mother earns 400,000 kr. Normal child support for the father would be approximately 4,500 kroner per month, but with 50/50 residence, he pays approximately 2,250 kroner – half – to the mother.
Temporary Access Arrangement During Court Proceedings
After a couple separates, a question arises: what happens with the child in the coming weeks or months while the district court handles the custody case? To prevent the child from losing contact with a parent during the process, the district court can order a temporary access arrangement.
You can apply to the district court for a temporary access arrangement if you cannot agree. The application is sent to the district court in the district where the child lives (or where you are resident). The district court has the authority to order the arrangement within 2-4 weeks, while the full custody case can take 6-12 months.
Typical temporary arrangement after separation: The child lives with one parent during the week and has access with the other every other weekend and perhaps some weekday evenings. Both father and mother have input – neither is completely excluded. If it is documented that one parent poses a risk to the child, the district court can limit access or require supervision by a third party.
The temporary arrangement can be changed if the situation changes dramatically (for example, if the child or a parent becomes ill or moves). You can apply to the district court for a change even during the processing of the main case.
When the final ruling is issued, the temporary arrangement can be confirmed as permanent, or modified based on what the court considers to be in the child's best interests.
Child Support: How to Calculate It Yourself
NAV has a public child support calculator on nav.no that shows how child support is calculated. You can test different income scenarios before you apply to NAV or agree with the other party.
The basis for calculation is both parents' income according to the most recent tax assessment (the tax year before the application), as well as any changes in income (unemployment, new job, self-employment). NAV uses the following key figures:
- Amount per child: the basic amount is approximately 1,700-1,900 kroner per month (for one child), and increases marginally for each additional child.
- Income threshold: if you earn less than 2G (approximately 239,000 kroner annually, 2026), you pay the minimum fixed amount (approximately 1,650 kroner). If you earn more, the support increases.
- Calculation formula: Child support is calculated as a percentage of income above 2G. Approximately 8-12% of income between 2G and 6G (250,000-430,000 kroner annually), then a lower percentage for income above 6G.
Example: If you earn 400,000 kroner annually and have one child, child support is approximately 3,000-3,500 kroner per month (depending on the exact formula NAV uses that year).
If you and the mother agree on child support (without court), you must send a written agreement to NAV, which will register and follow up on the payment. NAV can enforce the agreement and deduct from salary if payment is not made.
International Cases: Children with Parents in Two Countries
If the child is resident in one country but has parents in two countries, the Hague Convention of 1980 on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction applies. This convention regulates both parental access and custody when parents are resident in different countries.
The main rule: The district court in the country where the child has their "habitual residence" (typically where the child attends school and lives most of the year) has primary jurisdiction. If the child is resident in Norway, Norwegian district courts handle parental access and custody matters, even if one parent lives in Sweden, Germany, or Lithuania.
The exceptions to the Hague Convention are critical:
- If one parent has wrongfully brought the child to Norway (child abduction), Norwegian courts cannot handle the case until the child is returned or the parent accepts it.
- If the child chooses to remain in Norway (has reached 16 years of age), or if the child "becomes accustomed to" life in Norway over 1-2 years, Norway can acquire custody.
Practical example: Father and mother were married in Sweden. The mother takes the child to Norway without the father's consent. The district court in Sweden has jurisdiction. The father can demand that the child be returned within 30-60 days under Hague rules, or that a Swedish court handle the custody case. If more than one year has passed and the child has become established in Norway, Norwegian courts can take over the case.
Child support in international cases is regulated through EU Regulation 4/2009 and the Hague Protocols. Both Swedish and Norwegian authorities can require support from the parent who does not have custody, regardless of their place of residence.
