Processing times at UDI range from a few weeks to several years, depending on what you are applying for. UDI (Directorate of Immigration) publishes estimates for each case type, and the figures change approximately every month. Here you get the published estimates for July 2026 – and your rights while you wait.
How UDI processing times work
UDI publishes a guideline waiting time for each case type on udi.no/ventetid. The waiting time is counted from the day you submitted the documents to the police, an embassy, or an application centre.
Guideline means that the number is an estimate, not a promise. The clock starts at the appointment, not when you register and pay the application online.
In the guide you answer a few questions about your case. Then you get an estimate that fits your situation. Each page shows when the estimate was last updated, and when it will be updated next.
If the estimate changes while you are waiting, it is the new figure that applies to your case. UDI usually processes the oldest application first. In family cases, UDI often publishes dates instead of months. Then you see which submission dates UDI is working on right now.
Published waiting times for July 2026
As of July 2026, UDI's published estimates range from 1.5 months for skilled workers to around 25 months for permanent residence permit. The table shows the most important case types. If you are considering applying for Norwegian citizenship later, you can already now read the requirements for Norwegian citizenship.
| Case type | UDI's published estimate (as of July 2026) | Last updated |
|---|---|---|
| Norwegian citizenship | 19 months (approximately 11,000 in queue) | 25.06.2026 |
| Family immigration, spouse of Norwegian citizen | Applications submitted by 01.02.2025 will be assigned a case officer by 01.09.2026 | 28.04.2026 |
| Family immigration, family member has work permit | Up to 4 months before UDI reviews the case | 25.06.2026 |
| Skilled worker, first-time application submitted in Norway | Up to 1.5 months (45 days) | 25.06.2026 |
| Permanent residence permit (cases at UDI) | Approximately 24–25 months | 25.06.2026 |
The figures are fresh. The citizenship page, for example, will be updated again on 30.07.2026. Therefore, always use UDI's own guide for current figures – articles like this one from SamfunnPrep only show a snapshot.
Note three things. The family figures depend entirely on the status of the family member in Norway. For permanent residence permit, the police handle most cases, and then the police district's own waiting times apply. And in skilled worker cases that require vocational training, for example chef or hairdresser, UDI checks documents from 14 countries extra carefully – the goal is to finish these by the end of 2026. Read more about how to apply for a work permit as a skilled worker.
How to check the status of your application
You check your status on My Page at UDI. There you see your applications, send documents, pay fees, and book an appointment.
The status "the case is being processed" usually means that the application is in the queue. It does not mean that a case officer is actively working on your case.
If you are applying for citizenship, UDI sends you a confirmation by email or SMS once a month. It says that the application is still in the queue.
You can find the submission date under "My applications" on My Page and on the receipt from the police. The decision comes as a letter. With a digital mailbox you get it immediately, with paper mail it takes about two weeks.
Can you get a faster answer from UDI?
No, contacting UDI does not make the processing time shorter. UDI itself writes: «Your waiting time will not be shorter even if you contact UDI.»
If your case is still within the published waiting time, UDI asks you not to contact them. If UDI needs more documents from you, they will contact you.
Very few applications are prioritized. Prioritization requires a detailed written explanation with documentation, for example a medical certificate. You cannot ask for prioritization by phone, chat, or email.
All citizenship applications first go through automatic processing. That can give an answer much faster, but you cannot ask for it. If you are applying without a permanent residence permit, your application will not be processed automatically. Children under 18 with parents who have just become Norwegian get an answer within 3 months (as of July 2026).
Your rights while you wait
If you apply for renewal at the latest one month before the permit expires, you have the right to continue residing on the same terms. This is stated in the Aliens Act § 61.
You can therefore live, work, and study as before, until the case is finally decided. This applies even if your card expires while you are waiting. UDI recommends booking an appointment with the police about three months before expiration. Check the deadlines for renewing your residence permit in good time.
If you need proof for your employer, you download a certificate of legal residence from My Page.
If you apply after your permit has expired, you do not automatically have the same rights. Then you must ask UDI, and you risk being removed from the Population Register.
What can you do if the waiting time has passed?
If UDI's published estimate has passed, you can send a written reminder – and then complain for free to the Ombudsman. The Public Administration Act § 11 a requires UDI to decide the case «without undue delay», that is, without unnecessary delay.
The law also gives you the right to a provisional answer. This is a message about why the case is taking time, and when you can expect an answer. If UDI cannot answer you within one month, you should receive such a provisional answer.
This is how you proceed, step by step:
- Check UDI's waiting time guide and note the date for the next update.
- Wait until the published estimate has passed.
- Send a written reminder via My Page or the contact form. A reminder is a written reminder.
- Remind again after 2–4 weeks if you do not get a response.
- Complain to the Ombudsman – Parliament's control body for the administration. It is free, but you must have reminded first.
This works. In the case SOM-2022-5454, UDI took over four years and four months on one case. The Ombudsman determined that it broke the law, and that UDI should have sent a provisional answer along the way.
Be patient though: the Ombudsman is currently handling fewer cases about long processing times. And if you get a rejection, separate complaint rules apply – that is a different process than waiting.
Use the waiting time wisely
The waiting time is long, but you can use it to prepare for the next step. The requirements for permanent residence and citizenship take time to meet anyway.
Many must, for example, pass tests in civic knowledge and Norwegian before they can apply. Check the requirements for permanent residence permit right now, so you know what lies ahead.
You can use the waiting time wisely: practice for the civic knowledge test for free on SamfunnPrep. Try for free
