Choose the correct start
Use the starting date for your application type. Only the period you confirm qualifies is included. Permit gaps are referred to UDI.
Residence-time calculator for Norway
Plan towards permanent residence or Norwegian citizenship. Understand how residence and travel affect your estimate, using UDI’s rules.
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UDI · UDI-regelverkSources reviewed
Calculate your residence time
Your dates stay in this browser. They are not added to the URL or saved by this tool.
Choose your situation
Enter your residence period
Permit granted before entry: normally the date you reported to the police. Permit granted after entry: normally the decision date. Permits throughout the period must form a basis for permanent residence. Check your decision letter.
Find the correct start date with UDIInclude every trip abroad
Include holidays and short trips too. Enter departure and return dates. The departure day counts as absence; the return day does not. Overlapping trips are counted once.
No trips added
Have you been abroad during this period? Add each trip for a more useful estimate.
How we calculate
Understand what counts
A useful estimate starts with the right dates. These are the assumptions behind the calculation.
Include every trip
Trips are split by calendar year and overlaps counted once. For citizenship, exceeding 62 nights deducts the entire annual absence within the relevant window.
Treat the date as an estimate
We use calendar years and nights. A February 29 anniversary becomes March 1 in a non-leap year. Future estimates assume continued qualifying residence without further travel.
For permanent residence the tool also uses nights as a practical estimate. UDI specifies the limits, but its guidance does not clearly define both travel-day boundaries. If close to the limit, ask UDI to assess your travel days. Permit changes and special rules need separate assessment.
Residence requirements, in one place
Compare the main rules before choosing a calculation. Permit type, absences and the other requirements need separate checks.
| Application route | Main rule and conditions |
|---|---|
| Work or family · three-year rule | Your permit must form a basis for permanent residence. 3 continuous years; normally up to 7 months abroad. Family of a person with protection may fall under the five-year rule. |
| Protection or humanitarian residence | Normally 5 years and up to 10 months abroad. May also cover family immigration with someone in these groups. |
| EEA citizen | EEA citizens get a permanent right of residence after 5 years of continuous residence — a separate scheme, not a permit. |
| Application route | Main rule and conditions |
|---|---|
| Main rule | Residence in 8 of the last 11 years. |
| Sufficient income | 6 of the last 10 years if you meet UDI’s specific income requirement. Having a job alone is not enough; check your tax assessment against UDI’s rules. |
| Residence with protection (asylum) | 7 of the last 10 years for people with refugee status. Collective protection is a different scheme. |
| Partner of a Norwegian citizen | 5 of the last 10 years, plus at least 7 years of residence and qualifying partnership combined. Individual assessment needed; no automatic date. |
| Nordic citizen | Nordic citizens: normally 2 years of continuous residence immediately before the decision. The notification route has separate rules. |
| Arrived in Norway before turning 18 | Residence in 5 of the last 7 years. |
Temporary collective protection (as for people displaced from Ukraine) does not normally form a basis for a permanent residence permit, so the calculator shows no date. The rules can change — follow udi.no.
Two travel examples
Leaving on Monday and returning on Friday means four nights in the citizenship calculation. A same-day return without an overnight stay gives zero nights.
62 nights abroad in one calendar year normally cause no deduction. At 63 nights, all 63 are deducted. A trip across New Year is split between the years.
UDI 2012-021Before entering your dates
Gather permit decisions, application and arrival dates, renewals and every trip. The issue date on a residence card is not necessarily the correct start. Permit changes or gaps need a separate review of your history.
Residence time and application deadlines are different
UDI normally recommends applying for permanent residence three months before meeting the residence requirement or before the permit expires. Citizenship has different submission rules. A citizenship application does not extend your current permit.
Residence time is one part of the requirements
SamfunnPrep is an independent learning tool. This estimate covers residence time, without assessing other requirements or individual exceptions. Use UDI’s application guide and your documents before planning an application.
Sources
Check the rules for your situation with UDI. These sources explain the main rules and exceptions.
- UDI · beregne oppholdstid for permanent opphold
- UDI 2017-006 · permanent oppholdstillatelse
- UDI · beregne oppholdstid for statsborgerskap
- UDI 2012-021 · statsborgerskap (§ 8.5: utenlandsopphold)
- UDI · beregne ekteskapstid
- UDI · varig oppholdsrett for EU/EØS-borgere
- UDI · søke norsk statsborgerskap
- UDI · tilstrekkelig inntekt for kortere oppholdstid
This is SamfunnPrep’s review of public sources, not an endorsement by UDI.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Common questions before you calculate.
For permanent residence, the start depends partly on whether your permit was granted before or after entry. For citizenship, your application or entry date may be relevant. The date on your residence card is not always the correct start. Follow UDI’s residence-time guidance for your situation.
Several short trips can together exceed a limit. For citizenship, up to 62 nights per calendar year normally produce no deduction. Beyond that, the entire annual absence is deducted. A trip crossing New Year is split between the two years.
The main limit is 7 months in a three-year period or 10 months in a five-year period. UDI uses 217 and 310 days respectively. Exceptions can apply, including for certain skilled or posted workers. Above the limit, this tool refers you to UDI.
For citizenship, only residence within the relevant window at the assessment date counts. Older residence can fall outside it. The calculator moves that window with the date and deducts relevant time abroad.
The partner route needs qualifying residence, a shared home and time with a Norwegian partner. EEA residence has separate continuity rules. Gaps and special circumstances may require individual assessment. In these cases the calculator can withhold an automatic date.
Temporary collective protection does not itself form a basis for permanent residence. This tool therefore gives no date for that permit. Other permits and later changes need separate assessment.
No. Future dates are calendar-year estimates assuming continuing qualifying residence and no further travel. UDI assesses your whole case and the other requirements. The assessment date, application date and decision date may have different significance.
Ready to see where you stand?
Gather your residence and travel dates. Calculate your residence time and see what counts.
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