According to the Norwegian Immigration Service, more than 70,000 Ukrainian citizens with temporary collective protection status currently live in Norway. The cities of Oslo, Bergen, Stavanger, Trondheim, and Drummen are the largest centres of Ukrainians.

In 2024, the country continues to accept Ukrainians, but Norway has recently adopted stricter rules for refugees. Norway is not a member of the European Union, so the procedure for applying for protection is slightly different from EU countries.

The rules and peculiarities of temporary collective protection in Norway in 2024 are described in the article below.

For more informationon the cost of living in Norway, how much it will cost to rent an apartment, groceries, transport and other services in 2024, please follow the link.

For more informationon travelling from Ukraine abroad in 2024, the rules for crossing the border, documents and peculiarities of the procedure for persons liable for military service, please follow the link.

Find out which men have the right to travel abroad in 2024, the list of documents for travelling abroad and a new military ID card here.

Rules for men raising one or more children on their own: list of documents for crossing the border.

Departure of men with many children from Ukraine in 2024: answers to questions.

Rules of entry to Norway for Ukrainians 2024

Since 25 February 2022, Norway has completely cancelled visa requirements for all Ukrainian citizens, so there is no need to obtain a permit before travelling.

The Norwegian government has decided on ‘temporary collective protection’ for Ukrainian citizens in Norway who fled Ukraine as a result of Russian aggression. The decision provides for the possibility of obtaining a temporary residence permit in Norway for one year, which can be extended for up to three years.

Moving to the country with pets is allowed. However, Ukrainians must pre-register their pet, notify them of their arrival in advance and undergo a medical examination.

To ensure a successful move and avoid any troubles, it is worth contacting specialists. Visit Ukraine's lawyers provide full support and advice on visa and migration issues to successfully resolve any nuances.

Where to apply for collective protection in Norway for Ukrainians?

On 15 July 2024, new refugee registration rules came into force in Norway. From now on, you can apply for protection at the National Registration Centre in the city of Rode or at the Gardermoen Registration Centre, located near Oslo Airport.

This rule applies both to Ukrainians who need free accommodation and to those who live in private accommodation and do not need a place in a refugee reception centre.

The registration centres in Kirkenes, Trondheim, Bergen, Jaren and Torp are no longer open.

Contact details of the National Refugee Reception and Registration Centre:

- Address: Mosseveien 58, 1640 Råde.

- The nearest border crossing point is the E6 motorway in Svinesjön (Sweden).

- To arrange a check-in time, please call: 40 02 61 90. Telephone opening hours: Monday to Friday from 9:00 to 15:00. The telephone is closed on Saturdays, Sundays and all public holidays.

At the Migration Department, your fingerprints will be taken and you will be helped to fill in the application form (the whole process will take 3 to 4 hours). The application may take several weeks to be processed.

Please note! Norway has started to refuse temporary protection to Ukrainians. We will tell you who can be refused.

How to get to the refugee registration centre?

Ukrainians must get to the National Centre for the Arrival and Registration of Refugees on their own. The local police may make an exception and take you to the centre only if you are in a particularly difficult situation (belonging to a group of vulnerable persons) or if there is a threat to your health and life.

In any case, the police will only assist unaccompanied minors under the age of 18 who have arrived in Norway.

Important! If you are travelling to the National Refugee Arrival and Registration Centre from another city, be sure to take all your belongings with you, as it is not known to which region you will be sent after registration.

Keep in mind that a Green Card is a prerequisite for legal travel in Norway by car. On the Visit Ukraine portal, you can apply for a Green Card online from a licensed insurer. Packages are available for different periods from 15 days to 1 year for cars and trucks, trailers and semi-trailers for trucks, as well as motorcycles and scooters.

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Help for Ukrainians in Norway: social support in 2024

Temporary protection entitles you to healthcare, employment, education, social support and Norwegian language courses.

● Housing in Norway for Ukrainians

Free accommodation is provided for Ukrainians in Norway. Upon arrival, you will be accommodated in a reception centre. Then, once your documents are completed and you have been granted protection, you will be placed in a community in the country. The municipality will be responsible for providing you with accommodation.

Most often, you are accommodated in special small dormitories. Before you move in, the authorities must inspect the living conditions: whether they meet the standards, whether it will be comfortable for the refugee to live there, and how safe it is to stay there.

If you are planning to rent an apartment, it is better to look for it on your own than through an agency.

We advise you to focus on Norwegian websites, as you can be sure that the prices will not be too high for foreigners. One of the most popular websites is Finn.no. Ads in English are collected on Nespick.com and Rentberry.com.

The monthly rent for a one-room apartment ranges from 800 to 1200 EUR, depending on the city.

● Work in Norway for Ukrainians

After obtaining temporary protection, you will receive a work permit. The largest database of vacancies is collected on the portal: Arbeidsplassen.

If you work in Norway, you automatically become a member of the Norwegian National Insurance Scheme from the first day of work. As a member of the Norwegian National Insurance Scheme, NAV is responsible for your rights to family benefits, pension, healthcare and much more.

In 2024, the Norwegian authorities will facilitate faster employment of Ukrainians. The government plans to strengthen the orientation programme for refugees and will set specific requirements for its orientation:

- Participants must spend at least 15 hours a week on employment-related activities;

- the minimum requirements can be met through internships, part-time work, short vocational or industry courses, and participation in labour market events;

- municipalities will have the right to reject applications for participation in the programme from those who are already employed or have received a job offer.

● Education in Norway

Ukrainian children are entitled to free education in Norway. This right applies to children from 6 to 16 years old. The education system is divided into primary, secondary and high schools. After that, there is an opportunity to get a state-funded place at a college or university with a scholarship. Students will study according to Norwegian curricula. There are also many textbooks in Ukrainian that schools can use.

In Norway, attending kindergarten is not compulsory, but it is considered the first stage of the educational process.

Contact your local municipality for details and practical information.

You can find out whether it is possible to cross the Ukrainian border without a passport in 2024 here.

Benefits in Norway for Ukrainians in 2024

Ukrainians who are unable to provide for themselves are entitled to financial assistance in Norway to cover basic needs: food, accommodation, access to medical services, primary, secondary and higher education.

Monthly payments at the exchange rate in Norwegian kroner amounted to approximately EUR 1,800 per adult. However, in 2024, the Norwegian government decided to limit financial assistance to displaced persons from Ukraine to avoid an excessive burden on municipalities.

In particular, the following changes are envisaged:

-Ukrainians will no longer receive payments if they choose to live in private housing instead of refugee reception centres;

- support for childless families is planned to be reduced by approximately 6,000 kroons per month (520 euros);

- the state will no longer cover pet expenses for people arriving at refugee reception centres.

In practice, newcomers will not be able to live with their pets in refugee reception centres.

- To receive the one-time financial assistance of 93,000 kroner (8,200 euros), you will need to reside in Norway for at least a year.

- For basic and assistance payments, a longer period of residence in Norway will be required.

For more information, please follow the link.

Take care of your health when travelling to Europe with health insurance from Visit Ukraine, which guarantees reliable protection. Ensure your peace of mind while travelling.

Important! In 2024, Norway also plans to tighten control over travel to Ukraine. A residence permit may be cancelled if the trip is against the rules. It will be possible to return home only for a valid reason. Read more about the restrictions in our article.

Ukrainians in Norway can receive payments for returning home

The website of the Norwegian Directorate for Foreigners (UDI) reports that the Norwegian government is allocating an additional cash payment of EUR 1,500 for Ukrainians who are going to return home.

This assistance is designed to enable Ukrainians who have previously received collective protection in Norway to return to their homeland and settle there.

The list of documents and the procedure is available here.

For more information on how to get to Ukraine from Norway in 2024, please follow the link.

When can Ukrainians lose their collective protection status in Norway?

Among the most popular reasons why Ukrainians may lose collective protection in Norway are

- after 12 December 2023, the refugee travelled to Ukraine without a valid reason (such as visiting a seriously ill close relative or attending the funeral of a close family member);

- stayed outside Norway for more than 6 months during the year.

Important! The new rules do not apply to trips to Ukraine that were made before 12 December 2023.

How to restore the lost collective protection status in Norway?

According to the new rules, starting from 1 July 2024, Ukrainians will not be able to obtain collective protection again. From now on, when you apply, you will only be able to apply for individual protection.

The change in status will have certain consequences for Ukrainians:

- loss of rights in the municipality where the person lives;

- the right to a place in a shelter remains while the application for individual protection is being considered;

- to be able to work, it will be necessary to apply for a temporary work permit;

- once individual protection is granted, the right to publicly assisted accommodation is lost, meaning that you will have to find and pay for accommodation yourself.

If the Norwegian Directorate for Foreigners (UDI) refuses to grant you individual protection, you will have to leave Norway.

Thus, in 2024, Norway, like other European countries, will accept Ukrainians, but before moving here, take into account the gradual reduction of social support.

Read here to find out which EU countries you can get re-protected in 2024 and what you need to do to move.

Norway for refugees from Ukraine: who can be denied protection in 2024?

Recently, Ukrainian refugees in Norway have faced unexpected difficulties - local authorities have begun to refuse to grant temporary protection to some Ukrainian citizens, as evidenced by a report by nrk.no.

The situation changed dramatically after the Norwegian government introduced stricter criteria for granting temporary asylum to Ukrainians. Now, two key factors can lead to a refusal: if the applicant has permanently resided outside Ukraine before the full-scale invasion, or if they come from regions that Norway has designated as ‘safe’.

The prerequisites for such changes emerged in the spring, when the Norwegian authorities noted a significant burden on the social system due to the massive influx of Ukrainian refugees.

Minister of Justice Emilie Enger Mel commented on the situation: "There are currently more than 80,000 Ukrainians in Norway. We are forced to implement measures that will guarantee protection for the most vulnerable. It is time to return to concrete steps. More restrictions are inevitable."

The Norwegian Directorate for Foreigners (UDI) has designated six regions of Ukraine as safe areas:

- Lviv;

- Volyn; Volyn;

- Zakarpattia;

- Ivano-Frankivsk;

- Ternopil;

- Rivne region.

Residents of other regions of Ukraine retain the right to apply for temporary protection. However, the Norwegian authorities emphasise further tightening of immigration policy, which will affect Ukrainian citizens.

It is worth noting that some Ukrainians have already been denied temporary protection status under the new rules.

Just a reminder. The validity of temporary protection for Ukrainians has been extended in most European countries. Read about whether it is possible to travel with temporary protection, how visa-free travel works during the war and other important nuances for Ukrainians abroad.

Want to know more? Read the latest news and useful materials about Ukraine and the world in the News section.

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