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Frequently Asked Questions

Disclaimer

What types of food can I bring/send into the U.S.?
We often get questions about what types of food are allowed past US Customs. These rules are decided by the US Customs and Border Protection, (often in cooperation with the US Department of Agriculture.)
As a general rule, fish is usually allowed in most forms (raw, smoked, cured, frozen, haphazardly packed, vacuum packed, etc).
Soft cheeses such as brie and camembert are not allowed, but hard cheeses such as brown goat cheese (brunost) are.
Currently, meat from Norway is not allowed in any form, and all fruits and vegetables must be declared and are most likely not allowed.
Chocolate and other candies are allowed.

Please consult www.cbp.gov to be completely sure!

What about tobacco and "snus"?
You are permitted to bring 100 cigars or 200 cigarettes (one carton) into the U.S. duty free, or one roll ("stock") of snuff (snus) into the U.S. duty free.

Do I need an international drivers license in the US?
Norway and the United States are both party to the 1949 International Convention on Road Traffic. Visitors from signatory nations may drive on the roads of other signatory nations using his or her own country’s license (limited to a licensed driver who is at least 18 years old and limited to a vehicle of the type covered by the license) for up to 1 year from the date of arrival. The Norwegian Automobile Association (NAF - Norges Automobil-Forbund) nonetheless recommends that you have an international driver's license in addition to your ordinary drivers license for driving in all non-EEA nations. You can get an international drivers license from any NAF office, member offices as well as the main office.

How many states are there in the US?
There are 50 states in the US. For more info on each individual state, please visit www.50states.com

Number of Norwegians visiting the States
Please visit the website of the International Trade Administration, US Department of Commerce, for an overview of number of Norwegians that visited the US between 1995 and 2002.

I would like to study in the US - what do I do?
Check out this link- or contact the Fulbright Office in Oslo. Please also check the education part of our website.

May I take my pet with me to the US?
For information on travelling to the US with your pet, or on what items you can bring to the U.S., please see the U.S. Cusoms and Border Protection websites. Also, please check out the information about US customs regulations at our website.

May I take my laptop computer with me into the U.S.?
Yes you can.
Information about U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)'s policy regarding border search of laptops is available here: http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/admissability/labtop_inspect.xml

I am going to the US on vacation. Do you have some information for me?
There is no US travel office in Norway, and the Embassy does unfortunately not have any tourist information. However, there are many good resources to be found on the internet, and we've linked to several of these on our Travel page. Also check out the practical travelers tips at FirstGov's travel page. It's also a good idea to read the information about US customs regulations at the Embassy's consular pages or the U.S. Custom's Traveler Information web page.

I would like to travel via bus or train in US
Despite there not being any US travel office in Norway, Nordmanns-Reiser in Oslo (phone 21 60 98 80) and Bergen (53 20 99 50) are ticket agents for AmTrak where you can purchase tickets to US trains. You may also want to check the AmTrak webpage. For information on travelling with bus, check out the web page of Greyhound buses. Here you can find information about time tables, routes, etc. If you still cannot find what you are looking for, you may contact them for information about fares and schedules at phone number 00-1-402-330-8552 (when calling from Norway). If you arrive the US via New York, you may visit their office at the following address:
Port Authority Bus Terminal
625 8th Avenue at 41 St
New York, NY 10018
Telephone (212) 971-0492 (when calling from the States)

How many presidents has the United States had?
The current President, President Barack Obama, is the 44th President of the United States of America. For more information on him or any other president, please visit the POTUS pages of the Internet Public Library

Visa
If you are going to the States as a tourist and staying less than 90 days, please see information here. If you are still not certain after reading the info here, you can send an email to oslovisa@state.gov
For more information, visit the Visa pages of our website.

What is the voltage in the US?
U.S. voltage is 110V/60hz, while Norway uses 220V/50hz. Electrical outlets in the U.S. take a flat-bladed plug (http://kropla.com/!ab.htm) - in Norway outlets take a round-pinned plug (see http://kropla.com/!c.htm) If you are going to the US and want to bring your Norwegian hair dryer, you'll need an adapter for plug.. These can generally be purchased from a hardware, travel or appliance store. If you buy electrical equipment in the U.S. and want to use it in Norway, you also need a step-down voltage converter that adapts 220 V to the 110 V that is expected by your U.S. appliance. Retailers of voltage converters in the U.S. can be found by searching for "voltage converters" on the internet. In Norway, a company that sells step-down converters is Ing. Furuseth AS.

Currency

Are there restrictions on "reproducing" US currency for play/recreational purposes?
The law places strict limitations on photographs or other printed reproductions of US and foreign paper currency, checks, bonds, stamps, and securities.
U.S. currency. The Counterfeit Detection Act of 1992 permits color illustration of U.S. currency provided that:

  • the illustration is less than three-quarters or more than one and one-half times the size, in linear dimension, of any part of the bill;
  • the illustration is one-sided; and
  • any negatives, positives, plates, or digital, magnetic, or optical files used in making the illustration are destroyed, deleted, or erased after their final use.

See here for more information on currency.

I am a Norwegian nurse/medical doctor wanting to practice in the US. What do I have to do?
If you want to practice medicine or work as a nurse in the US and are educated within this field in Norway or any country other than the US, you need to take a test that certifies your readiness to enter residency or fellowship programs in the United States that are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. This is carried out by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG). Please be advised that the US Embassy in Oslo does not have any information brochures or application forms for this. These may be downloaded from the ECFMG website. You can also call the Norwegian Fulbright Commission (22 01 40 10) in Oslo for an information booklet on this program.

I am HIV positive, can I travel to the U.S.?
Persons with HIV are now able to apply for non-immigrant visas for foreigners who are HIV-positive and seek to enter the U.S. as visitors for up to 30 days. Get more information on CBP.gov or write an e-mail to oslovisa@state.gov

U.S. tourist info



Want to visit the U.S.?

Check out this .pdf brochure - "Welcome to the U.S." - for information for international visitors.