Non-Immigrant Visas
Visa Applications by Non-Nordic Citizens
Please note that because of security regulations, some applications may
require months for processing. Since the application process cannot be
accelerated we recommend that prospective travelers schedule an appointment well
in advance. Applicants should refrain from calling the Embassy merely to inquire
about the status of their application until the full processing time has
expired. We also strongly recommend that applicants not make nonrefundable
travel arrangements until they have actually received their visa; visa
applicants should never assume their application will be automatically
approved.
Applicants from certain countries may be required to pay an
additional fee (beyond the application fee) if their visas are issued. This fee
is called a "reciprocity fee." Applicants should consult the U.S. Department of
State's visa
reciprocity fee table (http://travel.state.gov/visa/reciprocity/index.htm)
for more information.
Special Requirements
Non-Nordic citizens should provide
documents establishing their ties to Norway or to their country of residence,
such as:
- Business ownership and registration papers for a company, as well as the latest tax declaration;
- An old passport or an official notification letter from the Norwegian government which demonstrates when the applicant first received a Norwegian residence permit;
- A recently dated bostedattest (or certificate of residency) for applicant and immediate family members (i.e., spouse, children, parents), regardless of whether or not they intend to travel;
- Ownership papers for a house or apartment; and/or
- Old passports which contain previously issued U.S. visas.
Applicants who are unable to demonstrate sufficiently strong ties to Norway or to their country of residence will not be issued a visa. See Visa Denials. (http://travel.state.gov/visa/frvi_denials.html)
Language Requirements
If the applicant does not speak English
or Norwegian, he or she is responsible for bringing a translator to the
interview.
Applicants Who Do Not Reside in Norway
Under the regulations
governing visa issuance a consular officer may accept a non-immigrant visa
application from an individual who is physically present, but not resident, in
the officer's consular district. An applicant for a temporary visa who neither
resides nor works in Norway, or who will shortly cease residing or working in
Norway, may apply for a visa. However, individuals who are applying for a
visa at a consulate far from the consular district with jurisdiction over their
home country should be aware that they may have difficulty demonstrating
permanent ties to their home country. A consular officer in Norway
will in many cases find it difficult to make a favorable determination as he or
she will likely be unfamiliar with the social and economic conditions, language,
and official documents of the applicant's home country. In such cases the
applicant may consider instead submitting his or her visa application at a U.S.
consulate in the applicant's home country or at a U.S. consulate with routine
responsibility for processing applications from the applicant's home
country.
Similarly, non-Norwegian researchers and scholars completing
their research or studies at Norwegian institutions and who wish to attend a
conference in the U.S. or to go to the U.S. as exchange visitors (i.e., J-visa
holders) should be aware that it will be very difficult for them to demonstrate
strong and binding ties to Norway, given the cessation of their studies or
employment in Norway. Such applicants should consider applying for a visa in
their home country or in a country to which they may retain strong and binding
ties.
Back to main Non-Immigrant Visa page