Norway has decided to lift the financial assistance requirement when applying for a permanent residence permit.
So far, foreigners between the ages of 18 and 67 had to prove that they did not get any financial assistance from the Norwegian government under the Social Services Act in the last 12 months when applying for a permanent residence permit.
However, in line with the new rules that became effective on April 18, 2024, this requirement will no longer apply, SchengenVisaInfo reports.
On the other hand, the requirement for permanent residence permit applicants to prove that they have their own income will continue to remain effective. Everyone between 18 and 67 must prove that they have been receiving a certain amount of income in the last 12 months.
If you are between 18 and 67 years old and are going to apply for a permanent residence permit, you must have had your own income during the last 12 months.
According to the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI), in order to fulfil this requirement, permanent residence applicants must prove that they have earned at least NOK 296,550 (€25,219) in the past year.
Nonetheless, exceptions exist for individuals who do not meet this income requirement but have been employed full-time in the last 12 months and have received the legal minimum wage, even if the latter falls below the specified minimum.
If your income has been less than NOK 296 550 during the last 12 months, you will only meet the requirement if you have held a full-time job for the last 12 months and you were paid the legal minimum wage, even if this is less than NOK 296 550.
These Groups of People May Also Be Exempted From Requirement to Financially Support Themselves
As UDI notes, individuals may also be exempt from the income requirement when applying for permanent residence under certain circumstances.
Exemptions may apply to students in primary, upper secondary, or higher education and those who are underground labour market measures or apprenticeship programmes approved by the authorities.
In addition, exemptions may also apply to individuals who are receiving disability benefits from NAV and to those who have been granted independent residence permits due to domestic abuse or illness, among others, as some other categories are also included.
However, UDI highlights that exemptions are not guaranteed as every case needs to be assessed individually. The same noted that exemptions will only be granted in cases where it is unreasonable to require financial self-sufficiency from applicants.
As for individuals who do not meet the income requirement and do not fall under any of the exemption categories, UDI advises that they delay applying for a permanent residence permit.
Instead, they are advised to renew their current residence permit if it is due to expire before they are able to meet the financial obligations.
