Online visa applications reduce processing time

All Norwegian missions abroad now offer visa applicants the opportunity to use an online system. Minister of Foreign Affairs Jonas Gahr Støre commented, “This will give visa applicants a much better service and reduce the processing time for applications.”

In 2010, Norwegian missions abroad processed 143 000 visa applications and received 18 000 applications for residence. The large missions deal with 100–450 applications a day. On Application Portal Norway, almost everyone can register applications for a visa, residence permit or citizenship online.

“Using the application portal, you can register your visa application wherever you are, whenever you like, without any queue. This reduces waiting time for applicants and ensures more effective processing of all types of applications,” said Mr Støre.

The online system also reduces processing time at the missions because applicants do most of the work themselves. The applicant also pays the fee online and makes an appointment with the mission or the police for submitting the necessary documents. This means that the time it takes to apply for a visa at a mission is reduced in certain cases from several hours to less than 15 minutes.

The Application Portal Norway has been developed by the EFFEKT programme, which is a collaboration between the police, the Immigration Appeals Board, the Directorate of Integration and Diversity and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and is owned by the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration.

Press contact in the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration: Communications Adviser Åsmund Eide, +47 400 36 84