Guide: Moving from Norway

When you move from Norway to another Nordic country, it is the regulations in the country to which you are moving that determine whether you must register as migrating into that country. You only need to notify the move in the country to which you are moving. If the notification of the move is approved in the country to which you are moving, you will automatically be registered as having emigrated from Norway.

If you move to another country, your membership of the social insurance scheme generally stops, and you will no longer have rights according to the National Insurance Act (folketrygdloven). 

If you have earned social insurance rights in Norway and are moving to another Nordic country, you can often take these rights with you. In some cases, you may be able to combine these rights with the rights you earn in the country to which you are moving. However, you should be aware that you cannot transfer earned rights to a social insurance benefit that does not exist in the country to which you are moving.

In other cases, you may receive social insurance benefits paid from Norway even if you move abroad. In most cases, you must apply for the benefits from Norway before you move.

The Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration, NAV, can answer questions about membership of the national insurance scheme and social insurance rights from Norway. 

When you are registered in the Population Register in another Nordic country, you are generally eligible for health services and medical help in that country. Contact your doctor if you suffer from severe illnesses, so you can be given prescriptions for essential medicines to see you through the first weeks in the new country.

If you are to be staying in another country temporarily, in certain circumstances you may be entitled to retain your healthcare rights in Norway. Before you move abroad , check with HelseNorge about what applies in your situation.

If you are pregnant, you should look carefully into the regulations regarding parental benefit and parental leave before you move abroad. Contact NAV for information about what applies in your situation, and to see if you can take earned parental benefit with you when you move abroad.

When you move to another country, you must notify the Norwegian Tax Administration. Even if you move from Norway, you may still be regarded as having unlimited tax liability in Norway. This applies if you have been living in Norway and have a significant connection to the country.

When you move to another country to work, you should check whether you need to apply for recognition, authorisation or some other form of permission in the sector in which you want to work in the new country. Remember that the jobseeking processes can take a long time, so apply in good time.

If you are a member of a trade union in Norway, it is a good idea to contact the union before you move to another country. They can give you relevant information and tell you which trade union you can be a member of in the country to which you are moving.

You can generally take earned rights to unemployment benefits to another Nordic country. Contact NAV about this.

When you move from one country to another, you should make sure you can support yourself for the first weeks or months. You should be aware that you often have to pay a deposit for a rental property, and that it can sometimes take a long time to process applications for housing allowance or child allowance, for example.

If you receive payments and support from the state, you should contact NAV before you move.

Remember to terminate your contracts, such as electricity, telephone, broadband, and gym, and any subscriptions to newspapers and magazines.

When you are moving from Norway, it is a good idea to contact your bank and close your accounts, change the address for your accounts, or pay off loans.

Remember to get your post forwarded to the new country, or redirected to other members of your family. Notify the Norwegian Post Office (Posten) of your new address. Remember also to change your address at banks and other institutions that you are in contact with.

If you have a rented apartment, you must give notice on the rental contract in writing before you move. If not, you risk having to pay double rent.

If you own property in Norway that will be rented out while you live abroad, check with the Norwegian Tax Administration about the tax regulations. 

If you own property in Norway that you are planning to sell, you must have it insured up to the date on which it is taken over by a new owner. You can get more information about this from your insurance company.

Check the customs regulations that apply if you are taking animals, personal effects or other removal goods with you to the country to which you are moving. 

If your vehicle is registered in Norway, it is your responsibility to pay the annual motor vehicle tax. The Norwegian Tax Administration is responsible for the annual motor vehicle tax in Norway.

If you are taking your vehicle to the new country, you must check the regulations about registration and import of vehicles in that country. You may be reimbursed part of the one-off registration tax you pay when you export a vehicle from Norway.

If you are a Norwegian citizen, you retain your Norwegian citizenship even if you move to another country and are no longer registered in the National Registry in Norway.

If you are a Norwegian citizen, over 18, or have at some time lived in Norway, you also have the right to vote in Norway even if you have moved from Norway. Voters who are living or staying temporarily abroad can vote in advance, either in Norway or at Norwegian diplomatic missions abroad.

As a Norwegian citizen, you can also vote in some county council, municipal and regional elections in the other Nordic countries.