Norway · Work

Norway Researcher · Own funds

Savings needed: NOK 170k+ a year ≈ $18k

Residence permit for researchers with own funds

Checked against official sources on 12 Oct 2026Change log

Key facts

Researcher · Own funds is a work route for Norway. Applicants need savings of NOK 170k+ a year ≈ $18k. Checked 2026-10-12 against the official source.

Money needed: NOK 170k+ a year ≈ $18k
Government fees: NOK 5,400 ≈ $560

Cost, time and long term

To apply: government fee NOK 5,400 ≈ $560; savings to show NOK 170k+/yr ≈ $18k. No lawyer or agent fee is included.

Government feesNOK 5,400 ≈ $560

NOK 5,400 (≈ $560)Application fee for researchers with own funds, including renewals; applicants under 18 pay half.

Shown, not spentNOK 170k+/yr ≈ $18k

NOK 170,368 a year (≈ $17,800)Pay from abroad, grant, own funds or a combination for the whole academic year.

RenewalRenewable

A temporary permit can be renewed on application if the basis for the permit still exists. Apply at least one month before the permit expires to keep your right to stay while the renewal is decided.

Lovdata

Permanent residenceTime here doesn't count

The regulations state that this permit does not form a basis for permanent residence, so time on it does not count toward the 3-year residence requirement.

Lovdata

CitizenshipGeneral rule: 8 years of residence

The general rule is 8 years of residence in the last 11 on permits of at least one year, and the applicant must also meet the conditions for permanent residence, which this permit does not provide.

Lovdata

Where to applyFrom abroad

A first-time permit must normally be granted before you enter Norway, applied for through the Norwegian embassy in your country of citizenship or where you lived in the last six months. UDI guidelines can allow some researchers to apply from inside Norway.

Lovdata Lovdata

Why this route may not fit

Check this before you apply.

Time on this route doesn't count toward permanent residence
Applications are made from outside Norway, not after arriving
Not open to EU, EEA or Swiss passports

What you'll need

Who can apply2

The applicant has a master's degree and will do research at a Norwegian university, university college, institute or similar without a Norwegian employer.
Conditions in the home country make it likely that the applicant will return after the stay.

What you must show3

Funds are NOK 15,488 (≈ $1,620) per month (NOK 170,368 (≈ $17,800) per year) for the whole academic year, from foreign pay, a grant, own funds or a combination.
A grant must correspond to Lånekassen's basic support for the 2026/2027 academic year, at least NOK 15,488 (≈ $1,620) per month.
The application fee is NOK 5,400 (≈ $560).

Documents1

Somewhere to live is shown.

After you arrive2

The holder can work part time up to 20 hours per week, including remote work, and full time in holidays.
The permit period does not count towards permanent residence.

When you become tax resident

How Norway decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.

Tax residence: More than 183 days in any 12-month periodPresence in Norway for more than 183 days in one or more periods makes a person resident for the income year in which the limit is passed.
More than 270 days in any 36-month periodPresence in Norway for more than 270 days in any 36-month period also makes a person resident, except for persons resident on Svalbard.
Foreign-source income: Norwegian tax residents are taxed on worldwide income and wealth: 22% on general income plus bracket tax of 1.7% to 17.8% on personal income above NOK 226,100, (≈ $23,600) and employees pay 7.6% national insurance contributions.

All tax rules for Norway Tax records checked 12 Oct 2026

Official site

Full official text

For a person with a master's degree researching at a Norwegian university, college or institute without a Norwegian employer; researchers with a Norwegian employer apply as skilled workers. ^{1 2 3}

What you must show and pay

Savings of at least NOK 170,368 a year (≈ $17,800) · Pay from abroad, grant, own funds or a combination for the whole academic year. ¹
A fee of NOK 5,400 (≈ $560) · Application fee for researchers with own funds, including renewals; applicants under 18 pay half. ²

Requirements

The applicant has a master's degree and will do research at a Norwegian university, university college, institute or similar without a Norwegian employer. ¹
Conditions in the home country make it likely that the applicant will return after the stay. ¹
Funds are NOK 15,488 (≈ $1,620) per month (NOK 170,368 (≈ $17,800) per year) for the whole academic year, from foreign pay, a grant, own funds or a combination. ¹
A grant must correspond to Lånekassen's basic support for the 2026/2027 academic year, at least NOK 15,488 (≈ $1,620) per month. ¹
The application fee is NOK 5,400 (≈ $560). ²
Somewhere to live is shown. ¹
The holder can work part time up to 20 hours per week, including remote work, and full time in holidays. ¹
The permit period does not count towards permanent residence. ¹

Stay

Section 6-20 of the Immigration Regulations states no fixed length for this permit; the length is set in the decision.

Nationality

Third-country nationals; EU/EEA citizens do not need the permit. Not open to: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Cyprus, Czechia, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Spain, Finland, France, Greece, Croatia, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Slovenia, Slovakia.

Work

Part-time work 20 hours per week including remote work, full-time during holidays.

Family

Spouse and children can usually apply.

Fine print

Neither section 6-20 of the Immigration Regulations nor UDI's page states how long this permit lasts; the length is set in the decision. A host institution in Norway is needed, not an employer.

Checked 2026-10-12

Official sources

Vocational training and research · Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI) · checked 2026-10-12
Regulation on foreigners' entry and residence (utlendingsforskriften), section 17-10: processing fees for residence permits · Lovdata (Norwegian regulation text) · checked 2026-10-11
Immigration Regulations (utlendingsforskriften), chapters 6 and 10 · Lovdata (Norwegian legislation) · checked 2026-10-10
Immigration Act (Act of 15 May 2008 No. 35), English translation · Lovdata · checked 2026-10-11
Nationality Act (statsborgerloven) section 7: main rule on acquisition by application · Lovdata (Norwegian legislation) · checked 2026-10-11

Researcher · Own funds and its alternatives

Route	Money needed	Stay	Work
Researcher · Own funds	Needs savings of NOK 170k+ a year ≈ $18k	–	–
Skilled worker permit	Needs income from NOK 545k a year ≈ $57k	3 yr, renewable	–
Artist or performer	Needs income of NOK 341k+ a year ≈ $36k	1 yr	–
Athlete / coach permit	Needs income of NOK 341k+ a year ≈ $36k	1 yr, renewable	–
Foreign-company assignment	–	2 yr, renewable	Limited

Questions people ask

How much money do I need for the Researcher · Own funds?

Savings of at least NOK 170,368 a year (≈ $17,800). Pay from abroad, grant, own funds or a combination for the whole academic year. A fee of NOK 5,400 (≈ $560). Application fee for researchers with own funds, including renewals; applicants under 18 pay half.

How long can I stay on the Researcher · Own funds?

Section 6-20 of the Immigration Regulations states no fixed length for this permit; the length is set in the decision.

Can I work on the Researcher · Own funds?

Part-time work 20 hours per week including remote work, full-time during holidays.

Can I bring my family on the Researcher · Own funds?

Spouse and children can usually apply.

Who can apply for the Researcher · Own funds?

Does the Researcher · Own funds lead to permanent residence in Norway?

Time on the Researcher · Own funds doesn't count toward permanent residence in Norway. The general rule for citizenship is 8 years of residence.

How are Researcher · Own funds holders taxed in Norway?

No special regime in our records is tied to the Researcher · Own funds. The standard rules apply: Norwegian tax residents are taxed on worldwide income and wealth: 22% on general income plus bracket tax of 1.7% to 17.8% on personal income above NOK 226,100, (≈ $23,600) and employees pay 7.6% national insurance contributions.

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≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.

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How this was checked

Checked on 2026-10-12 against 5 official sources. Status: verified against the official sources.

Every figure on this page comes from the official source it links to. The record was researched against these sources, then reviewed separately, with special attention to effective dates and amendments. Where a source does not state something, the page leaves it out.

Vocational training and research · Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI) · checked 2026-10-12
Regulation on foreigners' entry and residence (utlendingsforskriften), section 17-10: processing fees for residence permits · Lovdata (Norwegian regulation text) · checked 2026-10-11
Immigration Regulations (utlendingsforskriften), chapters 6 and 10 · Lovdata (Norwegian legislation) · checked 2026-10-10
Immigration Act (Act of 15 May 2008 No. 35), English translation · Lovdata · checked 2026-10-11
Nationality Act (statsborgerloven) section 7: main rule on acquisition by application · Lovdata (Norwegian legislation) · checked 2026-10-11

Tracked since 2026-10-10. Rule changes and corrections are listed on the changes page, and the methodology page explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email contact@stayglobe.app with a link to the official source.