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Person who is getting married — sponsor: eligible permit holder subject to four-year rule

NorwayFamily

Explore the five recorded questions, answers and sources for this pathway.

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Which family relationships qualify?

A person who will marry, after entering Norway, a sponsor (reference person) listed in Immigration Act § 40 first paragraph. Both parties must be over 24; if they fall under an exception to the 24-year rule (§ 41 a), both must be over 18.

See recorded sources

Who may sponsor or bring the family member, and what immigration/citizenship status must that person hold?

Under the four-year rule of § 40 a, the sponsor must have worked or studied in Norway for four years when he or she holds asylum, entry as a resettlement refugee, collective protection, a permit on strong humanitarian grounds or special ties, a family-member permit, or permanent residence based on those permits. It does not apply if the marriage was concluded or a child conceived before the sponsor entered Norway, or while both held residence permits in Norway; exceptions are possible for special reasons such as family unity. The work or study must together amount to full-time activity (full-time higher education is at least 60 credits per year).

See recorded sources
  • https://lovdata.no/dokument/NL/lov/2008-05-15-35/KAPITTEL_6
    Bestemmelsene i § 40 tredje, femte og sjuende ledd, § 40 a og § 41 a gjelder tilsvarende.
  • https://lovdata.no/dokument/NL/lov/2008-05-15-35/KAPITTEL_6
    Det er et vilkår for oppholdstillatelse etter § 40 at referansepersonen har arbeidet eller tatt utdanning i Norge i fire år, når referansepersonen har a. asyl, jf. § 28 , b. oppholdstillatelse etter innreisetillatelse som overføringsflyktning, jf. § 35 tredje ledd, c. kollektiv beskyttelse i en massefluktsituasjon, jf. § 34 , d. oppholdstillatelse på grunn av sterke menneskelige hensyn eller særlig tilknytning til riket, jf. § 38 , e. oppholdstillatelse som familiemedlem, jf. §§ 40 til 53 , eller f. permanent oppholdstillatelse på grunnlag av tillatelsene nevnt i bokstav a til e, jf.
  • https://lovdata.no/dokument/NL/lov/2008-05-15-35/KAPITTEL_6
    Vilkåret i første ledd gjelder ikke når a. ekteskapet var inngått eller partene har unnfanget barn før tidspunktet for referansepersonens innreise i riket, eller b. partene har inngått ekteskap eller unnfanget barn mens begge har hatt oppholdstillatelse i Norge. Det kan gjøres unntak fra vilkåret dersom særlige grunner, herunder hensynet til familiens enhet, taler for det.
  • https://lovdata.no/dokument/SF/forskrift/2009-10-15-1286/KAPITTEL_9
    For at fireårskravet etter lovens § 40a skal anses oppfylt, må arbeidet eller utdanningen sammenlagt utgjøre heltids aktivitet. Heltids høyere utdanning tilsvarer minst 60 studiepoeng per år.

What is important for proving marriage, partnership, parentage, custody, dependency or another qualifying relationship?

It must be documented that there are no impediments to the marriage, including documentation that any earlier marriage has been dissolved (§ 9-1a). The assessment may also weigh whether a wedding date has been set, the parties' previous relationship and how well they know each other.

See recorded sources

What important financial, accommodation, insurance or maintenance responsibilities apply?

Family-immigration permits under Act chapter 6 require the sponsor to show secured means of at least 3,2 times the National Insurance basic amount (grunnbeløpet) for the period applied for, from work income, specified social-insurance benefits, pensions or other fixed periodic payments (not social assistance), student loans/grants, or a combination. A third-party financial guarantee is not accepted when the applicant is to marry the sponsor after entry (§ 48). The sponsor must also document registered income of at least 3,2 times the basic amount in the latest tax assessment/previous year. The official source does not state the accommodation or insurance requirements.

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • Exceptions to the income requirements (§ 10-8 fourth paragraph, § 10-9) and the housing requirement are not summarised; UDI page blocked (403).
  • https://lovdata.no/dokument/SF/forskrift/2009-10-15-1286/KAPITTEL_10
    Det er et vilkår for oppholdstillatelse i medhold av lovens kapittel 6 (familieinnvandring) at referansepersonen kan sannsynliggjøre å være sikret midler tilsvarende minst 3,2 ganger grunnbeløpet i folketrygden for den tid søknaden gjelder, gjennom a. arbeidsinntekt, b. sykepenger, svangerskapspenger, foreldrepenger, uføretrygd eller alderspensjon etter folketrygdloven, c. pensjon eller andre faste periodiske ytelser med unntak av ytelser etter sosialtjenesteloven, d. utdanningslån eller utdanningsstipend, eller e. en kombinasjon av slike midler som nevnt i bokstav a til d.
  • https://lovdata.no/dokument/SF/forskrift/2009-10-15-1286/KAPITTEL_10
    Unntaksvis kan kravet anses å være sikret ved at tredjemann stiller økonomisk garanti. Dette gjelder ikke når søkeren er referansepersonens ektefelle eller samboer, jf. lovens § 40 og § 41, eller søkeren skal inngå ekteskap med referansepersonen etter innreisen, jf. lovens § 48.
  • https://lovdata.no/dokument/SF/forskrift/2009-10-15-1286/KAPITTEL_10
    En referanseperson som må oppfylle krav til framtidig inntekt etter § 10-8 første ledd, må dokumentere at vedkommende i henhold til siste skatteoppgjør eller i henhold til bekreftelse fra skattemyndighetene på innrapportert inntekt foregående år, hadde en registrert inntekt tilsvarende minst 3,2 ganger grunnbeløpet i folketrygden.

How does the application work at a high level, what rights does the family member receive, how long does the status last, and how can it become independent or longer-term where officially stated?

A residence permit of up to six months is granted to marry after entry. The permit does not form the basis for permanent residence and cannot be extended or renewed. In the assessment weight is given to how likely the applicant is to leave if an application for further residence is refused. The official source does not state the application process or the rights attached to the permit.

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • High-level application procedure, rights during the permit and the transition after marriage are not in the captured legal text; UDI page blocked (403).

These are the answers currently recorded in the catalogue. A missing or partial answer is not an eligibility decision.

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