This book is a practical guide to living and working in Norway for new residents or long-term visitors from other countries. It is not a tourist guidebook (though tourists may find it useful), because it presents all aspects of everyday life and work, not just holiday entertainment and sightseeing.

The topics are arranged in alphabetical order, grouped by subject into 47 chapters, which also are in alphabetical order. All the facts presented are available in Norway from the organisations and the printed and online sources mentioned in the topics. So this book may also be used as a starting point for finding further information.

British English is the language of this book, not only because it is published in the United Kingdom, but also because British English suits the majority of new residents from other countries, many of whom have English as a second language. A glossary of British English – American English is included for the convenience of American readers who may be unfamiliar with the British variety of the language.

Norwegians and residents who can read Norwegian may find topics by looking them up in the Norwegian index.

The history of this book started in 1983, when Patricia Crinion Bjaaland, an American expatriate married to a Norwegian, self-published the first edition of Living in Norway in Oslo. Her second edition appeared in 1985, and her second revised edition in 1988, before she left the country that year. In the mid-1990s, Palamedes Press of Oslo acquired the rights to the title, and Belinda Drabble and I wrote a completely new third edition that was published in 1999. I based this book on that third edition, but extensively revised and expanded its content in step with changes in the country and with the needs of new residents. I am grateful to colleague Michael Rogers for his meticulous copy-reading and his many constructive comments.

June 2005
M. Michael Brady

First, read the Checklist before you depart for Norway.

Then you may find information in at least two ways:

• by reading the chapters, each on a different subject, or
• by looking up and reading individual topics, in alphabetical order in the chapters.

Public and private sector organisations are mentioned by their names in English. Upon first mention and in headings, “Norwegian” as a first word in a name:

• appears if it also is the first word in the original name, for instance as “Norwegian University of Science and Technology” is a translation of Norges teknisk-naturvitenskapelige universitet, or if the original name is in English only, as that of the “Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD)”.
• is not used if it has been affixed in the “official” translation but is not used in the original descriptive name: Mattilsynet is mentioned by its direct translation, “Food Safety Authority”, though its “official” translation is “The Norwegian Food Safety Authority”. This is done to promote recognition of the organisations and to prevent having too many names beginning with “Norwegian”.

If you seek a specific topic, you may locate it:

• among the topics of the chapter to which it relates, or
• in the English or Norwegian indexes, to find its page number(s).

All names of topics and other essential terms and names in English are followed by their equivalents in Norwegian in italics in parentheses: English term (Norwegian term).

All Norwegian words are in Bokmål, the leading version of Norwegian. Nynorsk is used only in names that have no equivalents in Bokmål.

Cross-references to other topics in the same chapter are indicated by the name of a topic in bold, whilst cross-references to topics in other chapters are suffixed with the chapter number in parentheses: topic (Chapter number).

Street addresses are written as they are by the organisations themselves, using common abbreviations: “v” or “vn” for veien (“way”) and “g” or “gt” for gate (“street”).

Except for premium five-digit numbers, as used by customer support lines and public service companies, and the three-digit emergency and public information numbers, all Norwegian telephone and telefax numbers are eight digits long; there are no destination or “area” codes. Traditionally they are written in groups of two with intervening spaces, as are numbers elsewhere in Europe. More recently, following the introduction of the 800 series of freephone and reduced rate numbers, numbers have been written in the three-space-two-space-three format. In this book, all numbers are written without intervening spaces, as they are to be dialled in Norway. If you dial a number from abroad, add the international access indicator (00 in Europe) and the country code for Norway (47) to dial the numbers. The country codes for numbers in other countries are given, prefixed by the international standard plus sign, such as +44 for a number in the United Kingdom, which from Norway would be dialled 0044.

All websites are listed in italics without the http:// prefix, such as www.howtobooks.co.uk, whilst email addresses are listed in italics in full, such as info@howtobooks.co.uk. Most of the Norwegian websites listed have pages in English that you select on the home page by clicking on the word English or on an icon of the British flag, while the international websites listed open in English.

For organisations with local offices, there are references to the Pink Pages (Rosa sider) or Yellow Pages (Gule sider) of the county telephone directories. The Yellow Pages are available online at www.gulesider.no with alphabetical indexing and search in Norwegian and in English.

Prices vary with time and location. Consequently, typical prices valid at press time are included in Chapter 37 on Prices, but not elsewhere, except when they refer to specific dates or are likely to stay fixed for many years.

The spelling conventions of British English and American English differ, most famously in the -ise/-ize differences in spellings, as in recognise (British) and recognize (American). Moreover, American English tends to be more phonetic – esthetic (American) is spelled more closely to the way it is spoken than is aesthetic (British). These and other differences in spelling are minor; they often escape reader notice, though word-processing spellcheckers highlight them. However, some words are problematic, because their meanings differ. So, for the benefit of American readers, here’s a list of the principal everyday words that differ between the UK and the USA, the British word first in bold, followed by the American word.

Before you leave for Norway, check the following list of essential matters that are more easily attended to before your departure than after your arrival. Except for passports, which must be originals, you may bring photocopies of all documents. In alphabetical order, the principal details and documents are:

• Apostille certification affixed to give international validity to any legally valid document that you believe you may need, such as a copy of your professional certificate or a notarised contractual agreement.
• Bank account number, bank branch address and international transfer number, to ease transfer of funds if you elect to open an account with a Norwegian bank; see “Exchange transfer” below.
• Baptism certificate, if you have been baptised in a Christian church and wish to join a congregation in Norway.
• Birth certificate for yourself and all members of your family – needed to apply for the National ID Number (NIN) used in all public registrations, including health care and social security, and in many commercial matters.
• Car import; if you bring a car when you move to Norway, it may be subject to tax. If your stay is short, up to three months, and your permanent home is in another country, you may bring in and drive a car just as you can elsewhere in Europe. If your stay is longer, as for studies, and your permanent home is in another country, you may bring in and drive a car registered in another country duty-free for up to one year. Upon application to the nearest Customs and Excise office, you may extend the duty-free period for no more than one more year. If you move to the country permanently with a car or keep a car beyond the maximum two-year duty-free temporary stay period, you must import and pay tax and duty on it. If you are contemplating importing a car, either bring a dated receipt showing what you paid for it or have it assessed before you depart, as part of the import duty depends on its depreciated new price or market value when you enter the country.
• Car insurance policies and records, including the details of any rebates or discounts you have received by having a safe driving record, to assist you in obtaining similar discounts when buying car insurance in Norway.
• Credit card details that you may have used in obtaining credit cards – useful should you need to prove credit worthiness.
• Curriculum vitae (CV) or résumé of your qualifications and experience – needed in applying for jobs.
• Customs: make a list, in English, of the belongings you will bring into Norway, principally for clearing Norwegian customs but also in case outgoing customs clearance is required in your country of departure.
• Divorce papers, including any agreement on alimony payments by or to yourself – needed in application for a National ID Number (NIN) as well as in filing income tax returns.
• Driving licence: if you are a resident of and have a driving licence issued by an EEA country, you may use that licence to drive in Norway; be sure it is valid for the duration of your stay. If you have a licence issued outside the EEA, you may use it to drive in Norway for a period of temporary residence of up to one year. But if you become a resident, you may use the licence for three months only. It should show the date of first issue, as if you can prove that you have held it more than one year, you may exchange it for a Norwegian licence.
• Educational certificates, including school, college or university diplomas, transcripts of marks if you intend to continue your education, trade certifications, professional organisation and union membership details. If possible, have these documents translated into Norwegian or into English.
• Exchange transfer: you may freely transfer or bring up to NOK 25,000 per person of your own funds in connection with moving to Norway. If you bring in or transfer more than NOK 25,000, you must fill out Customs and Excise form RD-0026B. For cash or cash equivalents (bank drafts, cheques, travellers’ cheques) carried with you, pick up a form at the border crossing where you enter Norway, and present it to Customs. For a bank transfer, fill out the form at the Norwegian bank to which the transfer is made.
• Health insurance: if you are a national of and a member of the National Insurance of one of the 25 EEA countries, you should have a valid European Health Insurance Card, which entitles you to treatment on a par with residents of Norway. The cards are of a uniform design and each carries the flag of and an explanatory text in the language of the country that issued it. Contact your National Insurance office to obtain a card. When you arrive in Norway, the card will entitle you to health care services until you become registered with the Norwegian National Insurance. If you are a national of a country outside the EEA, you may need private health insurance.
• Insurance policies that may remain in force and for which you may need to continue paying premiums, as with life assurance.
• Mail redirection: notify all correspondents and business connections of your change of address. Check with the post office that serves your home to ensure that post will be redirected. Most post offices will redirect for several weeks or months and thereafter will return post to the sender. National post offices implement international redirection and charge for it in various ways; ask your post office for details.
• Marriage certificate, if you are married and particularly if your spouse moves with you – needed in public registrations and tax matters.
• Medical records, particularly if you are disabled or depend on a prescription drug and wish to transfer your medical status to Norway.
• Medicine: you will need a Schengen certificate if you take a prescription medicine that may be classified as a narcotic, as are many hypnotics, sedatives and painkillers. If you wish to know if a specific medicine is classified as a narcotic, ask at a pharmacy or your home country medicines agency.
• National service record, particularly if you are a young man intending to apply for Norwegian citizenship and thereby be subject to conscription.
• Passport (pass) for yourself and all members of your family – needed to enter the country and to prove your identity thereafter, as in applying for a National ID Number (NIN) or a driving licence. Be sure that your passport is valid on your intended arrival date and at least one year thereafter. Most foreign citizens can renew their passports at embassies, but renewal sometimes takes several days or weeks, and you will need your passport for identification when settling in Norway. Citizens of other Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland and Sweden) are excepted from passport requirements.
• Pet passport or Veterinary Certificate: a pet coming from an EU/EEA country must be accompanied by an EU Pet Passport. A pet coming from another country must be accompanied by a Veterinary Certificate in English or Norwegian, certified by the country’s Health Authority.
• Professional certification, such as that of a medical doctor or dentist, should you wish to practice in Norway. If possible, have these documents translated into Norwegian or into English, with an Apostille affixed to prove authenticity; see “Apostille” above.
• Proof of purchase, including amount and date of purchase of expensive items, such as cars and professional equipment, upon which duty might be charged when you bring them into the country.
• Social security details, which may be necessary if you wish to have income in Norway credited to your social security account in your home country.
• Unemployment benefits: if you are a citizen of an EU or EEA country and are entitled to unemployment benefits in your home country, the benefits may be paid out in Norway for a period of three months. The relevant authority in your home country will issue an E303 form that you can deliver to a governmental employment office in Norway to initiate payments.
• Vaccination (vaksinasjon) records or certificates, particularly for children, for filling in health records, as may be required by health services and schools. Ask for records to be transferred to international standard vaccination cards, which are recognised worldwide.
• Visa if required from your own country to enter Norway.

Some FAQs on the country and its population:

Adult literacy? 99.0%

Area? mainland with Arctic islands 385,364 sq km, mainland only 323,758 sq km.

Biggest company? Statoil (oil and gas).

Border? total 2,542 km, with Sweden 1,619 km, Finland 727 km and Russia 196 km.

Coast line? 21,465 km with fjords and bays and 2,650 km without.

Constitution? 17 May 1814.

Currency? krone (“Crown”, NOK).

Divorces per 1,000 population? 2.4.

Farms? 3% of land area.

Favourite holiday country? Norway, according to 7 out of 10 holiday makers.

Fertility rate (per woman)? 1.75.

Forests? 27% of land area.

Highest mountain? Galdhøpiggen, 2,469 m.

Highest waterfall? Kjellsfossen, 804 m.

Home ownership? 86%.

Households? 1.8 million.

Immigrant population? 7.4%.

King Harald and Queen Sonia wedding? 29 August 1968; took oath? 21 January 1991; coronation? 23 June 1991.

Largest glacier? Jostedalsbreen, 487 sq km.

Largest island? Hinnøya, 2,198 sq km.

Largest lake? Mjøsa, 362 sq km.

Largest urban population? Oslo and suburbs, 770,000.

Life expectancy: men 77 years, women 82 years.

Longest fjord? Sognefjord, 204 km.

Longest river? Glomma, 600 km.

Marriages per 1,000 population? 4.6.

National animal? European elk, alces alces (elg).

National anthem? Ja vi elsker.

National bird? dipper or water ouzel, cinclus cinclus (fossekal).

National flower? heather, caluna vulgaris (røsslyng).

National folk costume? bunad.

National stone? zoisite (thulitt).

Nobel laureates? 11: Chemistry 2, Physics 1, Literature 3, Economics 3, Peace 2.

Number of men per 100 women? 98.2.

Population? 4.6 million as at 1 January 2005.

Population in urban areas? 73%.

Population over 65? 13.4%.

Population per sq km? 14.9.

Population under 15? 13.6%.

Principal exports? oil, gas and products.

Principal imports? machinery and transport equipment.

Tallest building? Plaza Hotel, Oslo, 37 floors, 117 m.