Living in Norway
as an expat
103+ practical English guides covering expat life in Norway — from getting your D-number at Folkeregisteret to understanding Skatteetaten and the Norwegian healthcare system.
Start here — D-number & registration- 103+
- Guides
- 9
- Topics
- 5.5M
- Population
- 2026
- Verified
Do these in order — skip none
Your first week checklist
- 1Register at Folkeregisteret (National Population Registry)
- 2Get your D-number or personnummer
- 3Open a bank account or use Wise temporarily
- 4Register your tax card at Skatteetaten
- 5Register for a GP (fastlege) for healthcare
- 6Get a SIM card — Lycamobile or Telia are cheapest
- 7Set up Vipps — Norway's mobile payment app
First steps
Arriving
D-number, Folkeregisteret registration, tax card — do these first on arrival.
Money & tax
Banking & Money
Open a Norwegian bank account, understand BankID, transfer money internationally.
A place to live
Housing
Find housing in Norway, understand rental contracts and tenant rights.
Staying well
Healthcare
Norwegian healthcare system, GP registration, NHF coverage.
Work & career
Work & Career
Work permits, employment contracts, salary expectations in Norway.
Everyday life
Daily Life
SIM cards, transport, and daily life tips for Norway.
Schools & study
Education
International schools, Norwegian universities for international students, and childcare.
For your community
Country-Specific Guides
Tailored guides for international expats in Norway.
Explore & escape
Travel & Trips
All Norway guides are verified against official sources — Skatteetaten, UDI, Folkeregisteret, NAV, and Helsenorge — and updated for 2026.
Send money home without the bank markup
Most Norwegian banks add a 3–5% hidden margin on the exchange rate when you send money abroad. Wise uses the real mid-market rate with a small, transparent fee shown upfront — so more of your money actually arrives.
- ✓ Hold NOK, EUR, GBP and 40+ currencies in one account
- ✓ Get a local EUR/GBP IBAN — useful before your Norwegian bank is open
- ✓ Wise debit card works in Norway and across the EU
Referral link — we may earn a reward if you sign up. It doesn't affect your fees.
Cover the gap before your Norwegian healthcare is active
Public healthcare in Norway follows your D-number or fødselsnummer, and getting registered with a fastlege through HELFO can lag well behind the day you arrive.SafetyWing covers that gap with affordable travel-medical insurance you can start before you arrive and cancel once you're in the system.
- ✓ Covers the gap before your D-number-linked healthcare is active
- ✓ Monthly subscription — cancel anytime once you're covered
- ✓ Designed for remote workers and new arrivals abroad
Affiliate link — we earn a small commission if you sign up. It doesn't affect your price.