Registering with Folkeregisteret in Norway

Registering with Folkeregisteret — Norway's National Population Register — is the single most important administrative step when you move to Norway. It is the process through which you receive your fødselsnummer (national identity number), which unlocks access to healthcare, banking, tax obligations, and most digital services in Norway.

Registration is mandatory for everyone who lives or intends to live in Norway for six months or more.

What Is Folkeregisteret

Folkeregisteret is maintained by the Norwegian Tax Administration (Skatteetaten). It records everyone who lives in Norway — citizens and foreign residents — along with their address, civil status, and national identity number. When you register, you are entered into this register and assigned a fødselsnummer, which becomes your permanent identifier across all Norwegian public and private services.

Who Must Register

You must register with Folkeregisteret if:

• You plan to live in Norway for six months or more
• You have moved to Norway permanently
• You are a foreign national with a valid legal basis to reside in Norway

Short-term visitors, tourists, and people working in Norway for fewer than six months are not required to register and typically use a D-number instead.

EU/EEA Citizens: Registration Process

EU, EEA, and Swiss citizens have the right to live and work in Norway without a residence permit, but must register their right of residence if they intend to stay beyond three months.

Step 1: Register your right of residence

If you intend to stay more than three months, you must register with the police as an EU/EEA citizen. This is done at a police immigration service point. You will need:

• Valid passport or national identity card
• Documentation of your basis for staying: employment contract, business registration, proof of sufficient funds, or student enrolment letter
• If you are a family member of an EU/EEA citizen: evidence of the relationship and the EU/EEA citizen's right of residence

You receive a registration certificate (registreringsbevis), not a permit. There is no quota or approval process — it is a notification.

Step 2: Register with Skatteetaten for a fødselsnummer

After completing your EU right of residence registration, you report your move to the Tax Administration. This can be done:

• At a Skatteetaten service centre in person
• Online through Skatteetaten's portal in some circumstances

You will need your registration certificate, proof of address in Norway, and your identity document.

Non-EU/EEA Citizens: Registration Process

If you are from outside the EU/EEA, you must have a valid residence or work permit before you can register with Folkeregisteret.

Step 1: Obtain your residence permit

Apply to UDI (the Directorate of Immigration) before or immediately after arriving. Most non-EU/EEA nationals must have their permit approved before entering Norway (some categories can apply from within Norway — check UDI.no for your specific situation).

Step 2: Attend your biometrics appointment at the police

Once your permit is approved, you collect your residence permit card at a police immigration service point. At the same appointment, your fingerprints and photo are taken.

Step 3: Skatteetaten assigns your fødselsnummer

After your police appointment, Skatteetaten processes your registration and sends you a letter with your fødselsnummer. This typically takes around two weeks.

Documents Required

EU/EEA Citizens

• Valid passport or national ID card
• Proof of legal basis for stay (employment contract, school enrolment, bank statements showing sufficient funds)
• Proof of address in Norway (rental agreement, purchase documents)

Non-EU/EEA Citizens

• Valid passport
• Residence or work permit card (collected at the police)
• Proof of address in Norway

What Is the Fødselsnummer

The fødselsnummer is an 11-digit number. The first six digits are your date of birth (DDMMYY), followed by a three-digit individual number, and two check digits. It is your permanent identifier in Norway and does not change.

Your fødselsnummer is used for:

• Healthcare — registering with a GP (fastlege) on helsenorge.no
• Banking — required by most banks; enables BankID
• BankID — Norway's digital identity and signing system, needed for almost all online public services
• Tax — receiving a tax deduction card (skattekort) and filing returns
• NAV — social insurance, unemployment, sick pay
• Altinn — the government's digital portal for tax returns and public forms
• Employer payroll — correct tax withholding requires your number

After Registration: What to Expect

Skatteetaten sends your fødselsnummer by letter to your registered Norwegian address, usually within two weeks of your appointment. Keep this letter. There is no physical card containing the number — you simply memorise it or store it securely, as you will need to quote it regularly.

Once you have your fødselsnummer:

1. Register for a fastlege (GP) on helsenorge.no
2. Set up BankID with your bank
3. Create an account on Altinn for tax and public services
4. Update your employer so they can assign the correct skattekort

Reporting a Change of Address

If you move within Norway, you must report your new address to Folkeregisteret within eight days. This can be done online via Skatteetaten's website. Keeping your address current matters — official letters, including your tax assessment and any government correspondence, go to your registered address.

If you move out of Norway, you must also deregister. Failure to deregister can affect your tax obligations and benefit entitlements.