Your first 90 days in Norway: the arrival checklist
The visa got you in — this is what turns you into a functioning resident: the registration clock, the ID number everything else depends on, and the money, healthcare, and license steps in the order they actually unlock. Each step links the official source so you can verify the current rule.
Checked against official sources · September 2026 · how we verify
The catch that burns new arrivals
The three-month driving-licence window for non-EEA licences is short and unforgiving: miss it and you take the full Norwegian licence course, which is one of the most expensive in Europe. Start the exchange in month one, not month three.
The checklist, in the order it unlocks
Book an ID check at a police station or Service Centre for Foreign Workers (SUA) after the UDI permit, then register with the National Population Register
ID check within 7 days of arriving for most permit holders; the tax office registration follows and is required before your first salary
Two separate appointments in two separate systems — the police/SUA ID check for the permit, and the Tax Administration for the national identity number. Both are appointment-only and both book out; reserve them before you fly.
Get your fødselsnummer (national identity number), or a D-number for short stays
Banking, BankID, health services, salary and every public digital service run on it — Norway is effectively unusable without one.
Issued by the Tax Administration after the in-person ID check, once your stay is registered as longer than six months; shorter stays get a D-number instead, which is workable but more limited.
Open a bank account
DNB, Nordea and Sparebank 1 require the national identity number and an in-branch ID check, and the account is nearly useless until BankID is issued on top of it. The gap between arriving and holding BankID is where most new residents get stuck — plan for several weeks and keep a foreign card working.
Enrol in healthcare
Membership of the National Insurance Scheme (folketrygden) follows from being registered as resident or working in Norway; you are then assigned a fastlege (regular GP) who gatekeeps everything else. There is a modest annual out-of-pocket ceiling, after which most care is free.
Sort your driver's license
EU/EEA licences are valid. Licences from outside the EEA may be used for three months from taking up residence, after which they must be exchanged — and Norway's exchange rules are strict, with licences from many countries requiring a practical test within the first year or the right to exchange is lost entirely.
Deadlines and requirements vary by nationality, visa type, and region, and they change — this is information current as of 2026, not legal or immigration advice. Verify each step with the official source before you rely on it.
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Information only, not legal advice — we never file anything with any government. Requirements change; verify with the official source or a licensed immigration advisor before you apply.
First 90 days in Norway: FAQ
What do I have to do first after arriving in Norway?
Book an ID check at a police station or Service Centre for Foreign Workers (SUA) after the UDI permit, then register with the National Population Register — ID check within 7 days of arriving for most permit holders; the tax office registration follows and is required before your first salary. Two separate appointments in two separate systems — the police/SUA ID check for the permit, and the Tax Administration for the national identity number. Both are appointment-only and both book out; reserve them before you fly. Verify the current rule with the official source before you rely on it.
What is the fødselsnummer and do I need one?
fødselsnummer (national identity number), or a D-number for short stays is Norway's personal tax/ID number. Banking, BankID, health services, salary and every public digital service run on it — Norway is effectively unusable without one. Issued by the Tax Administration after the in-person ID check, once your stay is registered as longer than six months; shorter stays get a D-number instead, which is workable but more limited.
Can I drive in Norway on a US license?
EU/EEA licences are valid. Licences from outside the EEA may be used for three months from taking up residence, after which they must be exchanged — and Norway's exchange rules are strict, with licences from many countries requiring a practical test within the first year or the right to exchange is lost entirely. Rules differ by nationality and change — check the official source before the window closes.
How do I get healthcare after moving to Norway?
Membership of the National Insurance Scheme (folketrygden) follows from being registered as resident or working in Norway; you are then assigned a fastlege (regular GP) who gatekeeps everything else. There is a modest annual out-of-pocket ceiling, after which most care is free. See our healthcare-systems guide for how Norway's system treats foreign residents.