If you have a visa-exempt passport (US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, Brazil, Japan…), today you can enter Norway visa-free with a valid passport, for up to 90 days. Once ETIAS starts, you'll need to apply before you travel (€20). Norway may ask you to show NOK 300–1,300 per day. Visa-required nationalities (India, China, South Africa…) need a Schengen visa.
What you need for Norway, by passport
| Your passport | Today | Once ETIAS starts |
|---|---|---|
| Visa-exempt US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, Brazil, Japan… | No visa Valid passport + EES registration | ETIAS required Online application, €20 |
| Visa required India, China, South Africa, Turkey, the Philippines… | Schengen visa | Schengen visa ETIAS doesn't apply |
| EU, EEA or Switzerland | Nothing extra | Nothing extra |
Not sure which group you're in? Use the Do I need ETIAS? checker or see the official list of nationalities.
What border officers in Norway can ask for
Even without a visa, officers in Norway can check that you meet the Schengen entry conditions. Keep these handy, printed or on your phone:
- A valid passport. Valid for at least 3 months after the date you plan to leave Europe and issued within the last 10 years.
- Purpose and accommodation. Hotel booking, invitation letter or the address where you'll stay, plus anything that backs up your trip (tourism, business, family).
- A return or onward ticket. Proof that you'll leave before your 90 days are up.
- Travel insurance. Not mandatory if you travel visa-free, but strongly recommended, and you may be asked about it.
- Enough money: Assessed case by case: about NOK 300 per day with hosted or prepaid accommodation, NOK 1,300 per day without proof of accommodation. (reference amount set by the country, European Commission, 08/06/2026)
Where your border check happens when you travel to Norway
Main international airports in Norway: Oslo (OSL), Bergen (BGO), Tromsø (TOS).
If Norway is the first Schengen country on your trip, the passport check and EES registration happen at the airport where you land. If you connect through another Schengen hub (Frankfurt, Paris, Amsterdam, Helsinki…), the check happens there and your flight to Norway is treated as an internal Schengen flight.
Norway has an external Schengen land border with Russia. Crossing there means a full passport check and EES registration, just like at an airport.
The EES at airports and borders in Norway
In Norway, the Entry/Exit System (EES) is used at every external border crossing point, from Oslo (OSL) to seaports and land crossings. It started on 12 October 2025 and has been fully live since 10 April 2026. The first time you enter, officers take 4 fingerprints and a photo (no fingerprints for children under 12) and record the date; Norway no longer stamps passports. On later trips your data is only verified.
Norway in depth: Svalbard, the Russian border and customs
Norway is in Schengen but not in the EU, so you can still face customs checks when you cross from Sweden or Finland, especially for alcohol, tobacco and cash. Passport checks only happen at external borders.
Svalbard is Norwegian territory but outside Schengen. Flights from Oslo or Tromsø to Longyearbyen include a passport check, and leaving Svalbard means re-entering Schengen.
Norway's only external land border is with Russia, at Storskog in the far north-east, with full checks. Days you spend on Svalbard do not count as Schengen days.
Good to know about Norway
- Svalbard isn't part of Schengen: it has a special regime and you travel via mainland Norway.
- The currency is the Norwegian krone (NOK).
How long you can stay
You can stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Days in Norway add up with days in every other Schengen country, so a week in Norway after a month elsewhere leaves you around 53 days. Check your balance with the 90/180 calculator.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need ETIAS for Norway?
Yes, once it starts, if your nationality is visa-exempt.
Do US citizens need a visa for Norway?
No. US citizens can visit Norway visa-free for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Today a valid passport is enough; once ETIAS launches, you will also need an approved ETIAS (€20) before you travel.
Do UK citizens need ETIAS for Norway?
Not yet, because ETIAS has not started. Once it launches, British passport holders will need ETIAS to visit Norway, unless they are covered by the Withdrawal Agreement as residents of an EU country.
How much money do I need to enter Norway?
Assessed case by case: about NOK 300 per day with hosted or prepaid accommodation, NOK 1,300 per day without proof of accommodation. Border officers may ask you to show it with cards, bank statements or cash.
Keep reading
Sources
- European Commission: reference amounts (08/06/2026)
- European Commission: who should apply for ETIAS
- UDI (Norway)
This guide is independent and for information only. Rules can change: before you travel, always double-check on the official ETIAS website and with the authorities of the country you're visiting.