Does having a Norwegian residence permit mean unlimited Schengen visa?

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Member since 18 June 2014

katiejurekNew member19 June 2014 12:35:37

Hello all! I've been looking up on many sites trying to find this information, but basically here are my main questions (if you want specific info about my situation, read all the way to the bottom; if not, please just focus on these two questions):

1. If one gets a residence permit in Norway (say, after 3 years of working in Norway or something), does that entitle them to live in any of the other Schengen states indefinitely and without being limited to the 3-month tourist visa time?
2. Does that entitle them to work in other Schengen states?

I'm guessing the answers are (1) no, but this is not usually enforced because your passport is not checked between Schengen countries and (2) no, but I want to make sure. Please cite any websites if you use them; I'd like to know as much as possible!

---
My specific situation:
I am American, will be graduating with a Bachelor's in Computer Science from an American university in about a year, and wish to move to Norway to work after that time. I will not have job experience in the computer industry (my experience is largely from doing projects at home), but I am also not too picky in the first job I get. I know I must have an offer of employment from someplace before I try to get a work visa, and I'm guessing I have to get this offer while remaining outside of Norway. Or maybe I can still be on a tourist visa here while looking for an offer? Regardless, I will likely move to southeast Asia for a year or two to teach English, and then from that point, will be looking to move to Norway (so in about two-ish years from now). My Norwegian is not fluent but I am definitely at least intermediate.

Does this plan sound like it has any major holes in it, or things that I haven't considered? And number two: What industries would you recommend someone of my little experience to get her foot in the door, who would also not mind sponsoring me and waiting for me to come to Norway? So far I am planning to look into the tourism industry at hotels and whatnot, and maybe work on a computer somewhere in there. I'm thinking that teaching in Asia will maybe even give me at least a tiny boon in the tourism industry.

Thank you for all and any help! It's so lovely of you!

dmcart13 Serial expat

Member since 15 December 2009

dmcart13Serial expat19 June 2014 12:43:23

554

As far as I know and have read in the past, the answers are no and no.

ECS Norway Expert

Member since 21 July 2006

ECSNorway Expert19 June 2014 12:48:31

1557

That would be no and no actually. You are able to travel and visit but if you want to live somewhere other than Norway you have to get a visa for that country. If you get a permanent residence permit for Norway and leave the country for too long, your permanent residence permit in Norway will expire.

European countries tend to be pretty networked and tend to require that you register your residence within days of moving. If you don't, you don't have access to many of the local services such as healthcare, and can run into problems with taxation and such. Registering as a resident in, say, France with a Norwegian residence permit as the basis will not work. There could be some special arrangement for people who live in Sweden but work in Norway (I've at least seen evidence of a special tax arrangement, but I'm not sure that is available to immigrants on work visas.)

AuNordDuMonde Serial expat

Member since 09 August 2010

AuNordDuMondeSerial expat19 June 2014 12:54:02

292

I can confirm dmcart13 post, the Norwegian residence permit does not extend the same rights for the Schengen area.

For the rest of your post, it's not always easy ti find a job here but working in computer and speaking Norwegian will help. Just remember that to get a work permit you need to work in some sort of qualified job. As for sponsoring and waiting, I think you have more chances finding something when you are here than from abroad. But remember that life is really expensive.

ECS Norway Expert

Member since 21 July 2006

ECSNorway Expert19 June 2014 14:58:47

1557

katiejurek wrote:
I'm guessing the answers are (1) no, but this is not usually enforced because your passport is not checked between Schengen countries

I see you have changed your original post since we all replied, and I just wanted to mention that your passport is not USUALLY checked, but it does happen. My friends have had passport stops on trains going to Sweden before.

Furthermore, you say "indefinitely", but as I pointed out, this can be a problem if anything happens to you. If you need healthcare, if you are driving and in an accident, if you earn income somewhere other than Norway.. What is your idea of indefinite, and what is your idea of living somewhere?

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