Challenges of moving from the Norway to the UK involve complex immigration laws and visa applications. Just one misstep — delay or even denial of entry could affect your personal and professional plans. Let an expert team of immigration solicitors help you with your relocation. Leave all your worries behind and rest assured regarding having every aspect of your move managed efficiently and in compliance with UK regulations. From securing an appropriate visa to enter the country to understanding the minutiae of residency in the UK, our services help you to move seamlessly.
The Success Story: Read about how A Y & J Solicitors helped this Norway client relocate to the UK and made the process easy, ensuring timely entry into the UK.
At A Y & J Solicitors in London, we've helped thousands of new and experienced business owners move to the UK from around the world. We understand the typical challenges that come along with your visa application for self-sponsorship UK and know how to mitigate them. We walk you through step by step, showing you how to self-sponsor a work visa in the UK. Instead of going it alone, let our lawyers take the weight off your shoulders, so you can rest easy knowing you'll be able to bring your business (and family) to the UK.
Kate Corey, Founder of 6 Degrees
We are specialists in immigration law and have supported more than 4,000 business owners and professionals around the globe to successfully navigate the British system. We work quickly, always responding to any queries within 24 working hours. And we work closely with the Home Office to pre-empt issues before they jeopardise sponsorship applications or breach compliance. We manage all United Kingdom immigration matters including visa applications under the new points-based immigration system, Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), Spouse Visas, nationality, and more. We also handle complex cases of appeal, administrative reviews, judicial reviews and the many immigration challenges involving European Union law and human rights.
A Y & J Solicitors has more than 1,200 positive client reviews across Google and Trustpilot and is listed in The Legal top 500 best UK law firms, so you can rest assured your immigration challenges are in safe hands when you take these three simple steps:
"The team has been incredibly helpful and provided great support with regard to guiding me through the immigration process. Everyone was responsive, enthusiastic and diligent. I could not recommend them more."
"Excellent service, top-notch communication and a highly experienced, knowledgable team of solicitors. Would recommend to any one looking for peace-of-mind with their immigration."
"I would recommend this firm. Ikra was professional, reliable and a good communicator."
"“I write to express my sincere and heartfelt appreciation and gratitude for your highly professional and competent services, provided in both a friendly and accessible manner."
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"I would like to share my great experience on the service I had. For my case, it is complicated and unusual but the attentive service and advice in every step from the lawyer: Mr. Imad made clearly process. My Visa has proved within just a week, OMG this is amazing. I can give just Five Stars because this is no star number Six. Thank you very much for your assistance.🙏"
The UK has a great deal to offer Norwegians seeking a new life. Firstly, it is geographically close to Norway, making it easy and relatively inexpensive to visit family and friends back home. The UK has a robust and thriving economy, providing a wealth of excellent skilled and well-paid jobs. The size of the UK market, coupled with the minimal levels of administration and ‘red tape’, means that it is possible for Norwegian business people to be extremely successful here.
The UK offers a wealth of culture, including music, arts, museums, cathedrals and much more. We have wonderful villages, mountains, hills, lakes, and countryside for Norwegians to explore. And, of course, there is our world-renowned education system, including universities such as Oxford, Cambridge, Edinburgh, St Andrews, and University College London (UCL).
As a citizen of Norway, the legal requirements you will need to meet will depend on the type of visa you apply for. The following explains the requirements for the most popular visas used by Norweigan nationals:
The UK Skilled Worker visa allows citizens of Norway to work for a sponsoring employer in the UK for up to 5 years. Once the 5 years are up, the visa can then be extended, or the holder can then apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), allowing them to settle permanently in the UK. As a Skilled Worker visa applicant, you will first need to secure an offer of a job in an eligible occupation. Importantly, your job must have a salary of at least £38,700 per year or the ‘going rate’ for the type of work you will be doing. That said, you may have a lower salary requirement if you have a PhD, a job on the UK government’s immigration salary list, or a new entrant to the job market. You will also need to satisfy the Home Office that you meet the English language requirement, normally by passing a secured English language test (SELT).
Norweigan citizens who would like to study full-time in the UK at university, college, or school must apply for a Student visa. To be eligible for a Student visa, you must be aged 16 or over and have a formal offer of a place on a course from an approved (i.e. licenced) education provider. In addition, you will need to provide a bank statement showing that you have enough money to support yourself and pay for your course and that you can speak, read, write, and understand CEFR B2 level if studying at degree level or above.
The Innovator Founder visa enables Norweigan business people and entrepreneurs to come to the UK to set up and run a new business. It also provides an accelerated permanent settlement after just 3 years compared to the standard 5 years that applies to most visa types. To qualify for a business visa, you must have a new business idea and plan that is endorsed as being innovative, viable, and scalable. Applicants must be 18 years or older, meet the English language requirements, and have sufficient savings to support themselves and their dependants while in the UK.
This is only a small selection of the many visas available in the UK for citizens of Norway. Other routes include self-sponsorship, family visas, Graduate visas, and visitor visas. We recommend speaking to an experienced immigration Solicitor in the UK who can further assess your situation, plans, and goals and recommend the best route for you and your family.
When it comes to banking, the UK has a modern digital infrastructure, making it easy to open new accounts and manage your money. Rather than trying to set up a new bank account from Norway, we recommend waiting until you arrive here because UK banks will need proof of your identity (e.g. passport) and your permanent UK address (e.g. rental agreement or utility bill).
You will need to apply for a National Insurance (NI) number in the UK before you start work or running a business. The tax is also very simple in the UK. Any tax you owe to HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) will be automatically deducted from your pay by your employer through the UK’s ‘Pay As You Earn’ (PAYE) system. However, if you plan to work for yourself in the UK, you will need to submit a self-assessment tax return each year. An accountant based in the UK can manage this for you.
Being only a short distance across the sea, the UK remains a popular destination for Norwegians seeking a new place to live. Indeed, according to the most recent figures, approximately 19,000 Norwegians call the UK home. While Brexit ended the freedom of movement between Norway and the UK, it is still possible to move from Norway to the UK by applying for a visa. If you have plans to relocate from Norway to England, Wales, Scotland, or Northern Ireland, perhaps for work, study, or to join loved ones, this guide is for you. We will provide a breakdown of the legal requirements for Norwegian people moving to the UK after Brexit and how the cost of living in the UK compares to Norway.
Following Brexit at the end of 2020, the UK ended its freedom of movement arrangement with the EU and European Economic Area (EEA), including Norway. Those living in the UK before the Brexit cut-off date (31st December 2020) were able to stay under the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS). Norwegians who were not living here before this date now require a visa to live, work, study, or join family members in the UK.
Thankfully, with the assistance of a specialist in UK immigration law, the process of securing a visa as a Norwegian national can be completed easily and efficiently.
Norway is typically considered to have a high cost of living compared to most countries in Europe. The UK is approximately 17.6% less expensive overall compared to Norway, according to the cost of living website Numbeo. However, rental costs are typically around 20% higher in the UK compared to Norway, but food and grocery prices are 26% less in the UK.
Self-Sponsorship is a relatively new way for citizens of Norway to relocate to the UK with their family members without the worry and stress of securing a job. Using this approach, you can set up your own business in the UK (we will guide you through the process) and work for yourself. Self-sponsorship puts you in the ‘driving seat’ and overcomes the risk of losing employment and, with it, the right to remain in the UK. In addition, Norweigan nationals who are self-sponsored can gain permanent settlement after a number of years of continuous residence and, after a further 12 months, British citizenship.
Non-Norweigan nationals typically also need a visa to emigrate to the UK. This will largely depend on your nationality, your family connections to the UK, and what you plan to do in the UK (i.e. settle permanently). Please speak to one of our friendly and insightful immigration Solicitors in the UK who can assess your background, current situation, and future plans and then determine the easiest and most beneficial route for your needs.
With a UK family visa, you can join your partner, spouse, parent or child in the UK as a non-Norweigan National. To qualify, you must have a family member living in the UK who is either a British citizen, a person with permanent settlement, an EU/EEA national who started living in the UK before 1st January 2021 or has refugee status in the UK. The UK family visa provides a route to Indefinite Leave to Remain (i.e. permanent settlement) after 5 years of continuous residence and British citizenship a year later.
The documents that you need to move to the UK will depend on the type of visa you require. For example, if you require a work visa, you will need your Norweigan passport and UK visa, evidence of your job offer, a Certificate of Sponsorship, and bank statements showing that you have sufficient funds to support yourself and your immediate family members. Your immigration Solicitor will explain all of the documents that you will need to move to the UK.
In most cases, Norweigan nationals can visit the UK for up to 6 months without the need for a visa. To stay longer, Norwegian nationals need to apply for a visa. Work visas last up to 5 years and provide a route to permanent settlement. Student visas typically last for the duration of the course, but holders can then apply for a Graduate visa to stay in the UK for a further 2 years to find work.
Yes, if you wish to apply for a work visa in the UK as a Norweigan national, you must be sponsored by a UK employer. Alternatively, you can consider the self-sponsorship route.
Before returning to the UK from Norway, there are a number of important items to consider, including employment, banking arrangements, establishing a credit rating, selling your property, and your tax arrangements. If you have lived in Norway for more than 5 years, you may need to meet different rules for income and capital gains tax. We also recommend checking whether you will need to ‘top up’ your national insurance contributions so that you are eligible for a UK state pension when you reach retirement age.
Please see the legal requirements for moving from Norway to the UK above.
Yes, however, Norweigan citizens and their family members require a visa to live in the UK. Please see the visa options explained above.
Absolutely, but they require a job offer from a sponsoring employer, a certificate of sponsorship, and a work visa granted by the UK Home Office.
Norweigan nationals can apply for a UK visa through the UK Home Office website. You will need to complete the application form, pay any required fees, and submit any documents required to support your case. You will also need to meet the requirements for the type of visa you are applying for. An immigration Solicitor in the UK can handle this process for you.
Please see the legal requirements for moving from Norway to the UK above.
Please see the cost of living section above.
Some UK ex-pats are leaving Norway and other countries in Europe because of the post-Brexit rules, which mean they can only spend 90 days in EU and EFTA countries in any 180-day period. British ex-pats are also returning for work opportunities or to be with family members.
A Y & J Solicitors is a specialist immigration law firm with extensive experience with all types of visa applications. We have an in-depth understanding of immigration law and are professional and results-focused. For assistance with your visa application or any other UK immigration law concerns, please contact us on +44 20 7404 7933 or at contact us today. We’re here to help!
