Norwegian Consulate NYC, New York – 4 Easy Steps to Apply for Norway Schengen Visa
Norway is a stunning Schengen country filled with magical sights and you will be in awe of your surroundings. There are beautiful cities with plenty of fascinating homes and caves, museums, and a lively nightlife. Outdoor lovers will adore the spectacular wilderness of jaw-dropping fjords, mountains, and the Northern Lights. In fact, there is nothing about Norway you won’t love! In this article learn more about how to apply for Norway Visa at the Norwegian consulate in NYC, New York, Norway visa appointment booking, Processing time at the Norway visa application center and Norway Visa Application Process at the NYC consulate.
Schengen Visa
In 2017, there were 196,082 Schengen visa applications received worldwide. 5.70% of these were rejections for different reasons. The Consulate General of Norway in NYC New York dealt with 4,162 applications and rejected just 1.1%.
Applying for Schengen Visa from the United States
If you wish to visit Norway for a maximum of 90 days and you are a US citizen, you do NOT need a visa to enter the country. However, if you are not from the US, but you permanently live there, you DO need a visa for traveling to Norway. You can easily apply from the United States. Just read on for information on how to do this.
You have to make sure you apply at the right Norwegian embassy and consulate. The Consulate General of Norway in New York is the place to apply for your Norway visa if you live in the following areas:
Bermuda
Connecticut
Delaware
Georgia
Illinois
Indiana
Kentucky
Maine
Massachusetts
Maryland
Michigan
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New York
North Carolina
Ohio
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
Tennessee
Vermont
Virginia
West Virginia
Types of Schengen Visas Offered at the Norwegian Consulate in NYC New York
There are 2 types of visa that you can apply for and the one you need will be determined by the duration of your trip:
Schengen visa – this is a short-stay visa and will allow you to remain in Norway for a maximum of 90 days. This type of visa is issued for the purposes of:
- Tourism
- Visiting family/friends
- Business purposes
Your Norway short-stay visa is issued as single, double, or multiple entry which means you can enter the country once, twice, or unlimited times during the dates of the approved visa.
Visa applications for Schengen visas are dealt with by VFS Global in New York.
National visa – this is a long-stay visa and will allow you to go to Norway for over 90 days. This visa can be issued for the purposes of:
- Family immigration
- Work
- Study
- Residence
- Medical reasons
If you wish to apply for this visa for any of the aforementioned reasons, you will need to submit your application to the Consulate General of Norway in New York. Please be aware that for long-stay visas, you will usually have to apply for a residence permit too.
Whichever visa you are applying for, you must make sure you apply for the correct one because if you don’t your application may not be processed and you’ll have to start again! So, take time to peruse the websites of VFS Global and the Consulate of Norway in New York before you do anything else.
Schengen Visa Application Process at the Norwegian Consulate in NYC New York
The first thing you need to do is make a suitable appointment in order to submit your application to either VFS Global or the consulate in New York.
Step 1: Make an appointment and complete your application form
For Schengen visas go to VFS Global’s website and click on the “Schedule an appointment tab”:
You’ll need to create a new account if you have never used the system before:
Or log in:
You’ll then be able to make your appointment for your short-stay visa.
For long-term visas and residence permits, go to the consulate of Norway’s website and click on the link: http://www.udi.no:
You will be directed to the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration for Norway. Click on: “Booking appointments”:
The next page is the application portal:
You will need to create a new account:
Next, log onto the system with your new account name and password:
Once you have done that, you will be able to make your appointment for your long-stay visa.
After that, you can also use the application portal to complete your application for BOTH short-stay AND long-stay visas. The system will register this in preparation for your appointment at either VFS Global or the consulate in New York.
When you apply, you must take account of the processing times. Decisions are usually made within 15 days, but it could take 30 or up to 60 days depending on the type of visa you are applying for. You are able to submit an application from 15 days up to 90 days before your planned trip, so don’t leave it too late. The earlier you can apply the better!
Making appointments with the embassy or visa application center is generally free and can be done yourself. However, If you are running short of time or not sure which consulate to apply to or have no idea on how to get this done yourself then not to worry, we will make the appointment for you for a small service fee!
Step 2: Prepare the documents for your application
You must present all the required documents when submitting your application. If you don’t, it is impossible for the consulate to make a decision about whether to grant your visa or not. Take time to look at the prerequisites for your type of visa before you start. The information can be found on the consulate’s website:
You also need to provide originals as well as photocopies, so don’t forget to do this!
Documents include:
1) Cover letter (printed from the application portal)
2) Application form for the visa (printed from the application portal)
3) Receipt for the application fee (printed from the application portal)
5) Preliminary travel itinerary
6) Passport valid for 3 months beyond planned dates with 2 free pages and issued within the last 10 years
7) Copies of previous Schengen visas
8) Proof of legal residence in the US
9) Confirmation of employment, private business, or studies including permission to leave for planned dates
10) Proof of financial means or income in the country of residence – bank statements for the last 3 months or statement from the employer or last year’s tax return
11) Travel medical insurance for at least €30,000 to cover hospitalization, medical emergencies, and repatriation expenses
12) Invitation letter from the business/host
13) Employment letter confirming the purpose and duration of trip and nature of the business
14) Confirmation of accommodation
15) Marriage/birth certificate
16) Notarized letter of consent for minors
If you’re planning to obtain your flight reservation for visa without paying for the ticket, all you have to do is follow the 3 simple steps below:
- Visit the Visa Reservation website to choose the right package
- Submit the travel details and make the payment online
- Receive flight itinerary in email
Step 3: Attend your appointment
On your appointment day, arrive at VFS Global or the Consulate of Norway in New York early. If you are late you may have to reschedule your appointment and this may affect your ability to leave when planned.
Remember to take all the necessary documents for your applications. If you forget anything, this may also result in you having to make a new appointment.
Also, dress smartly in order to make a good impression in front of the visa staff.
The staff will begin to review your application and supporting documents. If they need to ask anything else, just answer any questions politely and honestly. The reason they may do this is to confirm the information you have provided. Common visa interview questions include:
- What is your salary?
- Are you traveling alone to the Schengen area?
- Do you plan to meet anyone there?
- What business will you do in Norway?
- What will you do when you return to the US?
Don’t jeopardize your Schengen visa interview at the last minute. Use this comprehensive and thorough visa interview guide to crack the visa interview!
You will also pay the fee for your visa. This fee will be paid by credit card when you register your application using the application portal (see above). There is also an additional charge made by VFS Global of $33. This fee is non-refundable even if your application is refused.
If you wish to have your passport mailed back to you by UPS courier from VFS Global the charge will be $30 per passport.
Schengen Visa Fee
Type of Visa | Fee |
Schengen visa | $68.00/€60.00 |
Schengen visa (children aged 6-11) | $39.00/€35.00 |
Caribbean visa from 6 years old (max 30 days) | $39/€35.00 |
Schengen visa, low tariff: visas for citizens of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kosovo, Russia, and Ukraine | $39/€35 |
Children up to 5 years old | Free |
You may also need to provide biometric data if this is your first time applying for a visa.
Step 4: Receive your passport and visa
You can use VFS Global’s tracking tool to track the status of your application. To do this, go to their website and click on: “After submission”:
Scroll down and click on the link:
Type your reference number and last name and click on: “Submit”:
The online tracking system is only for applications submitted to VFS in New York. For applications submitted directly at the Norwegian consulate in New York, you may send an email to info.norway@vfshelpline.com with the following details:
- Your complete name (as written in your passport)
- Appointment reference number
- Passport number
- Date of birth
- Date of submission
If a decision has been made, you can make arrangements to collect your passport from VFS Global or the consulate in New York
If you prefer, you can have your passport mailed back to you by courier from VFS.
Hopefully, you will find your visa for Norway inside your passport. However, there are times when applications get refused for reasons such as:
- No proof of studies
- Not enough funds for the trip
- Invalid passport
- Purpose of the trip cannot be established
- Employer’s letter not on official paper
- Documents not photocopied
To avoid any of these rejection reasons, ensure your passport is valid and meets the requirements. Provide documents to prove your professional status, proof that you can afford to pay for the trip, and why you wish to travel to Norway. In addition, employer’s letters should be on official company paper, including the name and address of your employer. Lastly, all documents submitted must be photocopied.
Contact details for VFS Global in New York
Address: 145 West 45th Street, Floor 4, New York, NY 10036
Email: info.norway@vfsglobal.com
Telephone: +1 347 329 2738
Call center: Monday to Friday, 8.00 am to 6.00 pm. Appointments are not to be booked by email or phone
Hours:
Monday to Friday, 9.00 am to 4.00 pm (Submissions)
Monday to Friday, from 4.00 pm to 5.00 pm (Collections)
Contact details for the Consulate General of Norway in New York
Address: 825 Third Avenue, 38th Floor, New York, NY 10022-7584
Email: cg.newyork@mfa.no
Telephone: +1 646 430 7500
Fax: +1 646 430 7599
Visa enquires: +1 516 234 7789 or email info.norway@vfshelpline.com
Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, 9.00 am to 12.00 pm
Conclusion
That’s all there is to it! 4 very easy steps to getting your Norway visa:
- Make an appointment and complete your application
- Prepare the documents for your application
- Attend your appointment
- Receive your visa
Once you get to the end, you’ll already have your visa and you’ll be able to start planning what you need to take on your once in a lifetime trip to Norway!
At Visa Reservation, we strive to simplify the visa process by providing free visa consultations, cover letter templates and no objection letter templates for our clients from US, UK, Canada, Philippines, India, China, UAE, Europe, Nigeria and globally. We also offer flight itinerary for visa, travel medical insurance, hotel reservations for visa , Book Visa Appointment, Travel Guides, Visa Interview Guides and many more. To learn more about how we can help you with our visa services, please feel free to contact us today.