Norwegian Embassy Washington DC – 4 Easy Steps to Apply for Norway Schengen Visa

Norway is a beautiful Schengen country full of wonderful sights and plenty of exciting things to see and do. Oslo is great for museums and nightlife while Trondheim is more relaxed, located by the Nidelva River, with the lovely Nidaros cathedral. Experience the midnight sun at Nordkapp or see the Northern Lights at Tromso. Whatever you do, Norway will amaze you! In this article learn more about how to apply for Norway visa at the Norwegian embassy in Washington, DC, Norway visa appointment booking, Processing time at the Norway visa application center, flight itinerary for Norway visa, hotel bookings for Norway visa, Schengen travel insurance for Norway visa application, and Norway Visa Application Process at the Washington DC consulate.

Norway Schengen Visa

In 2017, there were 196,082 Norway Schengen visas received by the Norwegian Embassies and Consulate offices around the world. 11,176 (5.70%) were rejected. There was no data as to how many applications were received and processed by the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Washington.

Applying for Norway Schengen Visa from the United States         

If you are planning on going to Norway, you may or may not need a visa. As a general rule, US citizens do NOT need visas, whereas, non-US citizens DO need visas to be able to enter and stay in Norway. However, in order to apply from the US, you must live there on a permanent basis and you must be able to prove your legal right to remain the country.

You have to make sure you apply at the right Norwegian embassy and consulate. If you live in Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota or Wisconsin, the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Washington DC is the office you will deal with. However, the embassy has outsourced visa applications to VFS Global, so you will submit your application through their office in Washington.

Please note, if you live in any other areas, you are free to submit your application to ANY of the 5 VFS Global offices located across the US.

Types of Schengen Visas Offered at the Royal Norwegian Embassy/VFS Global in Washington DC

There are 2 types of visa that you can apply for and the one you need will depend on how long you are going to Norway and your reason for traveling there:

1. Visitor’s (Schengen) visa – for holidays, business and visits to family and friends for a maximum of 90 days
2. Residence permit (National visa) – for work, studies, au pair, family immigration, etc., for stays over 90 days

Norway visitor’s visas are issued as single, double, or multiple entry which means you can enter the country once, twice, or unlimited times during the validity of your visa.

Schengen Visa Application Process at VFS Global/the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Washington DC

Both visitor’s visa and residence permit applications will be received by VFS Global in Washington, but visitor’s visas are processed by the Royal Norwegian Embassy and residence permits are processed by the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI)

Visa applications are processed within 15 days, although some applications could take longer. You can apply up to 90 days ahead of your intended departure, so don’t leave it too late. At the latest, you may apply 15 days before your trip!

Here are a few steps to help you apply for your visa.

Step 1: Make an appointment and complete your application form

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!

Booking a visa appointment using our services is pretty simple! All you have to do is follow the 3 simple steps below:

1. Visit the link to schedule the visa appointment
2. Submit the appointment details, visa you are applying for, consulate you need the appointment for, the country you need the appointment IN and make the payment
3. Receive appointment confirmation in email

You can also make an appointment on your own by following the steps below:

1. Go to VFS Global’s website and click on: “Schedule an appointment”:
2. Create a new account:
3. Then, login:

You’ll then be able to make your appointment in order to submit your visa application.

The next thing to do is to register and complete your application. Go to the embassy’s website and click on: “Visitor’s visa and residence permit”:

Then, click on the visa you are applying for:

Next, scroll down to: “Online registration and payment” and click on the link for the application portal:

Then, you’ll need to create an account before logging in. You’ll then be able to complete your application online and register it:

When you submit your application, it will be registered at VFS Global in preparation for your appointment when you will submit your application. Once you have registered, you will receive an email with a cover letter attached. The cover letter will confirm that you have filled in the application form and paid the fee. You should print this letter because you need to submit it with the other supporting documents.

Step 2: Prepare the documents for your application  

You must provide all the required documents, so it’s advisable to know what they are before you begin step 2. You can find this information on the visa office’s websites:

1. VFS Global
2. Royal Norwegian Embassy
3. Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI)

There is a document checklist available for short-stay visas on the embassy’s website which you can refer to. For residence permits, you can find the necessary checklists on UDI’s website. You must print off the relevant checklist, sign it, and submit it along with the other documents.

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. Visa application form (printed from the application portal)
3. Receipt for the fee (printed from the application portal)
4. 1 passport-sized photo. See guidelines for acceptable photos
5. A full itinerary of travel plans in Norway
   
6. Passport – must have 3 months remaining past return to the US with 2 free pages and issued no longer than 10 years ago
7. Copies of previous Schengen visas (if applicable)
8. Valid US visa or residence card OR other proof of US legal residence
9. Return flight reservation
10. Confirmation of employment, private business, or studies with an approval of leave letter
    
11. Proof of financial subsistence/income in the US such as 3 x bank statements or most recent tax return
12. Schengen Travel insurance – for at least €30,000 to cover hospitalization, medical emergencies, and repatriation expenses
13. Letter of invitation from your company or your host in Norway
14. Employer’s letter confirming the purpose and duration of trip and nature of the business to be undertaken in Norway
    
15. Evidence of lodgings such as hotel booking or rental agreement etc
    
16. Marriage/birth certificate
17. Notarized parental consent letter (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:

1. Visit the Visa Reservation website to choose the right package
2. Submit the travel details and make the payment online
3. Receive flight itinerary in email

Step 3: Attend your appointment

When your appointment day arrives, there are a few things to remember:

1. Don’t be late – if you are late, your appointment may be canceled and this could delay your travel plans
2. Remember to take ALL the required documents – if you forget anything, including document checklists and photocopies, your application may not get processed and/or it will be rejected
3. Dress smartly – don’t dress in shorts and a t-shirt if you want to make a good impression

The visa officer will look at your application and if they need any further information they may ask you further questions. Don’t forget, once the embassy receives your application, they may have questions of their own. In any case, answer the questions politely and tell the truth!

Common interview questions include:

1. Will you be seeking employment in Norway?
2. Do you know anyone in the EU?
3. What is your job in the US?
4. Do you have any sponsorship in Norway?
5. What will you do if your visa is denied?

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 would have already paid the fee for your visa when you registered your application on the application portal, but there is an additional service fee of $33 which is payable to VFS Global in Washington. You can pay this by credit or debit card. All fees are 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, you need to pay an additional $30.

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

To find out how your application is progressing, you can track it. Go VFS Global’s website and click on: “Track your application”:

Type your reference number and last name and click on: “Submit”:

When a decision has been reached, you have 2 options:

1. Collect your passport from VFS Global in Washington DC. Remember to have your receipt handy
2. Have your passport mailed back to you by courier from VFS

Visa application decisions:

1. Approved – you will find your visa attached to one of the pages in your passport
2. Rejected – your visa application has been refused for a reason. You have the right to appeal the decision. Go to UDI’s website for further information about the appeals process

Typical rejection reasons include:

1. No invitation letter – if you are being invited by a person or a company etc., you must provide an invitation letter
2. There was no flight booking – when you apply for a visa, you must provide a return flight ticket, so the visa office knows you will be returning home
3. Insufficient funds – you must be able to afford your trip to Norway and you must be able to prove this by providing documents such as bank statements or payslips etc
4. You already have an active visa – if you have applied for a Schengen visa previously, it may still be valid, so check before you apply for a new one

Contact details for VFS Global in Washington DC

Address: 1025 Vermont Ave NW, Suite 200, Washington DC 20005

Email: info.norway@vfsglobal.com

Telephone: +1 347 329 2738

Call center: Monday to Friday, from 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, 4.00 pm to 5.00 pm (Collections)

Contact details for the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Washington DC

Address: 2720 34th Street N.W, Washington, D.C. 20008

Email: emb.washington@mfa.no

Telephone: (202) 333-6000

Fax: (202) 469-3990

Hours: Monday to Friday, 9.00 am to 4.00 pm

Please note, inquiries regarding visa applications should be made to VFS Global!

Conclusion

There are just 4 simple steps to apply for your Norway visa:

1. Make an appointment and complete your application
2. Prepare the documents for your application
3. Attend your appointment
4. Receive your visa

Once you get your visa, you’ll be halfway towards your 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.

See Also

How To Apply for Norway Schengen Visa at Norwegian Consulate in Houston, Texas
How To Apply for Norway Schengen Visa at Norwegian Consulate in San Francisco, California
How To Apply for Norway Schengen Visa at Norwegian Consulate in NYC, New York

Worldwide Visa Requirements