Legal status and visa requirements for those who were forced to leave Ukraine
Temporary collective protection
People who have fled Ukraine may be granted temporary collective protection for one year. Then, the protection permit may be extended.
Collective protection means that The Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI) does not assess the need for protection individually, but gives Ukrainians fleeing the war in Ukraine and their family members collective protection. This ensures that Ukrainians fleeing the war will get the help they need faster.
Individual protection
- Application for individual protection is also possible: after the granted collective protection, the individual application will be held until the scheme expires or three years have passed. After three years, the person can require that the application is processed individually.
- If the basis for the collective protection lapses, the person will be informed about the right to have his/her application for protection processed individually.
Contact udi.no for more information in English and Norwegian – +47 23 35 16 00
- However, Ukrainians coming to Norway must note that having a valid residence permit in another safe country, where it is possible to return, is an exclusive criterion for Norwegian authorities to accept the application for a residence permit from Norway now.
- Those who applied for protection, and are granted collective protection, can still apply for other types of residence permits.
- Special rules apply to those who have a residence permit in another European country and left Ukraine long before 24 February 2022: they are not amongst those who may receive collective protection, and UDI will ask the country the person received a resident permit from to process the application for protection.
How to apply for protection in Norway
A person seeking protection must contact the Norwegian police to apply. Ukrainian citizens applying for protection can register in several places in Norway. In most places, you must contact the police to schedule an appointment for registration.
Where does one find the police?
To apply for protection with the police, the person can:
- tell the border police that you want to apply for protection (asylum),
- show up at the police station where he/she is, or
- show up at the National Arrivals Centre at Råde.
The police will help with transportation to the National Arrival Centre.
To register the application for protection, the National Police Immigration Service (NPIS) will have a conversation with an applicant at the National Arrival Centre. Then a card, that shows that person has applied for protection, would be issued.
Get more information on the rules and regulations in Norway:
Dial-in Norwegian Food Safety Authority +47 22 40 00 00 (press 9 for English speaker) or send an email via BIP.gardermoen@mattilsynet.no to register your pet if not performed at the border.
What documents are needed to cross the Norwegian border and to apply for protection
This information applies to entry into Norway and does not include travel through other countries. You should familiarize yourself with the border crossing rules for citizens of Ukraine without a biometric passport or identity documents in other countries you have to cross on your way to Norway.
Passport, National ID card from Ukraine or other documents, such as a birth certificate or expired passport.
For those who are already in Norway, or have reached the Norwegian border, it is possible still to apply for protection in Norway without a passport/ biometric passport, visa, or other ID documents.
Visas to enter Norway are not for biometric passport holders. For those who do not have a biometric passport or are missing ID documents, here is where they will find information on how to travel legally to Norway.
Foreign citizens who need a visa or a residence permit to live or work in Norway must, as a general rule, apply before entering Norway. Due to the security situation, the visa application centre, and the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Ukraine are closed. Therefore, it is not possible to apply for a visa or residence permit from Ukraine now, but the embassies in some countries (including Ankara ) handle applications from Ukrainian citizens.
There is also an application procedure for D number (temporary identification number) for those who want to live and work in Norway. The D number consists of 11 numbers. The Norwegian Tax Administration is responsible for the scheme with identification numbers in Norway, including D numbers.
Get more information on the required documents:
Housing in Norway
People coming from Ukraine can receive the stay options within the reception centre “Modtak” or can apply for private housing.
UDI has an application scheme for Ukrainians who want to live in a temporary alternative to an asylum reception centre or emergency accommodation.
Who can apply for private housing:
Ukrainian nationals who can receive, or have received temporary collective protection, their families and persons who have protection (asylum) in Ukraine and have already been registered by the immigration authorities in Norway, have found a place to live, and have not been settled as a resident yet.
The place can be found by a private individual, or by an organization, or a municipality.
Financial support for Ukrainians in Norway
An allowance is offered, which should cover costs including self-paid healthcare.
Ukrainians staying in private homes can apply for financial support for housing, food, and other costs, which would also have been covered in a reception centre.
Dial in for details on financial aid in Norway at +47 23 35 16 00
Learn more about staying in Norway:
Find migration counselling institutions throughout Norway:
English:
Ukrainian:
- www.udi.no
- www.politet.no
- www.udi.no (Norwegian)
Emergency accommodation:
- www.udi.no (as of 24.04.2022)
Access to healthcare services
Fees
Adults have to pay a deductible user fee at the out-of-hours medical service and at the doctors. No payment is needed to be admitted to a hospital.
Those who have one of these health conditions – HIV, TB, and Hepatitis B/C (fhi.no, in Norwegian), are entitled to free healthcare. For the patients with one of the conditions mentioned here, there is an option in some cases to have the right to remain in Norway until the treatment is completed.
Condoms are free of charge and should be visibly available at arrival centres and reception facilities. Women between 16 and 22 years of age are entitled to financial support for other types of contraception.
Pregnant women are entitled to essential healthcare before, during and after delivery. They are entitled to follow-up health services by a doctor or midwife, and they also have the right to give birth in a hospital. Pregnant women can decide for themselves whether to have an abortion up to week 12 of their pregnancy.
For pregnant women, all healthcare is free of charge. Giving birth at a hospital is also free of charge.
As an adult, you will normally have to pay for dental treatment yourself. You can reclaim the cost of emergency dental treatment if you are staying at an arrival centre or reception centre.
Free healthcare for children under the age of 16
Children under 16 years of age do not need to pay for visits in order to see a doctor, psychologist or physiotherapist, to receive treatment in a hospital, or to have X-rays taken.
Health Centres and the School Health Service are free of charge. At these centres, all children are entitled to medical examinations and vaccinations.
All dental care, except braces, is free of charge for children up to the year they turn 18. The public dental service can guide you as to which dentists treat children free of charge.
For many health services there is a co-payment. The allowances offered to refugees include a sum for health care.
People have a right to get interpretation services to assist them with health care. An interpreter is ordered by a doctor or nurse if necessary. The translator is obliged to maintain confidentiality. Interpreter services are free for a patient, except for the dental service.
More info:
Where can the Ukrainians who were forced to leave Ukraine go for the following healthcare services?
Asylum seekers and refugees in Norway have the right to healthcare for physical ailments and illness, mental issues, addiction problems, and dental care. Therefore, to access healthcare in Norway, the person must be registered as an asylum seeker. Foreigners registered as asylum seekers are also offered different vaccinations within a few days after arrival. After three months, a medical check-up free of charge is also offered.
Contact the local police to register or click to learn more on how to register in 18 locations nationwide.
All municipalities in Norway offer an out-of-hours medical service for immediate medical assistance 24 hours a day.
Call 116 117 for free to contact the local out-of-hours medical centre
Emergency number 113 (ambulance) in the event of an accident, serious illness or urgent healthcare needs
Find the most comprehensive information on the healthcare services for Ukrainians. Dial-in +47 23 32 70 00 for more, Monday-Friday from 08:00 to 15:30 (Norwegian and English) www.helpsenorge.no
See emergency phone numbers in Norway by the National Institute of Public Health (Folkehelseinstituttet, FHI / NIPH) Dial-in +47 23 32 70 00 for more, Monday-Friday from 08:00 to 15:30 (Norwegian and English)
www.fhi.no
Acute treatment
On arrival in Norway a medical check-up is carried out, including information pertaining to chronic and acute diseases as well as regular medication, as stated by Helsedirektoratet.
116 117 – free of charge number to contact a local out-of-hours medical centre
113 – ambulance emergency calls
Chronic/long-term treatment
Visiting family doctors
Registration at the family doctor’s is not a must, however highly recommended. The first point of contact for medical care in Norway is the family doctor. Treatment is coordinated there.
The medical section with the municipality is the address for getting a family doctor and for different kinds of health care. D-number (for those who have applied for it) / card obtained after registration or passport/ other identity document is needed.
Other services
Mental health aid:
- HelseNorge (English)
- NGO Kirkens SOS-telefons, +47 22 40 00 40 (to dial in from Norway only)
Third-country nationals who are also fleeing Ukraine access these services only if they have a status as refugees or asylum seekers in Ukraine.
Services for People Living with HIV
HIV-testing
- The examination, testing and treatment of sexually transmitted infections is free in Norway, including for minors under 18 years. If a person has been in a situation in which they were exposed to the risk of infection during the last 48 hours, they should contact the emergency medical service (dial in 113) for counselling. They should also ask about PEP (Post-exposure prophylaxis) which is a short course treatment that prevents HIV infection. .
- For those having an active sexual life with multiple partners, it is recommended to test at least once a year, and more often if they have unprotected sex or if the condom splits.
Learn more on how to get tested:
- helsenorge.no
- asylum seekers
- where to get medical help
- what the rapid hiv test involves
- healthy life centres (Information in English on Healthy Life Centres in Norway)
HIV testing centres:
If tested positive, a person is entitled to free HIV care and management services.
Those having any of the conditions mentioned on the fhi.no website can, in some cases, have the right to remain in Norway until the treatment is completed.
Anti-retroviral treatment (ART)
This must be discussed with a Norwegian doctor. It should be mentioned on arrival to get treatment as soon as possible. ART is free of charge in the country.
It is highly recommended that the Ukrainians on ART who were forced to leave Ukraine also bring their doctor’s prescription.
See more on the ART:
Where to get treatment:
Post address: Pb. 220 Skøyen, 0213 Oslo Visiting address: Vitaminveien 4, 0485 Oslo
How can minors get treatment?
Minors can get tested and get ART if HIV is diagnosed.
Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP)
Norway has a programme specifically targeting the prevention of sexually transmitted HIV, where pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is provided free of charge. PrEP for prevention of HIV transmission through intravenous drug use is not regularly offered but has occasionally been given through individual assessment (free of charge). To get PrEP and to define the duration of the therapy, the person must contact a doctor ormedical sections at the municipality.
There is no minimum age for receiving HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis. Each case is evaluated individually for eligibility. www.helsenorge.no
Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP)
PEP is recommended immediately after a possible/probable exposure e.g. if a sexual partner is HIV+ ( and not under therapy) and the condom breaks, or in case of an accident, a puncture wound, contaminated syringes etc. It is free of charge (covered by health insurance) and there is no minimum age for receiving post-exposure prophylaxis.
IMPORTANT: PEP must be started as soon as possible after the risk of HIV exposure has occurred. Preferably, within two hours – 24 hours after exposure, and at the latest before 72 hours.
As a rule, the medication is taken for 4 weeks and no minimum age for PEP is defined.
Hepatitis B and C testing, hepatitis B vaccination, and hepatitis B and C treatment availability
Hepatitis B/C testing, Hepatitis B vaccination, and Hepatitis B/C treatment availability
Hepatitis B and C are communicable diseases, meaning that by Norwegian law, medical care (examinations, tests, treatment etc.) is free of charge for patients residing in Norway. Testing, vaccination for hepatitis B and treatment for hepatitis B and C are available. All individuals arriving from the Ukraine will be offered HIV and hepatitis B and C tests regardless of symptoms and free treatment will be provided if needed. Upon arrival at their final destination, the individual can set up an appointment with their assigned general practitioner (see the information on GPs within Norway). A blood test is needed to determine vaccination and/or treatment status. Testing is free of charge and appropriate follow-up will be provided, including referral to infectious diseases clinic if needed.
- HEP B vaccine is part of the regular children´s vaccination programme.
- Hepatitis C tests can be done at all family doctors or medical sections at the municipality. If the doctor makes a diagnosis, then the test and the consultation is free of charge. The doctor will refer the patient to relevant institutions for further treatment.
Monitoring options such as blood work, and in some instances liver ultrasound, are available and can be conducted at a general practitioner and/or an infectious diseases clinic.
Treatment options available for hepatitis related liver diseases
For the treatment options for Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the general practitioner or medical sections at the municipality must be contacted (see the information on healthcare services here. The doctor will refer the patient to relevant institutions for further treatment.
Support systems (harm reduction/safer use, social support, or psychosocial support) available for the Ukrainians undergoing therapy for hepatitis C or related liver diseases
Most counties in Norway administer clean needles and other user equipment to drug users for free, regardless of hepatitis status. Individuals with opioid dependence have access outpatient addiction care including opioid agonist treatment.
Tuberculosis services
If the person has TB symptoms:
- TB screening is compulsory upon arrival for anyone arriving from a country with a high incidence of tuberculosis. This also applies to those arriving from Ukraine. For those above the age of 15, the test will consist of an x-ray of the lungs. For those under the age of 15, a blood test will be done instead (this does not apply to children under 6 months).
- Those tested positive, will be treated free of charge.
- For further consultations, adults and children having TB symptoms must contact a doctor or medical sector at the municipality where the person lives.
See information in English:
- helsenorge.no
- helsenorge.no/asylum-seekers
- helsedirektoratet.no/healthy-life-centres (Information in English on Healthy Life Centres in Norway)
- fhi.no
See information in Ukrainian:
If TB was already diagnosed in Ukraine and the person needs to continue treatment:
- Those with already diagnosed TB, should contact a general practitioner or the health center at the municipality for the further consultations and treatment.
- If the treatment was already started, consultation with a doctor must be appointed anyway. This is to obtain comprehensive information necessary for the continuation of treatment, including the option of multidrug-resistant TB treatment. . Patients who started the TB treatment with directly observed treatment (DOT) and video directly observed treatment (VDOT) in Ukraine, should also visit a doctor to consult on the continuation of the treatment in Norway.
If a person has a Ukrainian prescription for TB treatment medication…
- It is invalid in Norwegian pharmacies and a prescription from a Norwegian doctor must be obtained to collect the medication .
- Those who have been receiving preventive treatment, must also contact a doctor or medical sector at the municipality to check on the further treatment procedure in Norway.
Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccination for children
All children and young people have the right to free of charge vaccination against a number of illnesses. Children with higher defined risk of TB exposure are offered the BCG vaccine in infancy.
Learn more on BCG vaccination facilities:
Useful links to browse more on TB treatment within Norway for Ukrainians:
Opioid agonist treatment (OAT) services
Medication rules
- It is permitted to bring 30-day supply of medication containing narcotics. Documentation is required to prove that the medication being brought into Norway is for personal use. Examples of such documentation include prescriptions, medical certificates, or pharmacy labels on the packaging. Receipts or other documentation showing that the medication was purchased lawfully, may also be required upon entering the country. It is recommended that the medication be kept in its original packaging.
- Prescriptions issued by doctors in Ukraine are not valid in Norway. However, it is recommended to bring prescriptions of current medications, so that a doctor in Norway can prescribe equivalent , All documentation of medical conditions from country of origin will be useful.
- The inclusion criteria for OAT is diagnosed opioid dependence (ICD-10), according to National Clinical Guidelines.
What OAT drugs are available in the country?
Buprenorphine and methadone are recommended as the first choice for patients in Norway. In case of insufficient treatment effect or significant side effects of buprenorphine or methadone, long-acting morphine should be considered.
OAT treatment fees
Ukrainians will receive the same treatment as Norwegian citizens free of charge.
Take-home doses availability
Take home doses are based on an overall assessment ;time on treatment, assessment of drug use, injection risk, the patient’s individual goals for treatment, whether the drug can be stored safely, and the risk of sharing or selling the drug. The decision on “take home doses” is made by a doctor in the specialist health care service or by a GP if they have taken over the follow-up of the patient.
Minimum age for people who use drugs to receive OAT
Opioid Maintenance Treatment (OMT) in Norway is offered to patients who are 18 years and above.
Useful links to follow on OAT:
Sources
General requirements and access to healthcare
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04. Leaflet “Please register your pet dog, cat, ferret or pet animal of other species”
Norwegian Food Safety Authority: leaflet “Please register your pet dog, cat, ferret or pet animal of other species”.
www.mattilsynet.no/pdf
HIV
Hepatitis B/C
TB
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02. Leaflet “Обстеження на туберкульоз (ТБ) після прибуття до Норвегії”
National Institute of Public Health: leaflet “Обстеження на туберкульоз (ТБ) після прибуття до Норвегії”.
www.fhi.no/pdf