Published: 15.04.2021

You must provide such biometric identifiers for applications for residence permits, travel documents and visas. If you are applying for a residence permit, you must also provide an electronic signature that will be saved in our database. Once this has been done, many applicants will not have to go to the police again when the application has been processed.

When you submit your application in the application portal, you will be told to book an appointment with the police or with a VFS Application Centre/embassy. You cannot meet with the police without an appointment. You must book an appointment in the police district where you live. When you show up for your appointment to hand in the application and the other necessary documents, the police or VFS Application Center/embassy will explain which biometrics they will collect from you.

Here you will find an overview of requirements for which biometric characteristics you must submit for different application types.

When your case has been processed, you will receive a decision letter with information on whether or not you must book a new appointment with the police.

What do we do with the information?

When we receive your fingerprints and the photo of your face, this is stored in the immigration register. Here you can read our privacy statement about how we process data. Once the photo and fingerprints are stored, the police or the embassy can search the same register to see if you are already registered. Then we can reuse the information we have stored about you when your case has been processed. This means that in many cases the police can order a residence card without you having to appear again in connection with the same case.

Many who have applied from Norway will not have to book a second appointment with the police

Many applicants can book their residence card without meeting at the police station again. This applies to you who have submitted the application in Norway, have given biometrics to the police and have been granted residence. This also includes you who have applied to renew a residence permit for protection (asylum). However, there are some exceptions to this rule.

This means that in many cases the police can order a residence card without you having to book a new appointment at the police station.

If one of the following points applies to your situation, you must book a second appointment in connection with your application:

• If you have a Norwegian immigrant’s passport or travel document for refugees that has expired and which you have not already given to the police. You will not receive a new travel document until your expired travel document has been handed to the police.
• If you are applying for protection (asylum) for the first time with the police, you must still show up both when you submit the application and when you have received an answer to the application.
• If your application was submitted by another person with a power of attorney, you must go to the police yourself when the decision has been made.

If you have applied for residence in accordance with the Brexit regulations, you only need to go to the police once. You will be told to book an appointment after your application has been processed.

If you have applied from abroad, you must still report to the police when you arrive in Norway

You who have applied from abroad must report to the police in your district when you come to Norway.