Here you will find information about leaving Palestine, Israel and Lebanon:

• Palestine (external website) [in Norwegian only]
• Israel (external website) [in Norwegian only]
• Lebanon (external website) [in Norwegian only]

You will find information for Norwegian citizens in the Middle East here (external website) [in Norwegian only].

Yes, UDI has been asked to prioritise already submitted applications for residence permits from people who are in Palestine or Israel. 

UDI will also prioritise new applications from people who are in Palestine or Israel, but there may be practical obstacles which may mean that it takes some time before the case processing is completed. One reason may be, for example, that the application does not contain all the necessary documentation. 

Applications may be prioritised for other reasons. Applicants who want priority must request this, and an individual assessment will be made. If you have further questions regarding the prioritisation of your application, you can use our guide to check if your case can be moved to the front of the queue. 

Although UDI monitors the situation in Lebanon, no general priority of applications has been given on the basis that the applicant is in Lebanon. If this should change, UDI will publish information when we receive this information.

Applicants who are staying in Lebanon and want priority, must request this, and an individual assessment will be made. You can find more information about prioritisation here.

We have now created a new guideline that changes the application process for family immigration for Palestinians who are staying in Gaza.

Due to the current security situation in Gaza and the fact that it is now difficult to travel out of Gaza, it will temporarily be possible for a family member in Norway (the reference person) to submit an application for family immigration on behalf of a family member staying in Gaza. The scheme will apply until it is again possible for Palestinians in Gaza to submit an application for family immigration in the ordinary way through personal attendance.

You can read about how to apply for family immigration here.

The new guideline applies to how an application for family immigration must be submitted, and not how an application will be processed.

We emphasise that the new guideline does not involve any changes in which family members can obtain a family immigration permit or which exceptions can be made from the ordinary rules. The humanitarian and security situation in Gaza does not provide grounds for exceptions to the ordinary rules for family immigration.

We also emphasise that persons who are granted a residence permit after submitting an application for family immigration under this temporary scheme cannot expect to receive assistance from the Norwegian authorities for assisted departure from Gaza.

No. Although the UDI monitors the situation in Lebanon, as of today, it is not possible for you to apply in Norway on behalf of a close family member in Lebanon. If this should change, UDI will publish information about this when we receive the information.

It is a requirement that the person in Norway has been granted a residence permit in Norway. There are also income requirements in family immigration cases. There are exemptions to this income requirement if the reference person has recently received protection (asylum) and the application has been registered within 6 months after the date stated in the first decision letter the reference person received.

Several requirements apply to obtain family immigration. Amongst other things, the marriage must be valid and entered into voluntarily. You will find an overview of additional requirements by answering our web page's questions, «Want to apply for family immigration».

There are no changes in which family members can obtain a family immigration permit from Gaza. 

Those who usually apply for family immigration are spouses or children of a person who already lives in Norway. Other examples are parents who have minor children in Norway or minor full siblings of persons residing in Norway.

If a parent applies for a 9-month residence permit to visit children in Norway, we must assess whether the parent will return to their home country after the visit. Due to the situation in Gaza, it will take a lot for us to conclude in our assessment that the parent will return to Gaza after the visit. The applications we have received so far have been rejected.

Adult siblings, aunts/uncles, grandparents, nephews/nieces, cousins, or other distant relatives cannot get family immigration to Norway.

There are neither no changes in the requirements to obtain a family immigration permit. For information regarding the requirements for your case type, please follow this link and answer the questions to find the relevant information. 

There are no changes in which family members can obtain a family immigration permit from Lebanon. 

Those who usually apply for family immigration are spouses or children of a person who already lives in Norway. Other examples are parents who have minor children in Norway or minor full siblings of persons residing in Norway.

Adult siblings, aunts/uncles, grandparents, nephews/nieces, cousins, or other distant relatives cannot get family immigration to Norway.

There are neither no changes in the requirements to obtain a family immigration permit. For information regarding the requirements for your case type, please follow this link and answer the questions to find the relevant information. 

If you have already been granted a family immigration permit and cannot travel to Norway within the entry deadline in your permit, you can ask UDI to extend the entry deadline. UDI can grant an extended entry deadline of up to 1 year after the date of decision. You can contact us by choosing the right case type and filling in the contact form.

Yes, UDI has been asked to grant a national visa to a foreign parent without a residence permit in Norway who travels together with a Norwegian child under the age of 2, and on whom the child is dependent in order to ensure life and health during the departure from Palestine, Israel and Lebanon, see instructions from the Ministry of Justice and Public Security [in Norwegian only] (external website).  

This applies if:

• A Norwegian child under the age of 2 is dependent on a foreign parent to ensure life and health during the trip, and 
• The child is travelling out of Palestine, Israel and Lebanon in connection with assisted departure under the auspices of Norwegian authorities as a result of the situation following Hamas's attack on Israel 7 October 2023.

The responsible foreign station or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs sends personal information (name, date of birth, gender, place of birth and current family relationship) to UDI.

As a general rule, it is a requirement that your identity and family relationship to a Norwegian citizen must be documented.

Depending on the situation, in cases where there is insufficient documentation of identity and/or family relationship, UDI/the police can assess whether the person's information about identity and family relationship is considered probable. In such an assessment, UDI will take into account information registered in Norway and any other information previously provided by family members in Norway.

Persons who have been expelled from Norway for reasons of fundamental national interests are not issued a national visa according to the instructions. The same applies if similar serious cirumstances speak against it, even if the person has not been expelled, and if the person has been expelled on the basis of a conviction and UDI finds no reason to lift the entry ban. If the expulsion is due to a breach of the Immigration Act, when assessing whether the entry ban shoulde be lifted, emphasis must be placed on the child's need to be with her/his parents in the current situation.

National visas cannot be issued to Norwegian citizens. This means that national visas cannot be issued to persons who are granted assisted departure on the basis of an assumption that they are Norwegian citizens. This applies even if the person lacks Norwegian travel documents.

The instructions apply only to persons who have made use of the offer of assisted departure under the auspices of the Norwegian authorities out of Israel, Palestine and Lebanon as a result of the situation in the region following Hamas's attack on Israel on 7 October 2023. The instructions do not include persons who have left Israel, Palestine or Lebanon on their own/without the assistance of Norwegian authorities, and who are, for example, currently in neighboring countries to Palestine, Israel and Lebanon.

Yes, UDI has been asked to grant a national visa to a foreign parent who is accompanying a Norwegian minor child who cannot travel alone from Palestine, Israel or Lebanon to Norway, see instructions from the Ministry of Justice and Public Security [in Norwegian only] (external website). This applies if:

• The child cannot be accompanied by a Norwegian parent.
• The child is travelling out of Palestine, Israel and Lebanon in connection with assisted departure under the auspices of Norwegian authorities as a result of the situation following Hamas's attack on Israel 7 October 2023.

The responsible foreign station or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs sends personal information (name, date of birth, gender, place of birth and current family relationship) to UDI.

As a general rule, it is a requirement that your identity and family relationship to a Norwegian citizen must be documented.

Depending on the situation, in cases where there is insufficient documentation of identity and/or family relationship, UDI/the police can assess whether the person's information about identity and family relationship is considered probable. In such an assessment, UDI will take into account information registered in Norway and any other information previously provided by family members in Norway.

Persons who have been expelled from Norway for reasons of fundamental national interests are not issued a national visa according to the instructions. The same applies if similar serious cirumstances speak against it, even if the person has not been expelled, and if the person has been expelled on the basis of a conviction and UDI finds no reason to lift the entry ban. If the expulsion is due to a breach of the Immigration Act, when assessing whether the entry ban shoulde be lifted, emphasis must be placed on the child's need to be with her/his parents in the current situation.

National visas cannot be issued to Norwegian citizens. This means that national visas cannot be issued to persons who are granted assisted departure on the basis of an assumption that they are Norwegian citizens. This applies even if the person lacks Norwegian travel documents.

The instructions apply only to persons who have made use of the offer of assisted departure under the auspices of the Norwegian authorities out of Israel, Palestine and Lebanon as a result of the situation in the region following Hamas's attack on Israel on 7 October 2023. The instructions do not include persons who have left Israel, Palestine or Lebanon on their own/without the assistance of Norwegian authorities, and who are, for example, currently in neighboring countries to Palestine, Israel and Lebanon.

UDI has been asked to grant entry permits to the following persons who are foreign citizens or do not have a residence permit in Norway, see instructions from the Ministry of Justice and Public Security [only in Norwegian] (external website):

• Parents who are foreign citizens or do not have a residence permit in Norway, and who travel with minor children who are Norwegian citizens and are covered by assisted departure from Gaza under the auspices of Norwegian authorities.
• A minor child who is a foreign citizen or does not have a residence permit in Norway, but who is the child of a Norwegian citizen and travels with a sibling who is a Norwegian citizen.

The responsible foreign station or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs sends personal information (name, date of birth, gender, place of birth and current family relationship) to UDI so that UDI can make a decision on an entry permit on the basis of core information before arrival.

If the situation on the ground becomes urgent, the Ministry of Justice and Public Security authorises the Ministry of Foreign Affairs/the relevant embassy or the police to make a decision on entry, if absolutely necessary.

As a general rule, it is a requirement that your identity and family relationship to a Norwegian citizen must be documented.

Depending on the situation, in cases where there is insufficient documentation of identity and/or family relationship, UDI or the police cas assess whether the person's information about identity and family relationship is considered probable. In such an assessment, UDI will take into account information registered in Norway and any other information previously provided by family members in Norway.

Persons who have been expelled from Norway for reasons of fundamental national interests are not granted an entry permit according to the instructions. The same applies if similar serious cirumstances speak against it, even if the person has not been expelled, and if the person has been expelled on the basis of a conviction and UDI finds no reason to lift the entry ban. If the expulsion is due to a breach of the departure deadline or equivalent, when assessing whether the entry ban shoulde be lifted, emphasis must be placed on the child's need to be with her/his parents in the current situation.

UDI decides whether persons who have been granted an entry permit in accordance with the instructions should be granted a residence permit as a refugee or a residence permit on humanitarian grounds. 

The instructions only apply to people who have made use of the offer of assisted departure from Gaza under the auspices of the Norwegian authorities as a result of the situation in the region after Hamas' attack on Israel on 7 October 2023. The instructions do not include persons who have travelled out of Gaza on their own/without the Norwegian authorities' assistance, and who are, for example, residing in neighboring countries to Gaza. Furthermore, the instructions do not apply to persons who have entered Gaza after 8 December 2023.

If you have an unclaimed passport in connection with an application submitted at VFS in Beirut, you may contact the embassy in Amman by e-mail (visa.amman@mfa.no) to coordinate the handing over of the passport with the embassy in Beirut and VFS Beirut.

UDI has been asked to prioritise already submitted applications for residence permits from people who are currently in Palestine or Israel.

There are no changes in the application process for a residence permit in Norway, and the rules for family immigration are the same. 

To apply for protection in Norway, you must be in Norway or at the Norwegian border to apply. It is not possible to apply for asylum in Norway from a different country.

If you are in Palestine and Israel and you previously have received a final rejection on an application for protection or another residence permit, the case in which you have received a decision will not be reconsidered.

We know that many experience challenges in leaving Palestine and Israel now. Unfortunately, Norwegian authorities cannot help people to get out of Palestine and Israel. 

Palestine

The duty to return to Gaza after final rejection is temporarily suspended. This means that no one is being forcibly returned to Gaza for the time being.

The Norwegian Immigration Appeals Board (UNE) and UDI have decided to temporarily suspend the duty to return to Gaza for persons with a final decision which involves a return to Gaza. For the time being, the temporary suspension lasts until 18 March 2025.

The background is the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas, the worsening of the security situation and the humanitarian situation in Gaza. The West Bank is not covered by the suspension.

You can read more about who is covered by the suspension here.

Israel and Lebanon

The duty to return to the home country after final rejection still applies to Israel and Lebanon.

Foreign nationals who cannot return home before their permit, visa, or visa-free stay expires due to cancelled flights must change their tickets, obtain new tickets or find an alternative travel solution.

If you experience difficulties leaving Norway before your departure deadline, it may result in rejection of entry or expulsion. It is imperative that you hold on to any documentation showing that it has been impossible for you to find alternative ways to return home. You must present this documentation if a deportation or expulsion case is created upon your departure from Norway. You will also need this documentation if you ever apply for a visa to enter Norway at a later point in time. Do not submit this documentation to UDI now.

You do not need to contact UDI. We cannot give you confirmation that you can stay in Norway. UDI will consider your documented attempts to leave in time if an expulsion or deportation case is created.

During 2024, Norway will receive up to 20 patients from Gaza and their accompanying person(s).

Patients who are eligible for medical evacuation have serious illness or life-threatening conditions that require specialised hospital services.

UDI does not know when the first patients and their accompanying person(s) will arrive.

Each patient may be accompanied by one person

The main rule is that each patient can bring one accompanying person, but that there is flexibility to be able to include a few more, so that, for example, younger siblings are not left alone.

The accompanying person can be siblings, parents or another caregiver. In total, Norway has offered to receive up to 100 people.

UDI must grant an entry permit and provide a place to stay

To facilitate the medical evacuation from Gaza, UDI will work with hospitals and asylum centres.

UDI is responsible for issuing an entry permit to the patients and their accompanying persons.

UDI must provide a place to stay for the accompanying persons and provide a place to stay for patients when they have ended their hospital stay. Bufetat must provide a place to stay if the patient is a minor under the age of 15 and does not have an accompanying person.

You cannot apply for medical evacuation

You cannot apply or ask UDI to come to Norway through the medical evacuation scheme (Medevac Gaza). It is the World Health Organization (WHO) or one of the countries in the region that requests the evacuation of the individual patient. The various countries that are part of the Medevac scheme assess whether they can offer evacuation to the individual patient and then notify the WHO or the country that requested evacuation.

More information on medical evacuation from Gaza can be found here:

• Instructions on medical evacuation and reception of patients from Gaza for treatment in Norway within the framework (only available in Norwegian) (external website)