YOU CAN NOW USE THE APPLICATION PORTAL.
If you are planning to apply for a Schengen Visa or a Residence Permit (Family Immigration, Student, Specialist etc.) at the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Abuja, we advise you to use the APPLICATION PORTAL.
Application fees may be paid on the secure Application Portal, and appointments for interviews can be booked online.
The new procedure will result in shorter processing time, fewer queues at the Embassy, and it will make it easier for applicants to re-apply for subsequent visas. Portal applicants will be given priority.
Applicants going to Iceland may only use the Portal for Schengen Visas, not Work / Residence Permits.
Booking
All applicants must book an appointment on the APPLICATION PORTAL before coming to the Embassy to hand in their supporting documents. It is not possible to book an appointment without submitting an application.
Change appointment / Cancellation of Application
An appointment can be changed or cancelled (by the applicant) from 'Previous individual application(s)' / 'Previous group application(s)' (on the Application Portal).
If you want to cancel an application, you must contact the Visa Section in Abuja. It is not possible to cancel an application using the Application Portal.
No Internet access?
There are many Internet cafes in Nigeria where Application Portal can be used. It is also possible for the sponsor in Norway to complete all or part of the online process for the applicant (e.g. log on and pay the application fee).
Sponsors who complete the entire process for the applicant (and the applicant is unable to log on to the Portal him / herself) must send a copy of the completed application form to the applicant, so that he / she is fully aware of the information being submitted.
How to apply? - First time users
The first time you use the Application Portal, you must register as a user with a username and a password. Usernames and passwords should not contain any special characters such as @, %, &, etc. The password must contain at least 8 characters, at least one number and at least one CAPITAL letter (e.g. Abuja1234).
When you have registered yourself as a user on the Portal, you can fill in the application form; pay the application fee (with a Visa or Master Card) and book an appointment at the Embassy.
How to apply? - Existing users (who have previously used the Application Portal)
Applicants who have used the Application Portal before can simply log on, use the last application as a template and only change details such as travel dates, etc., pay the fee and book an appointment to hand in the supporting documents.
Group registration
Applications can be registered individually or in groups on the Portal. A group may consist of 1 - 15 applicants, however, it is a requirement that all applicants have the same nationality and are travelling on the same dates, with the same itinerary.
Registering many applications as a group saves time, however, only individual applications may be copied for subsequent applications in the future. Families or people who always travel together to Norway may therefore want to register all applications individually.
Supporting documents
A number of documents are required in order to process applications. On the website of the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI), you will find the requirements for Schengen Visa, Student Residence permit, and Family Immigration etc. You will find additional information about Schengen Visa and Residence Permits etc. on our website.
You must remember to sign the cover letter you have received from the Application Portal (which can be printed out after an appointment has been booked or anytime after that from 'Previous individual applications' on the Portal) and submit it at the Embassy along with your supporting documents.
The cover letter must have 2 recent colored passport photos with white background attached.
(The application form may be printed out from 'Previous individual applications' on the Portal. The application form itself should not be submitted, as this is transferred electronically from the Application Portal to the Embassy.)
Applicants must bring the complete supporting documents on their date of appointment. An application from which important documents are lacking, can be rejected or take longer to process.
Preparation of your documents (all cases)
When you come to the Embassy for an interview, you must bring all the required documents in original. In addition, you must bring one set of clear photocopies of all your original documents, including your personal bank statements.
It is very important that your photocopied set of documents are not stapled, bound, glued or with paper clips, because we will put all your photocopied documents into a scanner.
Application fee
The application fee must be paid electronically (by credit / debit card) on the secure Application Portal after filling in the application form online. The application will not be sent to the Embassy before the payment has been successfully processed (usually within a few seconds). Applicants (/ sponsors, etc.) may pay by Visa or MasterCard. (It is also possible to obtain a prepaid visa card in Nigeria).
In order to avoid misuse of the Portal, all applicants who are exempt from paying must ‘pay’ the visa fee initially. However, the amount is only reserved on their bank account, not actually taken.
When the applicant appears at the Foreign Service Mission and submits documentation proving that he / she is exempted from paying the visa fee, the Foreign Service Mission can quickly release the money (refunded electronically).
Nevertheless, if the applicant has not appeared at the Foreign Service Mission within 14 days after paying the fee online, the money is transferred to the payment provider (DIBS) and later to the Foreign Service Mission’s bank account and a refund will thus take 2-3 weeks.
Verification fee (only residence permits)
The verification fee must be paid in cash at the Embassy when the application is submitted.
Please check our website for updated fees, before you come to the Embassy for an interview.
Processing time - Schengen Visa:
The processing time of a visa depends on each individual case. However, applicants should always apply several weeks before the intended journey.
Visa processing takes normally 15 calendar days from the day the application is admissible. (Please note this when booking for your appointment.) This period can be extended up to 30 calendar days in individual cases, notably when further scrutiny of the application is needed, or in cases of representation (applications to Iceland for example). Exceptionally, when additional documentation is needed in specific cases, the period may be extended up to a maximum of 60 calendar days. (For example, when the embassy forwards your application to the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI), processing can take up to 60 calendar days).
Processing time - Residence Permits:
You can find information about estimated processing times in residence cases on UDI's website.
Please note that every application must be accompanied with a prepaid courier envelope (FedEx, UPS or DHL) for the return of the documents after processing is finished.