½ûÂþÌìÌÃ

Menu
½ûÂþÌìÌÃ

Delays in Norway

Post new topic

happytravellerOslo

One thing that I am finding so often in Norway is that the Norwegian authorities are SO slow at replying or processing things.

Take for example the annual tax refund.     This takes 6 months or more to receive, even though everything is computerised and most of the financial information is reported automatically to the tax authorities.

Try applying for a visa and it will take MONTHS to get replies and decisions.  Same thing when you contact the local councils....replies take ages and you often need to send so many emails to get replies.  Even when they have all the information that they need, they take AGES to make a decision.

Norway is supposed to be an advanced nation but my experience is that they are very very bad at administration.   And of course, in Norway they want pieces of paper for almost everything, another sign that they do not want to move with the times.

So my experience is that it is a slow and inefficient country.   The opposite of what most people think.


Jerry

Cristina_D.

Hi HappytravellerOslo, I feel bad for your experiences (delays) in Norway. Although it's understandable that delays are not good, but I hope you enjoy your travel or stay in Norway.  :)

I would like to say that when it comes to delays, maybe it's not always the case for Norway.
I'm not saying that something went wrong on your papers, I feel sorry for you that you experienced those.
I just want to lighten this impression for other readers who wanted to know more of Norway when it comes to this topic.
-I applied for tourist visas twice and I only waited 3 days for the results, and everytime I send queries to them (example: Skatteetaten and Nav) they always respond/reply within two days. You can even actually call them.
-All of my friends here and even a family member experienced swift and fast response from the government sector, and if they waited longer, that means something went wrong  (wrong or lack of required docs / info,, etc)
-Yes I experienced some delays too like when I applied for a reunification visa where I waited almost two months, but that was because they changed the processing body (from embassy to UDI itself) which caused longer processing time, and also because I forgot to include one of the requirements. But they did not rejected my application, instead they informed me and when I send it to them, the result came out after few days.
-Also, about processing with papers (physical papers), that is somehow true if you do not have a bankID. But government sectors and services are accessible through internet and you can also process your documents paperlessly, all you need is a bankID in which you can avail if you have a resident permit.

:):):)

G kady

Hi
how are you today hope you are fine .. well ; thats bad thing to hear about norway administration but its okey because every country must do like that for any expat from other countries .. now i hope  find what im looking for ..
enjoy your day
Kady

happytravellerOslo

My experience of dealing with government departments in Norway is that they are extremely inefficient.    Often they will refuse to accept forms via email and ask for them to printed and posted to them.   Also the processing times for applications often run to months.     

Norway has a reputation as a modern and efficient country but more and more my experiences are showing me that it is the opposite.   One of the advantages in working in many different countries is that you get to see and experience day to day life.   Norway is far behind many other countries in using technology and government offices seem on average to be very slow at doing things.


Jerry

Articles to help you in your expat project in Norway

  • Buying A Property in Stavanger
    Buying A Property in Stavanger

    So, you’ve been here for a while and you’re thinking, this is a nice place to settle down or maybe ...

  • Buying property in Oslo
    Buying property in Oslo

    House prices in Oslo have been on the rise for the past decade, and although the market is beginning to stabilize, ...

  • Accommodation in Oslo
    Accommodation in Oslo

    Rental places in Oslo are competitive, and prices are overall high. High living costs are well-expected across the ...

  • Developing your social circle in Oslo
    Developing your social circle in Oslo

    Norwegians are not known for their eagerness to befriend newcomers. Most locals have well-established social ...

  • Childcare in Norway
    Childcare in Norway

    Norway is probably one of the best countries in the world to raise kids. Besides the clean air, the safe ...

  • Sports in Oslo
    Sports in Oslo

    Norwegians are an active bunch and weather is no obstacle. You will see youngsters playing soccer in the pouring ...

  • Typical Norwegian leisure activities
    Typical Norwegian leisure activities

    Norwegian’s typically are very active people, scattered across Norway you’ll find no shortage of Ski ...

  • The taxation system in Norway
    The taxation system in Norway

    Provided that you now have found a job, have been registered and now have a Norwegian ID and a bank account, the ...

All of Norway's guide articles