Norway Travel Guide
Visa summary
247 passport nationalities researched for entry into Norway.
Official government links
View official visa and immigration links for NorwayTravel news
No travel news yet for Norway.
Guide
Norway is in Schengen without being in the EU, and it is currently checking its own Schengen borders. It has extended temporary internal border controls to 11 November 2026, focused on ports that serve ferry connections with other Schengen countries, and it cites a threat to the energy sector and a risk of sabotage, including by Russian intelligence services.
The place people ask about is Storskog, on the Russian frontier. It is the only open land border between the Schengen Area and Russia in all of Scandinavia, and since 29 May 2024 Norway has refused entry to Russian citizens travelling for tourism or other non-essential purposes.
Then there is Svalbard. The Governor of Svalbard says the archipelago is not part of Schengen even though it is part of Norway, and that Norway does not require a visa for entry to Svalbard. But anyone who needs a Schengen visa must still have one to travel there via mainland Norway.
Border crossings
- Storskog, the Russian gate
It remains open, but in a restricted way. Russian citizens who travel for tourist visits or other non-essential reasons are denied entry, so treat it as a border for essential travel, not a sightseeing crossing.
- The ferry ports, where the controls are
Norway's temporary checks are concentrated at ports handling ferry connections with the Schengen area. If you arrive by sea from another Schengen country, expect your passport to be looked at even though the route is inside Schengen.
- Svalbard, the visa free zone inside Norway
Outside Schengen, and open without a visa. A traveler who needs a Schengen visa has to hold one for the trip through Norway, and the Governor advises asking for two or more entries in the application so you can re-enter Schengen after your stay.
Transit routes
- Oslo airport splits the terminal by Schengen status
Gates D and E serve flights within the Schengen area, and gate F is for flights outside it, so your gate tells you which kind of passport check awaits.
- Flying to Svalbard means going through the mainland
The route runs through mainland Norway, which is why the visa question on the mainland side is the one that matters for a Svalbard trip.
Entry point notes
- Schengen rules apply on the mainland
That means 90 days in any 180 day period for visa exempt visitors, and the EES registration at first entry into Schengen.
- The controls are dated, so read the date
They were extended to 11 November 2026 after an earlier prolongation, and could be extended again. Old articles that give a different end date are out of date.