+44 203 621 9930Banks
Opening a Bank account requires a national ID number, which does take time and should be a number one priority on arrival. You’ll need this identification number to receive your salary, to pay your taxes, to open a business and receive social benefits such as unemployment benefits, parental leave and medical services.
Remember to take a queue number when you walk into any bank and bring your passport and a copy of your passport too.
Mobile Phones and Internet
Check whether your phone works in Norway, if not, buy a new SIM card with a Norwegian number. Otherwise, you’ll need an identification number that will be assigned to you once your residency permit is approved to apply for a phone contract or buy a mobile phone without a subscription to a company.
Prices are reasonable; the most prominent telecom provider is the state-owned Telenor, followed by Canal Digital and Tele2. Skype, WhatsApp and FaceTime are fairly omnipresent. Telenor is the mobile phone provider owning the infrastructure in Norway. You can find more info on the Life in Norway website. Landlines are little used.
Internet cafés are few and far between because most Norwegians have their broadband at home. Libraries are your best bet for public connection.
Taxes and Administration
Are you going to be paying tax? While it’s correct taxes are high in Norway, there are compensations. You will receive free or subsidised paternity leave, employment benefits, education, pension and healthcare.
The tax year begins on January 1st. Special rules apply to those who have lived less than six months in Norway. Foreign citizens are given a discount on taxes for the first two years of residence. There are double taxation agreements with the UK, the US and other countries. Check out details through your local tax office (ligningskontor).
Your employer and local tax office will help you obtain a tax card. Once listed in the Norwegian system, you’ll receive a tax declaration with details and estimates of income, assets and debt on a yearly basis.
Bureaucracy is alive and well in Norway. You’ll find Norwegians are organised, systematic and process-oriented. If you’ve made an effort to communicate in the local lingo, you’ll see – as in most parts of the world – people warm up to the time taken by ‘strangers’ to speak their native tongue. Ensure you have multiple copies of passports, photos, birth certificates, proof of your Norwegian address and all necessary permits before your move to Norway.
