Norway · India

Royal Norwegian Embassy in New Delhi

Overview

Indian-resident applicants for a Schengen visa to Norway — tourism, family visits, business travel, conference and cultural visits — file through the Norway Visa Application Centres operated by VFS Global, with biometric capture across the eleven Indian centres. Decisioning happens at the Royal Norwegian Embassy at 50-C Shantipath in the Chanakyapuri diplomatic enclave. The Embassy is also the regional decisioning post for Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bhutan — applicants in those countries route their VFS intake locally with files arriving at New Delhi for final decision. The Embassy houses the chancery, the consular section for Norwegian nationals in India and accredited countries, and the migration section handling long-stay Norwegian residence-permit pipeline filed through UDI (Utlendingsdirektoratet, the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration). Work permits for Indian IT professionals taking posts in Norway, ICT-permit inter-company transfers, EU/EEA residence cases for spouses, student permits for Indian degree-seekers at Norwegian universities (NTNU Trondheim is particularly popular among Indian master's students in engineering and technology, alongside the University of Oslo, the University of Bergen and BI Norwegian Business School), family-reunification permits and entrepreneur permits all route through the embassy's migration section. The bilateral context: Norway-India relations are anchored on maritime cooperation (Norway's substantial maritime sector — DNV, Wilhelmsen, Höegh, Klaveness, Stolt-Nielsen — has long-standing Indian operations, particularly in Mumbai and the western Indian shipping corridor), oil and gas cooperation (Equinor has Indian upstream and downstream operations, with ONGC and Reliance as long-term partners), renewable energy (Statkraft's Indian hydropower and solar operations are among the larger Norwegian renewable investments in Asia), seafood (Norway is one of the major suppliers of seafood to the Indian premium-restaurant and hotel market), telecommunications and the substantial Norwegian-Indian academic-research cooperation through the Indo-Norwegian Cooperation Programme. The Indian-origin community in Norway numbers around 30,000 to 40,000 — substantial growth since the 2000s through IT employment, EU/EEA residence permits and family routes, concentrated in Oslo (largest cluster), Bergen, Trondheim and Stavanger. Travel from Norway to India for tourism, yoga and ayurveda retreats, Buddhist pilgrimage (Sikkim, Ladakh, Bodhgaya) and trekking in the Himalayas (the substantial Norwegian Himalaya-trekking community has strong ties to the Indian and Nepalese mountaineering networks) runs almost entirely through India's e-Visa programme without embassy contact.

Visa Services

Schengen short-stay visa (Type C, up to 90 days in any 180-day rolling window) is the primary visa product for Indian travellers to Norway. Indian passport holders are not eligible for visa-free travel to the Schengen area and must apply before departure. VFS Global Norway operates Visa Application Centres in Delhi (Connaught Place), Mumbai (BKC), Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune, Chandigarh, Ahmedabad, Jaipur and Goa — applicants book online through the VFS Norway India portal, attend in person for biometric capture, and pay the Schengen fee (currently EUR 90 for adults, EUR 45 for children 6–11, free for children under 6) plus the VFS service fee. Typical processing is 15 calendar days from application receipt at the embassy, longer during peak season (March-June for European summer travel) and for cases requiring additional documentation. Documents typically required include the visa application form, passport with at least 3 months validity after the planned departure from Schengen and at least two blank pages, a Schengen-compliant biometric photograph, proof of travel medical insurance covering EUR 30,000 minimum, return ticket booking, hotel reservation or invitation letter, proof of financial means (six months of Indian bank statements typically required), employer letter or business registration for working applicants, and ITR (Income Tax Returns) for the last three assessment years. Long-stay Norwegian residence-permit applications — work permits for skilled workers (the standard salary-threshold criterion used by UDI), EU/EEA residence cases (for spouses of EEA citizens), ICT permits for inter-company transfers (heavily used by the Indian IT-services majors moving staff to their Norwegian operations), student permits for admitted Indian degree-seekers at Norwegian universities (NTNU, University of Oslo, University of Bergen, BI Norwegian Business School), family-reunification permits and entrepreneur permits — are filed online through the UDI portal with biometric capture at the embassy or at the relevant Indian VFS Norway centre. Processing times vary substantially by category and UDI backlog. Indian applicants for Norwegian residence permits should follow the UDI published guidance closely and budget significant lead time before any planned travel. The embassy is the decisioning post for Schengen and long-stay applications from residents of India, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bhutan, with the regional VFS network handling the document intake and biometric capture in those countries.

Consular Services

The Consular Section serves the Norwegian national community in India — registered Norwegian residents number in the high hundreds to low thousands, concentrated in Mumbai (the Norwegian maritime-and-shipping community plus the Equinor and Statkraft operational staff), Delhi NCR (diplomatic and Indo-Norwegian Cooperation Programme staff), Bengaluru (Norwegian IT-services and engineering professionals at Indian operations of Norwegian companies), and the smaller communities in Pune and Chennai. The full Norwegian consular pipeline runs from New Delhi: passport renewal and biometric passport issuance (the embassy is an issuing post on the Norwegian passport network), Norwegian national ID-card issuance, civil-status notification to Skatteetaten of births and marriages abroad, voter registration for Norwegian parliamentary and local elections (the embassy is a Norwegian overseas polling station during election windows), notarial certifications, apostille issuance for Norwegian-issued documents to be used in India under the Hague Apostille Convention, and emergency consular assistance for Norwegian nationals in detention, hospitalisation, victims of crime, repatriation or bereavement. For inbound Norwegian travel into the region — tourism, yoga and ayurveda retreats, trekking and mountaineering in the Indian Himalayas (Sikkim, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand) and Nepal, Buddhist pilgrimage circuit (Bodhgaya, Sarnath, Kushinagar) and the substantial Norwegian volunteer-and-NGO community working with Indian and Nepalese partners — the embassy's consular monitoring extends to Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bhutan by accreditation. Out-of-hours emergencies anywhere in the consular district route through the UD Crisis Response Unit in Oslo on +47 23 95 00 00, which coordinates with the New Delhi embassy for in-country action.

Trade & Export Support

India is one of Norway's strategic growth markets, with bilateral trade anchored on Norway's substantial maritime, energy and seafood sectors. The Embassy's economic section coordinates closely with Innovation Norway's India operations, the Norway India Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NICCI) in Mumbai which is the principal Indian-resident business chamber for Norwegian companies, the Indo-Norwegian Chamber of Commerce, and the substantial Norwegian shipping-and-maritime cluster in Mumbai. Bilateral trade in goods runs in the range of USD 1.5 to 2.5 billion annually, with seafood and salmon exports as one of the major Norwegian export lines, complemented by maritime equipment, oil-and-gas-services machinery, fertilisers (Yara has a substantial Indian footprint), and specialty chemicals. Norwegian exports to India are dominated by seafood (Norway is one of the major suppliers of premium salmon to the Indian hotel-and-restaurant market), maritime equipment and ship-classification services (DNV holds substantial Indian classification and certification operations), oil-and-gas-services equipment (Aker Solutions and the broader Norwegian subsea cluster), fertilisers (Yara's Indian operations are significant), specialty chemicals, fish-farming technology and aquaculture engineering. Indian exports to Norway are concentrated in IT-services (the major Indian IT majors operate substantial Norwegian delivery centres), pharmaceuticals and generic medicines, textiles and garments, gems and jewellery, and increasingly green-hydrogen and renewables collaboration on the joint Norway-India research partnerships through the Research Council of Norway and the Indian Department of Science and Technology.

Investment Opportunities

Norwegian foreign direct investment in India runs across the maritime, energy and renewables sectors. Statkraft's substantial Indian hydropower and solar portfolio is one of the largest Norwegian green-energy positions in Asia; Equinor's Indian upstream and downstream cooperation with ONGC and Reliance covers exploration and production; Yara's Indian fertiliser operations are among the largest Yara global positions; DNV's Indian classification, certification and advisory operations cover the maritime, oil-and-gas and renewable-energy sectors; and the substantial Norwegian shipowner presence in Mumbai (Wilhelmsen, Höegh, Klaveness, Stolt-Nielsen) reflects long-standing Indo-Norwegian maritime ties. The Embassy supports Norwegian investors looking at greenfield or brownfield expansion in India — coordinating with Invest India, state-level investment promotion agencies, and the Indian government's Make in India and PLI (Production Linked Incentive) schemes. Indian outbound FDI into Norway has grown substantially since the mid-2000s, concentrated on the Indian IT-services majors' Norwegian delivery centres (TCS, Infosys, Wipro, HCL, Tech Mahindra all have substantial Norwegian operations), Indian pharmaceutical-and-generics groups establishing Norwegian marketing and regulatory operations, and the occasional larger industrial acquisition in the Norwegian maritime and offshore services chain. The Embassy's investment promotion work includes coordinating the bilateral CEO Forum and the Indo-Norwegian Joint Working Group on renewable energy and climate cooperation, plus joint research programmes through Vinnova-equivalent Norwegian counterparts.

Business Support

Practical commercial support for Norwegian exporters and investors entering India is delivered through Innovation Norway's Mumbai office in partnership with the Embassy: market intelligence, partner identification, regulatory navigation through India's complex GST and corporate-law environment, support for setting up Indian subsidiaries, and Indian-customs and trade-compliance support. The Norway India Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NICCI) is the principal forum for Indian-resident Norwegian business community — networking, sectoral working groups (maritime, energy, seafood, IT, sustainability), Norwegian Industry Days, and joint advocacy with Indian central and state governments on the regulatory environment. Indian companies seeking to invest in Norway are supported by Innovation Norway's invest-in-Norway function and the Embassy.

Cultural & Educational Programs

Cultural and educational programming runs through Norway's Embassy Cultural Section, the substantial Norwegian-Indian academic-research partnerships through the Research Council of Norway and the Indian Department of Science and Technology, and the Indo-Norwegian Cooperation Programme. Educational mobility is anchored on Indian students at Norwegian universities (NTNU Trondheim is particularly popular among Indian master's students in engineering and technology; the University of Oslo, University of Bergen, BI Norwegian Business School and the Norwegian School of Economics also draw substantial Indian cohorts), with the QUEST programme and joint Norwegian-Indian research partnerships supporting the academic flow. The Embassy hosts the Norwegian Constitution Day reception on 17 May and supports Norwegian artistic programming in Delhi and Mumbai cultural venues. The substantial Norwegian-Indian musical-and-literary exchange (Norway's small publishing market hosts a strong Indian-English-language readership, and the Indian classical-music institutions have long-standing exchanges with Norwegian conservatories) supports the cultural programming. Norway's diplomatic-cultural focus in India includes climate cooperation, gender equality programming, peace-mediation expertise (Norway's tradition of peace mediation has historical engagement with South Asian conflicts) and the Indo-Norwegian Cooperation Programme.

Service Area

Service area covers the Republic of India in its entirety for direct embassy services, with the Royal Norwegian Consulate General in Mumbai handling the western Indian states (Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa), the Honorary Consulate in Chennai covering the southern states (Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, the Lakshadweep and Andaman & Nicobar Islands), and the Honorary Consulate in Kolkata covering the eastern and north-eastern states (West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, Sikkim, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Tripura). The embassy in New Delhi covers the northern, central and remaining union-territory areas directly. By accreditation the embassy also covers Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bhutan — applicants in those countries route their visa intake through the local VFS Norway centre with final decisioning in New Delhi.

Appointment Information

Schengen short-stay visa appointments are booked through the VFS Global Norway India portal. Long-stay residence-permit applications are filed online through the UDI (Utlendingsdirektoratet) portal, with biometric capture booked through the same VFS network or directly at the embassy depending on category. Norwegian passport, ID-card, civil-status and consular appointments are booked through the embassy's online booking system on the Norway in India portal. Phone enquiries route through the switchboard +91 11 4136 3200 during office hours (Monday to Thursday 08:30–16:30, Friday 08:30–14:00). Visa enquiries: visum.new.delhi@mfa.no. Consular enquiries: consular.new.delhi@mfa.no. General enquiries: emb.newdelhi@mfa.no. The VFS Norway India helpline is +91 22 6786 6021 (info.norwayin@vfshelpline.com). Out-of-hours emergencies route through the UD Crisis Response Unit in Oslo on +47 23 95 00 00, available 24 hours.

Special Notes

The Chanakyapuri diplomatic enclave hosts most of the major foreign missions in Delhi — the Royal Norwegian Embassy at 50-C Shantipath sits in the central cluster of the enclave, near the Embassy of Sweden, the Embassy of Italy and several other European missions, with the broader Indian government's Lok Kalyan Marg metro station (Yellow Line) about 2 km away. Approach by Delhi Metro plus autorickshaw or taxi, or directly by taxi from anywhere in central Delhi. Visitors must present a valid government-issued photo identification and pass airport-style security screening at the gate. Large bags are not permitted inside; mobile phones may be confiscated for the duration of the visit depending on the security posture of the day. The embassy observes both Indian and Norwegian public holidays: Republic Day (26 January), Independence Day (15 August), Gandhi Jayanti (2 October), the principal Hindu and Muslim festivals (Diwali, Holi, Dussehra, Eid-ul-Fitr, Eid-ul-Adha), Christian festivals where they fall on Indian holidays (Good Friday, Christmas), and the Norwegian national observances (Constitution Day 17 May, Labour Day 1 May, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Day, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Whit Monday). Direct air connections between Oslo Gardermoen (OSL) and Indian destinations route via Doha (Qatar Airways), Dubai (Emirates), Istanbul (Turkish Airlines), Frankfurt (Lufthansa) and Amsterdam (KLM); there is no current direct SAS or Indian-carrier service between Norway and India.

Frequently asked questions

Do Indian passport holders need a visa for Norway?

Yes. Indian passport holders need a Schengen short-stay visa (Type C) for any visit to Norway up to 90 days in a rolling 180-day window — for tourism, business, family visits, conference and cultural travel. Schengen visa-free travel is not available for Indian passport holders. Applications are filed in person at the VFS Norway centres in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune, Chandigarh, Ahmedabad, Jaipur or Goa, with decisioning at the Royal Norwegian Embassy in New Delhi. Longer stays for work, study, family reunification or business require a separate Norwegian residence permit through UDI (the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration).

Where do Indian-resident applicants submit Norwegian visa paperwork?

At the Visa Application Centres operated by VFS Global Norway. Eleven centres operate across India — Delhi (Connaught Place), Mumbai (Bandra-Kurla Complex), Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune, Chandigarh, Ahmedabad, Jaipur and Goa. Applicants book the appointment online through the VFS Norway India portal, attend in person for biometric capture and document intake, and pay the Schengen fee plus the VFS service fee. The Royal Norwegian Embassy in New Delhi is the decisioning post for every application from the eleven centres. The VFS Norway India helpline is +91 22 6786 6021 (info.norwayin@vfshelpline.com).

Does the Mumbai Consulate General handle Norwegian visa applications?

No. The Royal Norwegian Consulate General in Mumbai does not provide any assistance with visa applications. The CG's role is trade and bilateral promotion in the maritime, seafood, oil and gas sectors, plus consular assistance for Norwegian nationals in the western Indian states (Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa). For visa intake, applicants in the Mumbai catchment go to the VFS Norway centre at Bandra-Kurla Complex; decisioning is at the Embassy in New Delhi.

How long does Schengen visa processing take from India?

Typical processing is 15 calendar days from the application's arrival at the embassy in New Delhi. Peak-season demand from March to June (European summer travel) extends the timeline, sometimes to 20–25 calendar days, and applications requiring additional documentation or interviews can run longer. Applications may be submitted up to six months before the intended visit; the Embassy recommends booking the VFS appointment at least three weeks before the intended departure.

Where do Sri Lankan, Nepalese and Bhutanese applicants apply for Norwegian visas?

The Royal Norwegian Embassy in New Delhi is accredited to Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bhutan as the regional decisioning post. Applicants in those countries book through the local VFS Norway centre — Colombo, Kathmandu or local arrangements for Bhutan. Biometric intake and document submission happen locally; the file is forwarded to New Delhi for decisioning. Applicants do not normally need to travel to Delhi unless the Embassy requests a follow-up.

Where do Norwegian nationals in India get consular help, passport renewal or emergency assistance?

Norwegian nationals in India have two consular posts for direct services: the Royal Norwegian Embassy in New Delhi (covers northern, central, eastern, accredited-region cases) and the Royal Norwegian Consulate General in Mumbai (covers the western Indian states — Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa). Honorary Consulates in Chennai (southern states) and Kolkata (eastern and north-eastern states) handle limited consular relay. Out-of-hours emergencies route through the UD Crisis Response Unit in Oslo on +47 23 95 00 00, available 24/7 worldwide.

Links & more info

Visaja keeps this page's contact details and visa guidance under continuous review — still, requirements can change at short notice, so confirm the essentials with the mission or the official government portal before you travel.