Can you bring your parents to Norway? The honest answer
Written by Hans Goldstein, licensed insurance agent · CA 4273294Short answer: Rarely. Under utlendingsloven § 46, an adult child in Norway can sponsor a parent only if the parent is over 60 and has no spouse, cohabitant or relatives in ascending or descending line in the home country. A US parent with a spouse, another child or a grandchild in the US normally fails. The alternative is a visitor permit of up to 9 months (§ 47) that cannot be renewed and leads nowhere permanent.
Free guide: Moving abroad on a fixed income
Income rules and taxes by country: Norway, Switzerland, Sweden, Italy, Spain, Malta and more, plus how a lifetime annuity fits.
When my family started on Norway, the first idea was that one of us children, as Norwegian citizens, could sponsor our parents. It does not work that way. A child cannot sponsor a parent who still has a spouse in the home country, which is why in my parents’ case the Norwegian spouse is the sponsor. If you are a Norwegian living in Norway and hoping to bring an American parent, here is the honest picture.
The rules
| Route | Who qualifies | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| § 46 parent permit | Sponsor is the parent’s child, over 18, in Norway. Parent is over 60 and has no spouse, cohabitant or relatives in ascending or descending line in the home country | Residence permit; the income requirement applies (3.2 G future income plus prior-year income), and so does the housing requirement (§ 10-12) |
| § 47 visitor permit for parents | Parents of people with residence in Norway | Up to 9 months, not renewable, no work, no path to permanent residence; a new permit only after a year outside Norway |
| § 49 other family | Only on “strong humanitarian considerations” | Exceptional cases |
| Ordinary visits | US citizens | Schengen 90 days in any 180 |
“Relatives in ascending or descending line” means parents, grandparents, children and grandchildren. A widowed American parent with another child or a grandchild living in the US is outside § 46.
If one parent is Norwegian
The picture changes completely when one parent is a Norwegian citizen. Then that parent is the sponsor for the American spouse under the ordinary family immigration rules for spouses, and a retired Norwegian sponsor can use the lower pensioner figure. That is my parents’ route; see family immigration with a US spouse. A Norwegian parent who left long ago may also be able to reacquire citizenship; see dual citizenship.
Why I write about this. My mom is Norwegian, my dad is American, and they’re planning the move from the US to Norway. My mom is the sponsor (the host, or “reference person” in UDI’s words), so Norway’s income test falls on her income, not my dad’s. UDI told us in writing that money in an account does not count as income, and only lifelong income does. Their savings were not the problem; the paperwork wanted a monthly number in the host’s name. The rules in Norway are different, but the problem is the same one many retirees hit: the income test, not the net worth. I’m writing this to help others in the same boat as my parents. Read how we worked through the Norway income requirement.
In the same boat? Let’s run your numbers
See roughly what a lifetime annuity would cost to close your income gap, then get my personal read by email. I can help while you still live in the US.
Estimates use the September 9, 2026 ImmediateAnnuities.com payout survey (life only) and a 15% cushion. Illustrative, not a quote.
Can an annuity help here?
Only at the edges. For a § 46 case that otherwise qualifies, the sponsor must still meet the income requirement, and lifetime annuity income counts toward it like any other permanent periodic benefit. But no amount of income fixes the core condition: a parent who has a spouse or other close relatives in the US does not qualify under § 46. I would rather tell you that now than sell you something that does not solve the problem.
The contrast: bringing a Norwegian parent to the US
| Norway (parent of a resident) | USA (parent of a US citizen) | |
|---|---|---|
| Basic eligibility | Parent over 60 with no spouse or close relatives at home | Sponsor is a US citizen aged 21 or older |
| Annual cap | Case by case, rarely approved | None: parents of adult US citizens are immediate relatives (IR5) |
| Financial test | 3.2 G income plus prior-year income, and housing | Form I-864 at 125% of the poverty line: $27,050 for a household of two (from March 1, 2026) |
| Assets count? | Not as income | Assets can make up a shortfall |
More on that direction: moving from Norway to the USA.
What families actually do
- Use the § 47 visitor permit for long stays (up to 9 months), then spend a year outside Norway.
- Combine Schengen visits with time in other countries, staying within 90 days in any 180.
- Check whether a parent with Norwegian roots can reacquire citizenship, which removes the permit question.
- Ask UDI in writing about your exact family situation before planning a move around it.
Frequently asked questions
Free annuity gap analysis for Norway. Tell me your ages, your Social Security or pension, and whether you are single or a couple. I will show how far your income is from the Norway requirement and what a lifetime annuity would cost to fill the gap, in the sponsor’s or main applicant’s name where that matters.
Related reading
- Moving to Norway from the USA: the hub
- Family immigration with a US spouse (pensioner sponsor)
- Dual citizenship Norway and USA
- Moving from Norway to the USA
- UDI income requirement 2026, explained
- Moving abroad on a fixed income: all countries
Sources
- Utlendingsloven chapter 6 (sections 40, 41 a, 46, 47, 49), Lovdata
- UDI: Income requirement in family immigration cases
- Utlendingsforskriften chapter 10 (sections 10-1, 10-8, 10-9, 10-11, 10-12), Lovdata
- Statsborgerloven (Norwegian Nationality Act), Lovdata
- USCIS: I-864P poverty guidelines (effective March 1, 2026)
Goldstein & Co. LLC dba Goldstein Insurance Services · Hans Goldstein, licensed insurance agent, CA lic. #4273294 · NPN 20602398 · 213-414-2808 · hans@hansgoldstein.com
Education, not tax, legal or immigration advice. Rules, thresholds and exchange rates change; confirm with the consulate or immigration authority and a local tax adviser before you act, and get answers in writing. Hans Goldstein is a licensed insurance agent (CA 4273294) and can only offer annuities to residents of states where he is licensed. Annuity payments are guaranteed by the issuing insurer’s claims-paying ability, not by any government. Payout figures are illustrations from a published survey, not quotes. Immediate annuities are generally irrevocable.