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Local Norway
5 days ago
- Business
- Local Norway
'Without BankID you are nobody': Foreigners in Norway lament bureaucratic headaches
Getting a Bank ID When asked to list their worst bureaucratic headaches in Norway the single most widespread gripe among our international readership and online groups was the complex and drawn-out process of obtaining a BankID, Norway's digital identity system. Without it, daily life grinds to a halt. 'You are effectively locked out of Norwegian society,' one reader said. 'No mobile phone number, no online shopping, no Vipps. There are some places where that is the only payment option, which is very frustrating." One respondent, Abby Noble, described it as a 'chicken and egg' conundrum. To get a BankID, you need a bank account. But to open a bank account, you need a registered address — which you often can't get without a bank account. "Why is a bank account necessary for having access to your health page in Norway?" complained Sebastian Rojas, from Chile. READ ALSO: What are the rules for getting a BankID at Norway's banks? The frustrations of having a D-number Many people, such as newly arrived asylum seekers or EU citizens planning to work in Norway for less than six months, or other foreign workers on job seeker permits, are only eligible for a D-number, which can make it hard to open a bank account or access a wide range of other services. Megan Thorsen said that after she was given a D-number on the back of her job-seeker visa, she struggled to set up something as basic as an internet connection. Others found that banks simply had no process for D-number holders, even when they had job offers in hand. 'I went to four banks,' one reader recalled. 'Eventually my Norwegian friend called his banker, who was shocked they couldn't help. They just hadn't seen the issue before.' But even getting a D-number seemed to take some time. 'Without a D-number, you are nobody. And nobody tells you what you're supposed to do next," one respondent moaned. Advertisement READ ALSO: How to switch from a D-number to a fødselsnummer in Norway Trouble opening bank accounts It wasn't only people on D-visas who had trouble opening bank accounts. One Polish respondent said the most frustrating thing about living and working in Norway was simply "waiting". "Over two months to open a bank account!" he exclaimed. "I think the response time to get all the papers ready is sometimes too much," Sebastian Rojas said. "To get my National ID number and the bank account took me at least three months. Without those two things in Norway you are very restricted to what you can actually do." Banks require physical documents, which are sent by post, and Norwegian post won't deliver unless your name is on the letter box. 'It was a nightmare,' said Abby Noble. 'I was only able to solve it thanks to kind Airbnb owners and friends I made at Norskkurs.' READ ALSO: What you need to know about opening a bank account in Norway UDI processing times Advertisement The Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI) also came in for heavy criticism — particularly for long waits for family reunification and citizenship applications. 'Family visas are taking 12 to 15 months,' said Frida Cota, who had to endure a long-distance relationship while waiting. "Citizenship applications are now taking 30 months if they are not automatically processed. And nobody knows or will tell what the criteria is for automatic processing." Carla Colombon, from Mexico, was unable to work for over 18 months while waiting to get all the necessary paperwork done. 'Such a waste of time and skills and super expensive for my partner and me to live on only one income." She said it has also been "incredibly frustrating" not to be able to travel freely when living in Norway on a temporary visa. Advertisement Problems getting appointments/phone contact "Have you tried calling any institutions? Waiting times of 30 min and more," complained one anonymous respondent, who described Norway as "close to a failed state". "And there is no feedback, as in normal countries (you don't get an option to evaluate how the phone call went)". "When you have to register in the country, the next appointment with the police is like half a year away somewhere in Finnmark," the commenter added. Contradictory answers/poor information Several respondents complained of getting contradictory information from different government officials, or on different government websites. "The information is not coherent," complained Elva Popsen from Greece. "When you register at UDI as a job seeker, nobody tells you that you should go to NAV [the unemployment service]. Also at the tax office, nobody tells you that you should try NAV first if you don't have a job yet." "Any interaction with government institutions leads to contradictory answers," agreed an anonymous respondent, pointing to a "discrepancy between what is indicated on the website and what was provided by direct communication". Lack of understanding among ordinary Norwegians "The challenges immigrants face are not relatable to most locals," Amber Renee explained. "They've never had to get a personal number, never had to deal with UDI, and never had to understand or care about any of these processes." "This seems to carry over to the native Norwegians who design the processes or are working in service positions for the bureaucracy. They still do not relate or understand the full picture and do not really care because it doesn't affect them." Would you add any other obvious bureaucratic hurdles? Share your own experience in the comments section below.
Local Norway
15-05-2025
- Business
- Local Norway
Norway's Vipps app set to enable money transfers across Europe
Vipps users in Norway could be able to send funds to the three southern European countries and Poland by next summer, Vipps MobilePay said in a press release on Thursday. The company has joined up with several other European money-sharing platforms as part of a project to connect users across borders. That should mean that a Vipps user in Norway may be able to send money to a user of the Spanish payment app Bizum in the same way they currently send funds to other Vipps users. Other platforms based in Italy, Spain, Portugal and Poland joining the project mean that its eventual reach could be 100 million users of the various apps across Europe. Additional countries could also join the network in future, according to Vipps MobilePay. "We are now starting to make the solutions work together, which is called interoperability. Even though the wallets look the same on the outside, they are built very differently. We are starting with 'person to person', and then moving on to 'person to business', Rune Garborg, CEO at Vipps MobilePay, said in a press release. Vipps users in Norway can already send funds to MobilePay or Vipps users in Sweden, Denmark, and Finland, with the platforms in each of the Nordic countries already linked . Sweden, like Norway, uses Vipps, while Finland and Denmark use MobilePay. The two apps have around 12 million users across the four countries. Advertisement Cross-border payments within the Nordic region currently incur a fee of four percent, charged by Vipps MobilePay. This is on top of currency conversion surcharges. Vipps MobilePay hasn't yet confirmed whether fees will apply to new countries, or what those fees might be when introduced. In order to use Vipps in Norway, users need to have an account with a Norwegian bank and at least one personal debit or credit card issued by a Norwegian bank. Users also need a Norwegian social security number in order to verify their identity with the BankID electronic ID, and a Norwegian phone number. READ ALSO: Which Norwegian banks issue BankID to foreigners with a D-number?
Local Norway
01-03-2025
- General
- Local Norway
What you need to know about emergency plumber callouts in Norway
Plumbing emergencies are stressful, expensive, and often happen at the worst times. That's why it's a good idea to research local plumbers before an emergency happens. This allows you to compare rates, read reviews, and find a reliable professional in advance. If you haven't done this, recommendations from friends and neighbours are often the best alternative. Panic-Googling for an emergency plumber is a close third. However, there are situations where you won't be able to wait out a problem and will need to call a plumber immediately. Scenario: What to expect when calling a plumber outside workhours Your kitchen tap is leaking uncontrollably, and your shut-off valve is useless Bonus tip: One of the most crucial things to know is where your main water shut-off valve is located. Closing it can prevent further damage from leaks and flooding. You don't have a plumber's contact at hand, so you rush to find one online. You manage to call a plumber, and fortunately, they respond. Most emergency plumbers will ask you to send them photos of the problem before they arrive. This helps them provide a preliminary cost estimate and bring the necessary tools and replacement parts. The costs If you're calling outside regular business hours, expect to pay an emergency surcharge. In western Norway, weekend emergency rates can be double the regular hourly rate, which tends to stand at around 1,000 kroner per hour as of the time of writing. That's why getting a cost estimate in advance can help avoid surprises. In our scenario, the plumber will need to replace both the faucet and the faulty shut-off valve. Purchasing these parts from the plumber usually comes at a premium, but you often don't have time to shop around in an emergency. Expect additional charges for the plumber's company vehicle and transportation costs, as well as any sealing materials and other necessary supplies that they will use to fix the issue on-site. Emergency response times typically range from 30 to 60 minutes for a local plumber. The repair itself, replacing a broken faucet and a shut-off valve, usually takes about an hour. However, you will likely be charged double the standard rate since this is an emergency intervention outside of regular working hours. Here's what your final invoice might look like for a similar emergency callout: Schreenshot: The Local Norway Photo: The Local Norway Some plumbers accept Vipps payments on-site, while others issue invoices via email or post with a typical 7-day payment deadline. Who has to pay? A guide for tenants As a renter, you are generally responsible for maintaining the apartment (unless otherwise stated in your contract), which includes keeping the drains clear up to the water trap. This means taking preventive measures if you notice issues such as slow drainage. However, the responsibility for plumbing issues in a rental property depends on several factors. Did you contribute to the problem? If a clogged drain is due to your actions (e.g., pouring food scraps down the sink), you will likely be responsible for the repair costs. How long have you lived in the apartment? If an issue results from previous tenants' neglect (e.g., years of improper disposal habits), it may not be fair for you to cover the entire cost. Remember that tenants are expected to attempt basic fixes (this applies to non-emergency situations), such as unclogging methods, before calling a plumber.
Local Norway
13-02-2025
- Business
- Local Norway
Which Norwegian banks issue BankID to foreigners with a D-number?
Not having an electronic ID, or digital ID as it can be referred to, can leave you locked out of life in Norway, because your access to things like the money-sending app Vipps or the ability to verify your identity to access and sign important documents digitally will be restricted. Norwegian identity numbers are perhaps even more important than electronic IDs and come in two forms: national identity numbers and D-numbers. Usually national identity numbers are issued to those expected to reside in Norway for a long period of time where as D-numbers are generally given to foreigners who expect to spend a shorter spell living in the country. There are quite a few differences between the two but the main one is that a national identity number offers greater access to services than a D-number. But without either of the two it is not possible to access an electronic ID in Norway. The problem with this system is that it can mean those with a D-number can have trouble accessing BankID - which is by far the most widely used - because the rules on who can obtain it aren't clear, and Norwegian banks have their own policies about who to issue it to. While alternatives to BankID exist, they aren't as universally adopted – meaning that foreigners can still be locked out of vital services such as specific apps for daily life. The three biggest banking groups in Norway are Nordea, DNB and Sparebank. DNB told The Local that customers must have a Norwegian national identity number in order to be granted a BankID. However, there was an option that allowed those with just a D-number to log into the bank's services. Nordea told The Local that its policy was that customers with a D-number were generally not issued BankID, but that some exceptions were in place. It didn't give an example of the exceptions. Therefore, D-number customers would probably need to contact their nearest branch to find out if they can be granted a BankID. Customers who cannot be granted a BankID can still use the NordeaID app for mobile and online banking. SpareBank 1 is an alliance of 12 independent banks, typically operating regionally. Therefore, it is up to individual banks in the network to decide the rules. SpareBank 1 Østlandet, which has 37 branches across Oslo, Innlandet county and the Akershus region, told The Local that it changed its policy last year to allow customers with a D-number to obtain a BankID. SpareBank 1 Sør-Norge, one of the country's largest banks with branches across Oslo, Stavanger, Bergen and southern Norway, said that to be granted a BankID, customers needed either a national identity number of D-number and a valid biometric passport. Meanwhile, SpareBank 1 Nord-Norge, which has 15 offices in the north of the country, said customers with a D-number could get a BankID with a D-number and a valid passport. Sparebank 1 SMN, which covers central Norway, said that whether a customer would be granted BankID would depend on their situation and ability to attend an in-person appointment. Tips for obtaining a BankID Given that the rules on who can receive a BankID aren't super clear, it may be best to try and arrange an appointment with a bank ahead of time with an email explaining your situation. This may work better than just walking in, as staff may not be aware of the bank's policy and may not be used to dealing with a customer with only a D-number. If you are a customer with one of the banks that have told us it issues BankID to D-number customers, it may be best to mention that in the email. For those with a D-number who plan on staying in Norway, it would probably be best to begin the process of switching to a national identity number. You will need to sign into the Norwegian Tax Administration to register a move or change of address in Norway to do this. You may be invited for an appointment to hand in some paperwork on your situation, such as a job or rental contract, to demonstrate that you will be staying in Norway. You may also need to bring a form that details your move to Norway. The Tax Administration will provide an overview of the paperwork you'll need for your specific situation.
