Table of fees for Norwegian diplomatic and consular missions

Regulations of 25 January 2013 No. 58 relating to the table of fees for Norwegian diplomatic and consular missions laid down by Royal Decree

(as amended by regulations of 25 January 2013 No. 59 and regulations of 20 December 2013 No. 1667)

Chapter I. Fees

Section 1 Charging of fees

1.   Services for which a fee is payable are those specified in the annex to these Regulations. When such services are carried out by a Norwegian diplomatic or consular mission, a fee shall be charged unless the service in question is exempt from a fee or the fee is waived pursuant to the provisions of sections 4–5.

2.   Fees may only be charged in such cases and at such rates as are specified in the annex to these Regulations or in accordance with the rates fixed pursuant to section 5. A fee may only be charged once for one and the same transaction.

3.   The fees shall be paid at the time of performance of the transaction unless the mission for special reasons considers another procedure to be more practical.

Section 2 Rendering of accounts for fees charged, etc.

1.   Accounts for fees charged shall be kept in accordance with the current guidelines issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

2.   For any fee paid a receipt shall be given on a prescribed form.

3.   At career missions, the fees charged shall accrue to the Treasury. At consular posts headed by an honorary consul, the fees shall accrue to the mission and shall be used to cover the operating costs of the mission. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs may redistribute any surplus revenues.

4.   The mission shall include the fee revenues in its annual report.

Section 3 Conversion into a foreign currency

Conversion of fees into a foreign currency shall, for each individual country, normally be effected by the supervisory career mission in that country, which shall keep the subordinate missions informed. Unless the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has for special reasons fixed a specific rate of exchange, the conversion shall be based on the official rate of exchange at the place of service. When converting the fee, the figure obtained may be rounded up or down by up to 10 per cent.

Section 4 Exemption from payment of fees

Exemption from payment of a fee is granted:

1.   For all services not specified in the annex to these Regulations.

2.   For services specified in the annex to these Regulations when they are performed at a career mission at the order or request of a Norwegian government authority in the public interest or for official use.

3.   If so stipulated in an agreement with a foreign state.

Section 5 Exemption from payment of fees or reduction of fees at the discretion of the mission

The head of the mission or any person so authorised by him or her may in a specific case reduce or waive a fee when it would be unreasonable to charge the usual fee in view of the financial situation of the person concerned or when other special circumstances warrant reducing or waiving the fee.

Section 6 Supplementary fees for overtime work and for services performed outside office premises during office hours

For a service for which a fee is payable, performed before or after office hours or outside office premises during office hours, a supplementary fee may be charged at the rates specified in the annex to these Regulations.

Chapter II. Refund of expenses incurred

Section 7 Refund of travelling expenses

For services for which a fee is payable that are performed outside office premises, allowances for board and lodging and travelling expenses may be claimed in accordance with the provisions and scale of allowances for travel abroad on official missions (Regulativ for reiser i utlandet for statens regning [Official rates for travel abroad at the expense of the state]).

Section 8 Refund of miscellaneous expenses

A refund of necessary expenses for overtime pay for locally recruited employees, postage, telecommunication, transport of persons and goods, interpreters, photocopies, etc. in connection with the performance of a service for which a fee is payable may be claimed provided that such expenses can be substantiated and provided that such expenses have not already been included in such a fee, if any. A deposit or the furnishing of security for such expenses may be requested.

Chapter III. Miscellaneous provisions

Section 9 Public access to the table of fees

The table of fees shall be accessible to the public at the place where the transactions are performed.

Section 10 Amendments to the annex to these Regulations and supplementary provisions

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs may issue further provisions for the implementation and supplementation of these Regulations, and provide amendments to the annex to these Regulations.

§ 11 Entry into force, etc.

These Regulations shall enter into force on 1 February 2013. On the same date, the Regulations relating to the table of fees for Norwegian diplomatic and consular missions laid down by Royal Decree of 9 March 2001 with subsequent amendments shall be repealed.

Regulations of 25 January 2013 No. 59 amending the regulations relating to the table of fees for Norwegian diplomatic and consular missions

Laid down by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 25 January 2013 pursuant to section 10 of the Regulations of 25 January 2013 No. 58 relating to the table of fees for Norwegian diplomatic and consular missions.

I

The Regulations of 25 January 2013 No. 58 relating to the table of fees for Norwegian diplomatic and consular missions are amended as follows:

A new annex shall read:

Annex to the regulations relating to the table of fees for Norwegian diplomatic and consular missions

Services for which fees are payable	Fee
	NOK	Foreign currency
A. Transactions relating to passports and foreign nationals 1. Issue of an ordinary traveller’s passport (police passport), alien’s passport, or travel certificate:
a) for persons over 16 years of age b) for persons under 16 years of age	450 270
2. Visaing of passports or other documents of identity (the visa fees are to be fixed in Euro, and converted into the local currency):
a) In accordance with the current fees set out in article 16 of Regulation (EC) No. 810/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council (Visa Code),	See annex A
b) Type D visa	See annex B
3. Fee for processing of applications pursuant to the Immigration Act:
a) Initial application for residence permit for the purpose of family reunification	5 200
b) Renewal of application referred to in (a)	2 500
c) Application for residence permit for work purposes¹	3 000
d) Initial application and renewal of application for residence permit for students, researchers with their own funds and au pairs	2 500
e) Initial processing or renewal of applications that do not fall under (a), (b), (c) or (d)	1 100
f) Application for permanent residence permit	1 900
4. Fee for processing an application for Norwegian nationality	3 500
B. Transactions relating to maritime affairs
1. Issue of a provisional certificate of nationality	430
2. Issue of provisional Safety Certificate or endorsement denoting extension of period of validity of Trade Certificate or Safety Certificate	430
3. Supervision of maritime service	430
The fee for supervision of a full crew shall not exceed	4 300
C. Financial assistance Provision of loan or assistance with money transfers
10% of the amount, but not less than	300
and not more than	5 000
D. Translation, true copies, etc. 1. Translation, including certification thereof:
The remuneration customary at the place of service, but for each group of 100 words started, not less than	215
2. True copy/transcript of a register, including certification thereof:
For each typed page or part thereof	50
but not less than	215
E. Notarial acts Issue of certificates and attestation of signatures	215
F. Issue of provisional nationality certificate for aircraft	2 580
G. Services in connection with commercial matters, per hour	645
H. Supplementary fees Supplementary fees (see section 6 of these Regulations):
a)For overtime work and services performed outside office premises during office hours: 50%
b)For services performed on days when the mission is closed or has shorter office hours because of a weekend or public holiday: 100%

Annex A

Visa fees (See article 16 of the Regulation (EC) No. 810/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 July 2009 (Visa Code))

1.   Applicants shall pay a visa fee of EUR 60.

2.   Children between six and twelve years of age shall pay a visa fee of EUR 35.

3.   The visa fee shall be regularly revised to reflect the administration costs.

4.   The visa fee shall be waived for applicants belonging to one of the following categories:

a)   children under six years of age

b)   school pupils, students, postgraduate students and accompanying teachers who undertake trips for the purpose of study or educational training

c)   researchers from third countries travelling for the purpose of carrying out scientific research as defined in Recommendation 2005/761/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 September 2005
(http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CELEX:32005H0761:EN:NOT) to facilitate the issue by the Member States of uniform short-stay visas for researchers from third countries travelling within the Community for the purpose of carrying out scientific research,

d)   representatives of non-profit organisations who are 25 years of age or younger and who participate in seminars, conferences or sporting, cultural or educational events organised by non-profit organisations.

5.   Visa fees may be waived for:

a)   children between six and twelve years of age,

b)   holders of diplomatic passports or service passports,

c)   persons who are 25 years of age or younger, and who participate in seminars, conferences or sporting, cultural or educational events organised by non-profit organisations.

Member states shall aim to harmonise the application of these exceptions within the framework of the local Schengen cooperation.

6.   In certain cases, the visa fee may be waived or reduced when this serves to promote culture, sports, foreign policy, development policy or other areas of vital public interest or for humanitarian reasons.

7.   The visa fee shall be charged either in Euro, in the local currency of the third country or in the currency in normal use in the third country where the application is submitted, and shall not be refunded except in the cases referred to in article 18 (2) and article 19 (3) of Regulation (EC) No. 810/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council (Visa Code). (http://www.lovdata.no/for/grafikk/32009r0810u.pdf)

When charged in a currency other than Euro, the amount of the visa fee charged in that currency shall be determined and regularly reviewed in relation to the Euro foreign exchange reference rate set by the European Central Bank. The amount charged may be rounded up and, within the framework of the local Schengen cooperation, consulates shall ensure that they charge the same fees.

8.   The applicant shall be given a receipt for the visa fee paid.

(Norway has concluded agreements with a number of countries on facilitation of the issue of visas. The agreements contain provisions on fees and on any exemption from payment of fees. The websites of the Directorate of Immigration and Lovdata provide lists of such agreements between Norway and third countries (see http://www.udiregelverk.no/ and http://www.lovdata.no/traktater/index.html )

Annex B

Visa fees for visas issued in accordance with national regulations (Type D entry visa)
(see section 17-12 of the Immigration Regulations)

1.   On issue of a type D entry visa in connection with a permit granted by the Directorate of Immigration or where the applicant holds a valid permit or during processing of an application pursuant to section 3-13, first, second, third, fifth or sixth paragraph, of the Immigration Regulations, no fee shall be charged.

2.   Type D entry visa issued to a foreign national attached to a diplomatic mission in Norway pursuant to section 1-8, second paragraph, of the Immigration Regulations. No fee shall be charged for visas granted pursuant to section 1-8 of the Immigration Regulations.

3.   For type D entry visas issued in response to the following categories of application processed by diplomatic or consular missions in accordance with UDI guidelines, a fee corresponding to the Schengen visa fee (EUR 60):

   Spouse/child of Norwegian, Nordic national or foreign national with a permanent residence permit

   Certain researchers, students and trainees

   Spouse/child of foreign national with permit for skilled worker or specialist

II

The amendment enters into force on 1 February 2013.

Comments and supplementary provisions

New comments and supplementary provisions shall read as follows:

Comments on and supplementary provisions to Regulations relating to the table of fees for Norwegian diplomatic and consular missions

Re section 1 (1)

Foreign diplomatic or consular missions are also entitled to charge fees in accordance with the table of fees set out in these Regulations in so far as they, in connection with the safeguarding of Norwegian interests, have been authorized to perform services for which a fee is payable on behalf of the Norwegian state and in its name. Such fees may not, however, be charged for any assistance rendered to Norwegian nationals by a diplomatic or consular mission of another Nordic country within the framework of Nordic consular cooperation since the said mission in such cases is not acting in the capacity of a representative of a Norwegian government authority. Any fee payable for such assistance must be charged in accordance with the table of fees of the country in question.

Re section 1 (2)

A fee may in a particular case be reduced pursuant to the provisions of section 5, but no fees may be charged at higher rates than those specified in the annex to these Regulations.

Re section 2 (3)

At a career mission the fees shall be credited to the general accounts of the mission. At consular posts headed by an honorary consul, fee revenues shall be recorded in the accounts in accordance with good accounting practice and shall be used to cover the operating costs of the mission. If the fee revenues are greater than the operating costs, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs may decide that the surplus revenues shall be redistributed to another diplomatic or consular mission or to the Ministry.

Re section 2 (4)

The career missions’ accounts of fee revenues shall be submitted to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at least once a year. In the case of consular posts headed by an honorary consul, the rules for submission of such accounts are laid down by the supervisory career mission and/or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Re section 3

The conversion of fees into local currency shall be carried out by the supervisory career mission, which shall inform subordinate missions.

The visa fees are to be fixed in Euro, and converted into local currency. The career mission should coordinate the conversion of visa fees with other representatives of Schengen states at the place of service.

In the event of large fluctuations in the rate of exchange the visa rates are to be adjusted accordingly.

Re section 4

This section specifies the cases where an automatic and general exemption from payment of a fee has been granted and where no fee may be charged at all.

Re section 5

Exemption from payment of a fee or reduction of a fee in accordance with this provision may be granted particularly in connection with assistance in cases where the person concerned must, owing to circumstances abroad that are unforeseen or occur through no fault of his or her own, be deemed to have a reasonable claim to free assistance from the Norwegian state, and in cases where loans or money transfers made through a diplomatic or consular mission involve such small amounts that it would be unreasonable to charge a fee in accordance with the current rate.

Re section 6

Supplementary fees for services performed outside office hours may be charged regardless of whether the service is performed on or outside office premises.

Office hours are the ordinary office hours prescribed for the diplomatic or consular mission concerned. In calculating the number of hours used, any part of an hour up to 30 minutes shall be counted as half an hour and any part in excess of 30 minutes shall be counted as a whole hour.

Any period of waiting in excess of one hour before the service can be commenced shall be included. This only applies to a period of waiting for which the official is not responsible.

For services performed on board a ship or aircraft, supplementary fees may be charged for a minimum of three hours.

Supplementary fees pursuant to section 6 may only be charged when a request has been made for the service to be performed outside office hours or outside the office premises during office hours or when, for reasons attributable to the person making the request, the service cannot be performed at the office premises during office hours.

The total supplementary fee charged for one and the same service during a 24-hour day may not exceed the maximum rate specified in the annex to these Regulations.

Re section 7

Refunds may also be claimed for expenses as referred to in sections 7 and 8 in respect of services for which no fee is payable. At many diplomatic and consular missions expenses may be incurred that are not associated with services for which a fee is payable, e.g. the transport of persons to and from the airport.

Re section 8

Refund of expenses in accordance with this provision may not be claimed for postage, photocopies or other insignificant expenses associated with services for which fees are payable. Such expenses are considered to be covered by the fee prescribed for the service in question.

Re section 11

This provision entails that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs may introduce, adjust or abolish fees for services. Amendments may, inter alia, be made in order to harmonise the services for which fees are to be payable and the level of such fees; inter alia, in the light of current Norwegian rules, as a result of international obligations or for other reasons.

Comments on and supplementary provisions to the Annex to the Regulations relating to the table of fees for Norwegian diplomatic and consular missions

Re item A (1) of the Annex

Fees shall not be charged for delivery of travel documents not issued by the mission concerned:

Re item A (2) of the Annex

In the light of Norway’s implementation of the Schengen Agreement of 25 March 2001, visa fees must be charged as laid down at any given time in article 18 of Regulation (EC) No. 810/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 July 2009 (Visa Code).

The Schengen fees only include visa transactions, and do not cover applications for other permits issued pursuant to the immigration legislation (see the rates prescribed in the annex).

Re item B (1) of the Annex

Document control and issue of certificates of nationality is carried out by the Norwegian Maritime Directorate in each case for signing and stamping at the mission. The authority is provided by section 5, third paragraph, of the Norwegian Maritime Code of 24 June 1994: “Certificates of nationality are issued by the authority that has entered the ship in the register of ships. Provisional certificates of nationality may in special cases be issued by the Maritime Directorate. If the ship is abroad, the certificate can be issued by the appropriate official of the Norwegian Foreign Service upon authority from the Maritime Directorate. The King may issue regulations to the effect that in cases of urgency such an official can issue a certificate without authority.”

Re item B (2) of the Annex

Fees may be charged in accordance with the fixed rate for issue and extension of provisional trade certificates (see the Regulations of 15 June 1987 No. 506 on inspection in relation to issue of certificates for passenger ships, cargo ships and barges, and on other inspections, etc.). Section 27 of the Regulations on the issue and duration of certificates concerns the responsibilities of diplomatic or consular missions. http://www.lovdata.no/cgi-wift/ldles?doc=/sf/sf/sf-19870615-0506.html 

For fishing vessels of a maximum length of 15 meters or more, corresponding provisions apply (see section 19-1 of the Regulations of 13 June 2000 No. 660 on construction, equipment, operation and inspection of fishing and hunting vessels of a maximum length of 15 meters or more). http://www.lovdata.no/cgi-wift/ldles?doc=/sf/sf/sf-20000613-0660.html

Re item B (3) of the Annex

A provisional certificate of competence (Certificate of Receipt of Application, CRA) is issued pursuant to section 86 of the Regulations of 22 December 2011 No. 1523 on qualifications and certification of seafarers, concerning temporary service in posts requiring certification (see http://www.lovdata.no/cgi-wift/ldles?doc=/sf/sf/sf-20111222-1523.html)

The form to be used is available from the website of the Norwegian Maritime Directorate
http://www.sjofartsdir.no/en/guides/cra-form-for-use-by-consular-missions-and-the-norwegian-labour-and-welfare-administration/

Re item B (3) of the Annex

An amendment to the Regulations of 25 November 1988 No. 940 relating to supervision of maritime service has been adopted. The amendment will enter into force at the latest on 20 August 2013 in connection with the entry into force of ILO Convention No. 178 on seafarers’ working and living conditions. Pursuant to the amendment, the shipowner will itself be responsible for ensuring that the contract of employment, qualifications and health certificate comply with the requirements of the current Regulations. Fees shall be charged by diplomatic or consular missions as long as the service continues to be provided. http://www.lovdata.no/cgi-wift/ldles?doc=/sf/sf/sf-19881125-0940.html

Re item C of the Annex

The fee shall be deducted from the amount loaned or transferred in the same way as telecommunication expenses and other direct expenses.

Re item D (1) of the Annex

Foreign service officers are not certified translators. Diplomatic and consular missions shall therefore not provide official translations apart from translations of documents relating to marital status, and may accordingly only charge a fee for this type of service. Other translations should be labelled “unofficial translation”.

Re item D (2) of the Annex

Two handwritten pages shall be considered equivalent to one typewritten page. Each typewritten page should as a rule contain 30 lines with 55 letters per line, and each handwritten page 26 lines with 35 letters per line.

No fee shall be charged for a certification or extra copies.

Re item F of the Annex

A provisional certificate of nationality and registration is issued when a Norwegian operator/company purchases aircraft abroad. This is carried out by the mission on behalf of the Civil Aviation Authority pursuant to section 3-14, cf. section 3-9, of the Act of 11 June 1993 No. 101 relating to aviation, http://www.lovdata.no/all/hl-19930611-101.html. Supplementary fees will often be payable pursuant to annex H to these Regulations.

Re item G of the Annex

It is assumed that a certain amount of assistance will be required here. Missions shall therefore make no charge for services requiring less than five hours’ work. The fee is charged for services in connection with “commercial matters”, which are defined as matters in which the client concerned has a financial interest. In addition to the ordinary services provided for companies, this may include assistance in retrieval of data from databases, banks or credit information agencies and the procurement of handbooks, statistical material, market surveys, licensing documents, patent documents, brochures, samples of goods, binding customs tariff information, etc. The mission shall not normally assist in debt-collection matters or in relation to lawyers, insurance companies, banks, consultancy firms and the like except in the course of providing consular assistance.

The client is to be invoiced directly for any additional expenses (see also sections 7 and 8).

Cost estimates shall be prepared and approved by the client before undertaking any assistance in excess of the minimum charge. In countries where Innovation Norway has a resident representative, the arrangement involves no change in the division of labour between Innovation Norway and the mission.

Re item H of the Annex

When, at the request of the person making the request, services must be carried out as overtime or outside office premises during office hours, a 50% surcharge shall be added to the ordinary fee. This surcharge can be set at 100% on days when the mission is closed or has shorter office hours (weekends/public holidays).

(The table of fees in Spanish, the table of fees in French)