Norway: UDI may go over to internet when issuing visas – to ease work load

Norway’s immigration agency UDI is considering issuing visas over the Internet, to free up hard-pressed staff and reduce applicants’ waiting time.

UDI (Utlendingsdirektoratet) director Ida Børresen noted that it now takes an average of four months for a Polish construction worker, for example, to receive a visa to work in Norway.

“That’s too long,” Børresen said. She told newspaper Aftenposten that she hopes to get new technology in place that would allow many applicants to fill out forms online and get their visas more quickly.

The procedure would apply to those seeking working permission in Norway, and those needing visas for studying in Oslo, conducting business, taking part in cultural events or family holidays.

Internet applications wouldn’t be available in asylum and complicated family reunification cases.

“I think we use too many resources to investigate certain cases,” she said. “We need to monitor applications, but that doesn’t mean all cases need to be investigated.”

UDI handles about 90,000 visa applications a year, with nearly two-thirds of them involving work visas.

Lifted by Korir, African Press in Norway(APN)/ African Press International(API) source.aftenpostenEng 

Aftenposten English Web Desk