Norway constitutes an attractive destination for international travels, particularly for those ones related to work. Although the cost of living isn’t low, the standard of living is very high. However, when planning a stay in Norway, it’s necessary to remember to complete various formalities, including obtaining a personal number, also known as an identification one.
1. What is the Norwegian personal number?
The personal number in Norway constitutes the equivalent of the Polish PESEL number. It enables the identification of its holder and makes it easier to deal with many administrative matters, as well as to use various services.
An identification number is issued to persons with ties to Norway. Two types of personal numbers are distinguished:
- permanent – fødselsnummer,
- temporary – D-nummer.
2. Fødselsnummer – what it is useful for and who is entitled to it?
Fødselsnummer, i.e. permanent personal number or national identification number, allows its holders to easily carry out all formalities in Norway. It can be issued to both Norwegian citizens and foreigners planning to stay in Norway for more than 6 months.
A permanent personal number is granted to the following groups of persons:
- children born in Norway;
- Norwegian citizens staying outside this country;
- persons with an approuved relocation to the territory of Norway.
3. How to obtain a fødselsnummer identification number?
As regards citizens of EU/EEA countries such as Poland who plan to live in Norway for a period longer than 6 months, they are required to report their registration of residence in Norway to the local tax office – Skatteetaten. There, they undergo an identity check and should submit the appropriate documents (among others, an ID card or a passport and a lease agreement). If the application is approved, their registration will be confirmed and they will obtain a permanent personal number.
4. Structure of the permanent personal number
A permanent personal number consists of 11 digits, the first six of which are usually the date of birth, written in the DD/MM/YY format. For example, for a person born on 16 March 1990, the fødselsnummer would therefore begin with the sequence of digits 160990.
It should be noted that if no identification number is available for a given date, the sequence of the first six digits will correspond to the date of the obtention of the personal number, but it’s about the day and month. Therefore, in the event that a person concerned would receive a permanent identification number on 18 May 2025 and his/her year of birth is 1990, the first digits would be as follows: 180590.
The next three digits are classified as the individual number, with the third of them indicating gender (even numbers for women, odd numbers for men). The last two digits are check ones.
5. Fødselsnummer – validity of the permanent personal number
A permanent personal number remains valid for whole life and doesn’t require periodic renewal.
6. D-nummer – what is it useful for and who is entitled to it?
D-nummer is a temporary personal number that allows to use Norwegian public services and carry out numerous formalities in this country, although to a lesser extent than fødselsnummer.
D-nummer is a temporary personal number that allows to use Norwegian public services and carry out numerous formalities in this country, although to a lesser extent than fødselsnummer.
Persons who are entitled to a temporary personal number include, for example:
- people working in Norway or running an economic activity there,
- asylum seekers,
- holders of a valid document for stay in Norway,
- members of the board of Norwegian enterprises,
- owners of residential property.
7. How to obtain a D-nummer?
As a rule, in the case of EU/EEA citizens (for example, Polish nationals) who come to Norway to work for a period shorter than 6 months, obtaining a D-number involves applying to the Norwegian tax office for the issuance of a tax card – skattekort, together with the presentation of the required documents (among others, an identity document, employment contract).
8. Structure of the temporary personal number
Like fødselsnummer, D-nummer consists of 11 digits. The first six of them also refer to the date of birth, but with the difference that the first digit is increased by 4. As an example let it serve here a person born on 20 May 1989, for whom the temporary personal number would begin with the sequence of digits 600589.
On the other hand, if a D-nummer with a date of birth isn’t available, the date of registration will be used. Example: for a notifcation registered on 9 August 2023, for a person born in 1989, the temporary personal number would begin with the digits 490889.
The next three digits are individual numbers, with the third of them indicating gender, as in the permanent idendification number. On the other hand the last two ones, i.e. check digits, are used for verification purposes.
9. D-nummer – validity of the temporary personal number
D-nummer becomes inactive 5 years after its issuance. However, this doesn’t mean that the temporary personal number expires. It still remains valid, but simply needs to be reactivated. Reactivation requires an identity check at the tax office, after making an appointment at the relevant branch.
The validity of a D-nummer expires only until its holder obtains a fødselsnummer, having first fulfilled the appropriate conditions for the issuance of a permanent personal number.
10. Legal notice
The study is a work within the meaning of the Act of 4 February 1994 on Copyright and Related Rights (OJ 2006, No. 90, item 631, consolidated text, as amended). Publishing or reproducing this study or its part, quoting opinions, as well as disseminating in any other way the information contained therein without the written consent of Crede sp. z o.o. is prohibited.
