In Norway, and there are many different types of visa with varying requirements. The type of visa you should apply for will depend upon the reason for your visit to Norway and the duration of your stay.
If you are travelling to Norway, as a tourist or are visiting family, doing business in Norway or going to the country for academic reasons, you can apply for a visitors visa that covers Norway and the Schengen area.
A visitors visa allows you to stay in Norway for up to ninety days, and you cannot exceed this within a six month period. This means that you need to consider any previous time spent in other Schengen states within the last six months when applying for your visa and working out the length of time you can stay in Norway for.
Visitors visas usually only grant one entry into Norway. If you are going to require multiple entries (e.g. if you plan to travel outside the Schengen area and then return), you should tick the 'two or multiple entries box' on your application form. You will also be required to explain why you need this.
In special cases, it is possible to obtain a visa which allows re-entry for a period of up to five years. However this is only granted under certain conditions, for example to business men, long distance truck drivers, or if you have family with a residency permit in Norway etc.
A visitors visa does not enable you to work whilst in Norway. If you wish to find employment, you must apply for a work permit in order to work legally.
If you are refused a visitor's visa for the whole Schengen area, there is another visitors visa that you can apply for that covers just Norway. However it is only granted under certain circumstances, for example, humanitarian reasons.
If you have travel documents that does not allow entry into certain Schengen areas, but does allow entry into others, you may be issued a VLTV. However it will only be valid in Schengen areas that are valid within your travel document.
If you require a visa, but arrive in Norway without one, you may be issued an emergency visa. However, these are only issued under extreme and very rare circumstances. Normally, if you arrive in Norway without a visa, you will just be ordered to leave the country immediately. If you require a visa, but arrive in Norway without one, you will need to contact the Norwegian police straight away at the border to apply for an emergency visa.
If you are a national of a country that is not a Schengen member state, you will need to apply for an airport transit visa that entitles you to stop over in a Norwegian airport. An airport transit visa allows you to spend time in a Norwegian airport transit area, but does not entitle you to enter Norway.
If you wish to sail on Norwegian waters, you must have a visa and a special sailing permit. These visas are only granted once a year during the months of May and September. You cannot reapply within the same year. You should make sure you apply at least two months before you leave your home country and within the application, you need to give details about everyone who is taking part in the trip and details about the boat.