World Immigration News

(Biometrics Research Group)Norway overhauls immigration system through six-year digital transformation

Release Date: 2026-08-18
Media: Biometrics Research Group
Summary: Norway is undertaking a six-year, NOK 2.065 billion (about US$185 million) project called ModUlf to rebuild its immigration administration on a unified digital infrastructure. Running from 2025 to 2031, the program will connect the Directorate of Immigration, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, police and Immigration Appeals Board, covering visas, residence, asylum and immigration enforcement.

The modernization will proceed in four overlapping phases. It begins with residence permit renewals, permanent residence and citizenship, followed by visas, work and study permits, family immigration and integration with the EU Entry/Exit System. Later phases will cover asylum and protection, followed by deportation, expulsion and revocation of legal status.

ModUlf aims to replace fragmented systems dating from the early 2000s that require substantial manual processing and contribute to long waiting times. By improving data sharing and interoperability, Norway hopes to shorten processing times, simplify caseworkers’ tasks, increase transparency and provide applicants with better services.

Rather than merely digitizing individual procedures, Norway is treating immigration administration as long-term digital infrastructure. Similar modernization projects in Canada, Thailand and the Philippines suggest a broader international shift toward integrated digital immigration systems.
Tags: Norway

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