Application Form for Authorisation and Licence as Health Personnel in Norway

2. Name
Use your full name as stated in your passport. Should the name stated in any of the documents submitted by yourself not correspond exactly with your name as stated in your passport, such difference should be documented/explained. A copy of a marriage certificate or certificate of change of name issued by the County Governor (Fylkesmann) or a certificate issued by the National Registration Office (Folkeregisteret), are examples of acceptable documentation. However, it is not necessary to document name change if your full 11-digit Personal ID-number appears on the relevant documents.

It is important that you always use the same name and spelling in connection with later communications.

3. Citizenship (Name of Country or Nationality)
Your stated nationality must accord with your passport. Should this not be the case, documented explanation must be supplied.

4. ID-number
The date of birth forms part of your Personal ID-number (Norw. "personnummer" or "fødselsnummer"). If the applicant does not have a Norwegian ID-number, the temporary D-number should be entered on the application form. This is especially important for health personnel who will be signing prescriptions.
The date of birth should always be stated as: day.month.year (e.g. 14.02.1976)

5. Authorisation or licence; type of licence
An application will be for either authorisation or a licence. Authorisation as such may be refused even though there may be grounds for awarding a licence. In such cases, application for a licence should be made later. For some catogories of health personnel, further information is given under Professions.

A Student Licence is only awarded to students of medicine, see separate regulations. Norwegian educational institutions will be able to provide guidance as to when application should be made. Applicants studying abroad should look under pt. 17 below, "Of special relevance to Applicants for a Student Licence".

With regard to Regulations Governing Practical Experience ("Turnus") for Health Personnel Section 1-4, groups doing "Turnus" (with the exception of prostethists) must be in possession of a special "turnus" licence prior to the commencement of the period of practical experience. Candidates of medicine who have applied for "turnus" service and been accorded a place, will automatically receive a "Turnus Licence". Midwives and physiotherapy students who have had a place of service allocated to them will receive a licence without having to apply. Currently only medical candidates who in exceptional cases themselves have been allowed to find placement for themselves (after first obtaining the approval of SAFH), have to apply for a "Turnus Licence" by submitting a completed application form.

The validity of authorisation/licence falls away at the age of 75. A limited licence may be granted for 2 years at a time up to the age of 80, and later on for one year at a time.

6. Health personnel category
Separate application must be made for each professional category.

7. Main educational qualification
Only your main educational qualification is to be stated here. Applicants falling under Transitional Regulations and who apply solely on the basis of practical experience must leave this space open.

The country in which the qualification was obtained is regarded as the one in which the certificate of proficiency/professional licence/ certificate of apprenticeship was issued.

All relevant (primary, secondary, tertiary and supplementary) education which candidates wish to have assessed must be documented. References concerning practical or professional experience and education/training other than the main education must be included in the List of Enclosures, see pt. 8 below.

Professional experience may in some cases partially or wholly compensate for gaps in formal education/training, see under the various "Of special relevance to …" under pts. 13-19 below.

8. List of Enclosures
The purpose of the List of Enclosures is to prevent mistakes in the processing of applications.
All applications must be accompanied by copies of:

• Passport/other proof of identity and
• Certificates of proficiency/professional licences/certificates of apprenticeship related to the main educational qualification.

The main educational qualification is to be documented by means of certificates issued by the relevant school, college or university. All pages of the relevant certification must be submitted. Statements stating grades achieved are insufficient. Professional certification or confirmation of apprenticeship may replace examination certificates.

See under "Of particular relevance to …" under pts. 13-19 below concerning supplementary information to be submitted where relevant.
SAFH may request additional documentation in individual cases where this is considered necessary.

"Description of enclosures" in the List of Enclosures may for instance read as follows:

1. Certificate "Høgskolen i Alta June 2000"
2. Passport issued in Bodø 1998
3. Employer's testimonial "Straightback institute of physiotherapy" issued Feb. 2001 (original)
4. "Confirmation of examinations passed - University of Kiel".

Processing of the application commences upon receipt of the fee by SAFH. The duration of processing will normally be several weeks.

There is no charge for the Student Licence or the "Turnus Licence".

Should the fee not have been paid within four months of despatch of the invoice, the application will be deemed to have lapsed and the case will be closed.

10. Signature
The applicant's signature must be in ink -ballpoint pen or felt pen (not black, preferably blue).

11. Language of Enclosures
All original documents not issued in Norwegian, Swedish, Danish or English must be translated into one of these languages by a state authorised translator. Translations are to be attached to the original language copy.

12. Attestation of enclosures
All enclosures must be attested or certified as true copies of the originals on every page. Signatures/initials as well as the official stamp are required. SAFH accepts attestation by a lawyer, educational institution, the police, notary public or other official institution (state or municipal) or certified copying bureau.

The certifying person must personally make the copy of the original document. SAFH may ask to see the original document when there is special cause. Fresh attestation may also be requested after making a practical assessment.

13. Of special relevance to applicants with educational qualifications and authorisation from Denmark, Finland, Iceland and Sweden
A copy must be submitted of the authorisation from the relevant country relating to the professional category applied for. The applicant may come under the rules for mutual recognition of the educational qualifications and authorisation pursuant to Agreement on mutual Nordic employment for certain categories within the health and veterinarian sectors (not yet translated into English). The professional categories encompassed are stated in the attachment to the specific agreement. Pt. 14 applies to categories which are not included in the stated agreement.Note that the foreign authorisation document does not confer authorisation or licence in Norway. Those wishing to practise their profession in Norway should apply for Norwegian authorisation or licence, and will then be accorded speedier processing.

14. Of special relevance to applicants with educational qualifications and possible authorisation by EEC countries other than the Nordic countries, and Nordic applicants who do not belong to professional categories encompassed by the Nordic agreement
A copy must be submitted of the authorisation issued by the relevant country for the professional category for which you are applying, provided that the country possesses authorisation arrangements for the category.

For other categories than those of medical practitioner, dentist, midwife and pharmacist, a detailed description of the study curriculum or course content as well as documentation of advanced training and further studies, must accompany the application. The description of the course content must state the admission requirements, educational level, subjects taught, description of objectives, and duration. With respect to theoretical aspects of the course, the number of hours devoted to each subject must be stated. Practical experience must be stated in terms of weeks devoted to each field/division. The summary must originate from each institution, and should state dates of commencement and completion of studies.

Relevant professional or practical experience must be documented if you wish to have it assessed as part of the basis for your application.

Applicants encompassed by EEC-regulations must also submit a "Letter of Good Standing" issued by authorities in the candidate's home country. The testimonial is a confirmation that the applicant has full approval to practise her/his profession in the country concerned, and should not be older than 3 months. Newly educated/trained applicants need not include such testimonial.

15. Of special relevance to applicants with educational qualifications from countries outside the EEC.
Any available authorisation/approval/licence from the relevant home country should be enclosed in cases where the country concerned possesses certification arrangements for the category.

A detailed description of the curriculum or course content issued by the educational institution must be enclosed with the application. This should include the level, admission criteria, content (subjects, objectives) and duration. With respect to theoretical courses, the number of hours devoted to each subject should be stated. Practical experience should be stated in weeks in each field of practice/division. The summary must be produced by the relevant educational institution, and the time of commencement and completion of the course should be stated.

Documentation of advanced and further studies as well as practical experience must be enclosed if you wish such to be assessed as part of the basis for your application.

Applicants for authorisation or licence as medical practitioner must state the month and year of successfully passing the proficiency test administered by the University of Oslo.

16. Of special relevance to applicants encompassed by regulations concerning transitional arrangements for authorisation and licensing of practitioners under the new regularised health personnel categories.
It follows from the Transitional Regulations that practical experience may, after concrete assessment, totally or in part compensate for lack of formal education. Refer to information on the individual categories under Professions.

Professional experience on the part of applicants encompassed by the Transitional Regulations should be documented on the work experience form (only in Norwegian). The employer must sign, stamp and state the name and address of the institution/organisation. The original document must be submitted. The Norwegian Registration Authority for Health Personnel (SAFH) does not return original documents or copies.

17. Of special relevance to medical students at foreign educational institutions who are applying for a student licence.
Applicants for student licences to practise medicine must submit documentation from the relevant educational institution confirming that the applicant has less than one year left before the equivalent final examination and that all pre-clinical examinations have been successfully completed. Applicants with education or training from countries outside the EEC must in an accompanying letter state the month and year of the relevant proficiency test administered by the University of Oslo.

18. Of special relevance to applicants who have completed their "turnus"
Applicants for authorisation as medical practitioner, physiotherapist or midwife, should submit certification of completed "turnus" on the relevant set form. Applicants for authorisation as chiropractors and prostethists must document that their "turnus" has been completed and approved pursuant to current regulations.

19. Of special relevance to applicants to be licensed as medical practitioners
An accompanying letter must state the date at which employment in Norway has been approved or is expected to commence. SAFH will, as far as is practicable, process the application sufficiently rapidly for a decision to have been made before this date. However, applicants must always take into account the time which postal delivery, payment of fees and processing, necessarily require.

20. Address to which applications are to be sent
The application, together with required documentary enclosures, is to be addressed to:

Norwegian Registration Authority for Health Personnel (SAFH)
P. O. Box 8053 Dep
NO-0031 OSLO
Norway

Please do not write an individual employee's name on the envelope.