Pension question, Norway
How do I apply for my Norwegian pension from abroad?
NAV states you must apply four months before the date you want payment to start, and that old-age pension from NAV is paid at the earliest from the month after it receives your application. Its page for people living outside Norway states plainly that you cannot apply backwards in time.
- Source: nav.no and skatteetaten.no, read 4 October 2026
What to do next
- Choose the date you want your Norwegian pension to start and mark the six months before it.
- Find your Norwegian national identity number or D number on old papers.
- Run our free check to see which other countries set a clock on your pension.
Check your own working life for free
Tell us where you worked. The free check shows which countries may hold a pension for you, and which can be ruled out and why. No sign in, no charge.
Run the free checkQuestions people also ask
How far ahead can I apply directly to NAV?
Nav states that if you are applying directly to Nav, you can submit your application 6 months before you want to start receiving your pension, or 4 months in advance if you can log in to nav.no.
What does applying on nav.no need?
Applying through nav.no needs a Norwegian electronic ID, and the page lists BankID, Buypass and Commfides.
- Source: nav.no and skatteetaten.no, read 4 October 2026
Do you give advice on what to do?
No. We identify where a pension is likely held and the official route to it, and we name each source with the date we read it. We do not give financial, tax or legal advice.