Published: May 12, 2026
This report is intended to supplement the U.S. Department of State Norway Travel Advisory and Norway Country Information Page.
Embassy & Consulate Contact Information
U.S. Embassy Oslo
Morgedalsvegen 36, Makrellbekken, Oslo.
Tel: +(47) 2130-8540; Consular: +(47) 2130-8540; Emergency after-hours: +(47) 2130-8540.
Hours of Operation: Mon-Fri, 0800-1700.
OSAC Country Chapter(s)
Oslo has an active country chapter. OSAC works closely with AmCham Norway, hosting seminars and tabletop discussions regularly.
Contact OSAC’s Europe team with any questions.
Norway Travel Advisory
The current U.S. Department of State Travel Advisory at the date of this report’s publication assesses that travelers should exercise normal precautions.
Review OSAC’s report, Understanding the Consular Travel Advisory System.
Crime
The U.S. Department of State has assessed Oslo as being a LOW-threat location for crime directed at or affecting official U.S. government interests.
The U.S. Department of State has not included a Crime “C” Indicator on the Travel Advisory for Norway.
The crime emergency line in Norway is 112. Review the U.S. Department of State’s Crime Victims Assistance brochure.
Crime: General Threat
Norway has a relatively low level of crime in comparison to the U.S. and Western European countries with large populations, and violent crime is uncommon. In 2025, Norwegian law enforcement registered 341,509 criminal offenses, up 4% from the previous year. The majority of these offenses (34%) were property theft. Violent crime and sexual offenses collectively made up 12% of the total crime reported to law enforcement. In 2025, there were only 19 homicides in Norway, the lowest number since 1990.
This record low in homicides contrasted sharply with a 47% surge in financial fraud and identity theft, which targeted nearly 20% of the population as digital crimes became increasingly sophisticated. The Norwegian Police Threat Assessment 2025 highlighted that while general youth crime reports in Oslo fell by 5%, there was growing concern over "violence as a commodity," where international networks, including Swedish gangs, recruited minors via encrypted apps for drug trafficking, petty theft, and home burglary rings. These gangs often recruit within immigrant youth communities. Native organized crime does exist, but on a small scale.
Crime: Areas of Concern
In Oslo and the other major urban areas, crime focuses on the inner city and high-transit areas. Instances of pickpocketing and petty theft are common in major tourist areas, hotel lobbies, and areas around train and transit stations. Most hotels and tourist areas are located within walking distance of Oslo’s higher-crime areas, making instances of property crime and/or petty theft more likely for visitors. The Oslo Central train station is an especially popular area for pickpockets and bag snatchers.
Areas close to and immediately east of the main train station in downtown Oslo have higher instances of open drug use and crime in general, especially at night. Although rare, violent and weapon-related crimes do occur in areas known to have drug trafficking and gang problems, such as certain parts of eastern Oslo. Parks in Oslo, even in safer neighborhoods, have been the sites of several sexual assaults and muggings in the past few years. Targeted individuals have generally been either alone or in small groups, walking late at night in areas without much pedestrian traffic or ambient light. As in any other urban area, travelers should remain aware of their surroundings at all times.
Review OSAC’s reports, All That You Should Leave Behind, Hotels: The Inns and Outs, Considerations for Hotel Security, Taking Credit, and Our Two Cents: Petty Crime Basics and How to Minimize the Risk.
Kidnapping Threat
The U.S. Department of State has not included a Kidnapping “K” Indicator on the Travel Advisory for Norway.
Review OSAC’s reports, Kidnapping: The Basics and Active Shooter and Kidnapping Response Tips.
Terrorism
The U.S. Department of State has assessed Oslo as being a LOW-threat location for terrorism directed at or affecting official U.S. government interests.
The U.S. Department of State has not included a Terrorism “T” Indicator on the Travel Advisory for Norway.
Terrorist organizations continue to consider Norway as an enemy, but not as a high-priority target for attacks, compared with certain other Western countries. Terrorist groups and those inspired by such organizations are intent on attacking U.S. citizens abroad. Terrorists are increasingly using less sophisticated methods of attack—including knives, firearms, and vehicles—to more effectively target crowds. Terrorists target unprotected or vulnerable targets, such as high-profile public events, like sporting events, political rallies, holiday events; hotels, clubs, and restaurants frequented by tourists; places of worship; schools; parks; shopping malls and market; or public transportation systems.
Norway’s law enforcement capacity for proactively detecting, deterring, and preventing acts of terrorism in its territory is strong, despite some underfunding issues. Norway is responsive to information requests and postured to prevent acts of terrorism, and its bilateral counterterrorism cooperation is strong.
Norway’s Police Security Service (PST) assesses the terrorist threat to the country on a five-step scale, with level 1 meaning there is no terrorist threat and level 5 meaning there is a critical terrorist threat. The threat level is determined based on an assessment of the degree of severity or damage potential in the event of a terrorist attack, the uncertainty and extent of deficiencies in the intelligence relating to current threat actors, and the authorities’ ability to implement counterterrorism measures before threats come to fruition. In November, PST lowered the threat level from high (level 4) to moderate (level 3). It had previously raised the threat level in October to high based on the assessment that the continuing escalation of the conflict in the Middle East and Iran-linked actors intensified the threat against Jewish and Israeli targets. PST maintains that the threat posed by extremists against Jewish and Israeli targets in Norway is still heightened.
In March 2026, PST expanded their threat assessment to include the U.S. Mission in Norway. Days later, the U.S. Embassy in Oslo was bombed leading Oslo Police to assign static patrols to its official properties. Authorities do not assess an increased threat to the American community specifically. However, in May 2026, the American Coordinating Council of Norway postponed their annual Independence Day celebration out of an abundance of caution noting the conflict with Iran.
In its National Threat Assessment for 2025, Norwegian authorities reiterated that right-wing extremists and extreme Islamists pose the greatest terrorist threats to the country, assessing there is an even chance that right-wing extremists as well as extreme Islamists will attempt to carry out terrorist acts in the country this year. However, Norwegian authorities assess the threat from Islamist extremists to be somewhat more serious than from right-wing extremists. The threat assessment highlights that statements or actions perceived to insult the Islamic religion may contribute to radicalization and motivate acts of terrorism in Norway.
The right-wing extremism threat is largely from young adults and minors radicalized online. Any potential extreme right-wing terrorist act in Norway will probably be attempted by an individual acting alone. Terror plots from individuals with this ideology are often intended to be mass-casualty attacks on religious or political targets, or assassinations of a particular individuals. The targets of these plots are often groups or individuals who fit the stereotypical image of the “enemy;” this could be people with a non-Western appearance, Muslims, Jews, dignitaries, LGB individuals, or traditional media.
After the school shooting in Örebro, Sweden, February 2025, PST reiterated the concern regarding an ideologically motivated school shooting taking place in Norway. For minors in general, they see a continued focus on schools as a target. For potential attackers, schools are a familiar and easily accessible target, where people who are part of their enemy image reside.
Authorities assess it unlikely that anti-government extremists will try to commit terrorist acts, and highly unlikely that left-wing extremists and activists motivated by climate-related, environmental, or nature conservation issues will carry out terrorist attacks.
Political Violence and Civil Unrest
The U.S. Department of State has assessed Oslo as being a LOW-threat location for political violence directed at or affecting official U.S. government interests.
The U.S. Department of State has not included a Civil Unrest “U” Indicator on the Travel Advisory for Norway. Civil unrest can develop quickly without prior notice, often interrupting logistics and services. Avoid demonstration activity, as even those planned to remain peaceful have the potential to turn violent.
Elections/Political Stability
Norway is a parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy. The government consists of a prime minister, a cabinet, and a parliament (Storting), which is elected every four years and may not be dissolved. The monarch generally appoints the leader of the majority party or majority coalition as prime minister with the approval of parliament.
Norway’s 2025 parliamentary election (held 8 September) resulted in a narrow victory for the incumbent center-left bloc led by Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre’s Labour Party, which remained the largest party with about 28% of the vote and stayed in power. However, the election also saw a major surge for the right-wing populist Progress Party, which became the second-largest force. Observers considered the elections to be free and fair. Norway’s next parliamentary elections are scheduled to be held in September 2029.
Protests & Demonstrations
Norway is a very peaceful nation, and civil unrest is extremely limited. The police in Oslo have greatly increased the training of their officers in riot control techniques. The police have not increased training but have changed the way they perform riot control. Instead of using officers to create a barricade between protesters and counter protesters, they now utilize vehicles. This has alleviated the necessity of pepper spray and tear gas. There were complaints of excessive use of force in 2019 and again in 2020 when police in riot gear used tear gas and pepper spray on counterdemonstrators at rallies in Oslo and Bergen, with one instance coming after counterdemonstrators jumped police barriers and physically assaulted the leader of a far-right group that espoused racist politics.
Review OSAC’s report, Surviving a Protest.
Anti-U.S./Anti-Western Sentiment
Anti-U.S. activities can best be characterized as small, planned, and generally peaceful demonstrations, either against a particular U.S. policy or advocating that a particular course of action be taken by the U.S. government. For instance, demonstrations have focused on the U.S. policy regarding Palestinian and Israeli issues, U.S. actions in Iraq, relations with Cuba, and capital punishment in the United States. These protests have generally occurred outside the U.S. Embassy or in the central areas of Oslo and have not targeted U.S. nationals.
Law Enforcement
The national police have primary responsibility for internal security. Police may call on the armed forces for assistance in crises. In such circumstances the armed forces operate under police authority. The National Police Directorate, an entity of the Ministry of Justice and Public Security, oversees the police force. Police have a counter-terrorism squad, which consists of specially trained officers who can respond quickly to large-scale emergencies. Civilian authorities maintain effective control over the security forces. Members of the security forces did not commit any abuses.
The Norwegian Police Security Service (PST) is Norway’s domestic intelligence and security service and is also an entity of the Ministry of Justice and Public Security. PST’s main responsibility is to prevent and investigate crimes that threaten national security.
The Norwegian Intelligence Service (NIS) is Norway’s foreign intelligence service and reports to the Chief of Defense. NIS’s main tasks are to provide information on external threats against Norway and high-priority Norwegian interests. The Norwegian National Security Authority (NSM) is Norway’s directorate for protective security services and its main responsibility is to improve Norway’s ability to protect itself from espionage, sabotage, terrorism, and hybrid threats.
Private security companies are prevalent and perform duties in train stations, shopping malls, and movie theaters. The private security companies are professional but often suffer high employee turnover rates due to relatively low pay and limited room for employee advancement. The government must authorize any private security company, and guards must go through prescribed training before they can perform any security guard services.
Police Response
Foreign travelers can count on the police to provide adequate services. The police are generally responsive, professional, and cooperative. Law enforcement personnel have excellent training, and almost all speak fluent English. Their emergency response time is good, except in remote areas, and their equipment is excellent. Uniformed police patrol on foot, motorcycle, bicycle, horse, and car. Police usually do not come to the scene of routine non-violent crimes (non-injury vehicle accidents, residential burglaries). Official corruption is extremely rare and is punishable under the law.
The police emergency line in Norway is 112. For non-emergencies, call 02800.
Transportation Security
Road Safety
Norway’s roads are among the safest in the world. In 2025, Norway reported 111 vehicle-related deaths despite a population of nearly 700,000 residents. There is a relative scarcity of freeways, and the roads are often narrow with repair projects underway. Despite this, the frequency of traffic accidents is generally low.
Individuals involved in an accident resulting in injury must call the police and should not move the vehicles before police arrive. Those involved should fill out an accident report but should not discuss guilt and should not drink alcohol for six hours afterward.
Norway has very restrictive laws regarding driving while under the influence of alcohol or narcotics. Norwegian law prescribes heavy penalties for even a very low blood alcohol level; .02% is the legal limit. Police checkpoints inspecting for drivers under the influence of alcohol are routine and often appear in the mornings to catch people who drank heavily the previous night and still have alcohol in their system.
The climate causes occasional problems for travel. Mountain roads are narrow and winding. Some mountain roads close from late fall to late spring due to blockage by snowfall or danger of avalanches. Icy road conditions are a concern during the winter. Oslo has lowered speed limits in the city to alleviate winter air pollution. Spring flooding can create traffic delays. Keep weather conditions in mind when planning any type of travel around Norway.
Review OSAC’s reports, Road Safety Abroad, Driving Overseas: Best Practices, and Evasive Driving Techniques; and read the U.S. Department of State’s webpage on driving and road safety abroad.
Public Transportation Safety
Public transportation in Norway is generally reliable and safe.
Aviation Concerns
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has assessed the government of Norway’s Civil Aviation Authority as compliant with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) aviation safety standards for oversight of Norway’s air carrier operations.
Review OSAC’s Report, Security in Transit: Airplanes, Public Transport, and Overnights.
Maritime Security
The Norwegian Maritime Authority (SDIR) is the administrative and supervisory authority in matters related to safety of life, health, material values and the environment on vessels flying the Norwegian flag and foreign ships in Norwegian waters. SDIR reports to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries, and the Ministry of Climate and Environment.
Travelers with Special Considerations
For specific traveler concerns in Norway, review the local laws and circumstances on the U.S. Department of State’s Country Information Page.
Rule of Law, Arbitrary Detention, Official Harassment, Corruption, & Transparency
The U.S. Department of State has not included a Risk of Wrongful Detention “D” Indicator on the Travel Advisory for Norway.
The law provides criminal penalties for corruption by officials, and the government generally implements the law effectively. There have been no recent reports of government corruption.
Health Concerns
The U.S. Department of State has not included a Health “H” Indicator on the Travel Advisory for Norway. Review the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) country-specific Travel Health Notices for current health issues that impact traveler health, like disease outbreaks, special events or gatherings, and natural disasters.
Emergency medical assistance is widely available, and emergency room care is generally of high quality and for the most part equivalent to U.S. standards. The ambulance emergency number is 113.
Air ambulance service, as well as ambulance service by boat (applicable to those in outlying islands) is available. After you call the medical emergency number, officials will determine the necessity of such services.
Find contact information for available medical services and available air ambulance services on the U.S. Embassy website. The U.S. Department of State strongly recommends purchasing international health insurance before traveling internationally. Review the U.S. Department of State’s webpage on health insurance overseas.
See OSAC’s Guide to U.S. Government-Assisted Evacuations; review OSAC’s reports, The Healthy Way, Shaken: The Don’ts of Alcohol Abroad, Health 101: How to Prepare for Travel, and Fire Safety Abroad; and visit the U.S. Department of State’s webpage on Your Health Abroad for more information.
Vaccinations
Review the CDC Travelers’ Health site for country-specific vaccine recommendations.
Issues Traveling with Medications
Ensure your medications are labeled and accompanied by a valid prescription.
Review OSAC’s report, Traveling with Medication.
Water Quality
Water in Norway is generally safe to drink.
Review OSAC’s report, I’m Drinking What in My Water?
Natural Disasters
The U.S. Department of State has not included a Natural Disaster “N” Indicator on the Travel Advisory for Norway.
There are occasional problems with flooding and landslides in certain areas, particularly during periods of heavy rainfall. A larger issue is heavy winter snowfall in the mountainous areas.
In Oslo and in other large cities, air pollution in the winter months is prevalent (largely caused by the use of studded tires on the asphalt) and can affect those with asthma or other respiratory problems
Cybersecurity
Cybercrime was one of the most common forms of crime in Norway in 2025, and according to Norwegian authorities, cyber-attacks are one of the most impactful methods used by foreign intelligence services in Norway to gather information and foment uncertainty in society. Primary targets in Norway for state cyber actors are the government and decisionmakers; the Armed Forces; individuals in diaspora communities, refugees, and regime critics; and organizations in the finance, health, research and education, aerospace, technology, telecommunications, logistics and transportation, energy, and the maritime sector.
Review OSAC’s reports, Cybersecurity Basics, Best Practices for Maximizing Security on Public Wi-Fi, Traveling Abroad with Mobile Devices, and Guide for Overseas Satellite Phone Usage.
Counterintelligence Issues
According to the Norwegian National Threat Assessment for 2024, the Russian and Chinese intelligence services pose the greatest threat on Norwegian territory, employing different methods to achieve their goals. Norwegian authorities assess their activities may undermine the country’s ability to deal with crises, impair the competitiveness of business and industry, and make individuals feel they are no longer safe in the country. Norwegian authorities also assess that foreign intelligence services will try to recruit individuals in Norway as sources, adopt increasingly more complex corporate structures, and demonstrate great creativity to procure sensitive technology from enterprises operating in Norway. The most recent incident occurred in May 2026 with the arrest of a Chinese national accused of espionage involving satellite data.
Examples of fields of technology that may be targets for clandestine and covert procurement activities include sensor and detection technology, marine and subsea technology, oil and gas technology, semi-conductor technology, space and satellite technology, drone technology, laboratory and production technology, and communication technology. Research fields of particular interest to foreign states include metallurgy, nanotechnology, cybersecurity, cryptography, robotics and autonomics, molecular biology, chemistry, micro-electro-mechanical systems, acoustics, and nuclear physics.
Import/Export Restrictions
The following categories of goods may be restricted from importation: alcohol; tobacco; food, plants, seeds, and animals; endangered animal and plant species; medicines; waste; explosives, fireworks, and hazardous substances; weapons, weapons parts, and ammunition; and cultural monuments and antiques.
There are no restrictions on the import of satellite phones, but satellite phones cannot be used to call emergency numbers (110, 112, or 113). For assistance in emergency situations, contact the Main Rescue Center, HRS/North (75-55-90-00) and HRS/South (51-51-70-00)
Norway does not allow the import of some medications that are legal in the U.S. by prescription. Review Norway’s rules on medications. For more information regarding import of medication for personal use, visit the Norwegian Medical Products Agency website.
There are strict laws regulating the use of airborne sensor systems, such as drones, in multiple areas of Norway. Operating drones in restricted areas can be penalized with a fine of up to 12000 Nok. Visit the CAA Norway website for more information.
A country-specific listing of items/goods prohibited from being exported to the country or that are otherwise restricted is available from the U.S. International Trade Agency website.
Additional resources and reports can be found in the OSAC Traveler Toolkit.
