Norway

Compliance/Financial Considerations

If you intend to do any of the following in Norway, please contact Risk Services at risk@berkeley.edu or 642-5141:

  • Hire a local to work for you as an employee
  • Purchase or lease office or research space
  • Purchase or lease an automobile
  • Establish a long-term (over 90 days) or ongoing project
  • Conduct a clinical trial

U.S. GOVERNMENT COMPLIANCE CONSIDERATIONS

Foreign activities may trigger many U.S. laws, including:

  • Import Controls
  • Export Controls
  • Tax Reporting
  • Foreign Bank Account Reporting
  • Country Embargoes and Targeted Sanctions
  • Foreign Corrupt Practices Act
  • Anti-Boycott Laws

Import Controls. UC employees must adhere to U.S. import requirements, and may need to enlist the services of a customs broker, especially for shipments arriving by sea and subject to the Importer Security Filing 71730, also known as ISF 10+2.

Export Controls. Export controls may apply to advanced software and technology, research data, and other sensitive assets. UC’s Export Compliance FAQ contains useful information and can be found here.  Go here for the University of California plan for compliance with federal export controls. If you plan on taking or sending potentially export-controlled materials to Norway, consult the campus Research Administration Compliance Office at 642-0120.

Tax Reporting. The University and its employees may be taxed in foreign countries. The tax implications for operating in Norway may be found at the Internal Revenue Service’s United States-Norway Income Tax Convention. For further clarification, contact the Controller’s Office at:

Foreign Bank Account Reporting. The U.S. Treasury Department requires U.S. citizens with a financial interest in or signatory authority over a financial account in a foreign country, where accounts exceed $10,000 at any point during a calendar year, to report such accounts on a Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts (FinCen Report 114). Those needing to complete the form should contact the Controller’s Office at cashiers@berkeley.edu or 643-9803 for assistance. An IRS 1040 Schedule B form (Part III–Foreign Accounts and Trusts) must be filed by the signatory for any foreign bank account, regardless of the account balance.

Country Embargoes and Targeted Sanctions. In general, collaborations between University personnel and scholars at foreign institutions or organizations do not require export licenses unless they involve export-controlled or -restricted research or involve scholars in sanctioned countries. Before engaging in an international collaboration, the University needs to determine whether export licenses are required and to verify that the foreign collaborator is not blocked or sanctioned. The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is responsible for enforcing all U.S. embargoes and sanctions. Depending on each country’s embargo or sanction program, activities may be prohibited without specific authorization or license. UC’s International Collaborations webpage contains additional information on this topic.   

The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) is intended to stop bribery. It prohibits offering to pay, paying, promising to pay, or authorizing the payment of money or anything of value to a foreign official. The term “foreign official” generally includes any employee or contractor of a foreign government, and may include individuals employed by foreign universities. It is also unlawful to make a payment to a third party knowing that all or part of the payment will go to a foreign official. For more information, review the federal government’s Resource Guide to the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. If you need further clarification, contact the UC Berkeley Office of Legal Affairs at 642-7122. Transparency International’s 2018 survey of perceived public sector corruption rated Norway at 84 out of 100 (7th out of 180 countries reviewed, i.e.  clean).

Anti-Boycott Laws.  The U.S. Department of Commerce is responsible for oversight of laws prohibiting individuals and entities from participating in boycotts not approved or sanctioned by the U.S. government. The Export Administration Act requires that requests to participate in such boycotts or to conduct activities in any of the boycotting countries be formally reported to the Department of Commerce and/or IRS.

For other compliance-related issues, refer to UC’s International Compliance webpage.  

ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR DOING BUSINESS INTERNATIONALLY

Foreign Bank Accounts. Employees wishing to open a foreign bank account should contact the Controller’s Office at cashiers@berkeley.edu or 643-9803. Requests to open accounts must be made through the Office of the President’s Banking and Treasury Services Group by the Chancellor or the Chancellor’s designee. 

Real Estate Agreements. Only employees with delegated authority to sign contracts on behalf of The Regents may enter into agreements, leases, or other contracts.  Foreign affiliates or operations must submit to the Real Estate Services Office property management agreements, personal property leases, or contracts with a term longer than one year or in an amount greater than $25,000 per year. The campus then seeks approval from the University president or designee. For more information, consult the Guidelines for the Establishment and Operation of Foreign Affiliate Organizations and Foreign Operations.

Articles

The US State Department's page on NORWAY may be found HERE.

Personal Safety

AUTHORITIES IN NORWAY PLAN TO TIGHTEN CORONAVIRUS DISEASE (COVID-19) RELATED RESTRICTIONS. DOMESTIC MEASURES WILL BE INCREASED EFFECTIVE NOVEMBER 7, WHILE STRICTER DIRECTIVES ON INTERNATIONAL ENTRY WILL GO INTO FORCE NOVEMBER 9. TRAVELERS FROM MOST COUNTRIES ARE CURRENTLY PROHIBITED FROM ENTERING NORWAY. INDIVIDUALS WITH CLOSE FAMILY IN NORWAY OR WHO HAVE BEEN GRANTED PERMITS TO WORK OR STUDY IN THE COUNTRY ARE EXEMPT FROM THE TRAVEL BAN BUT MUST SELF ISOLATE FOR 10 DAYS ON ARRIVAL.  AUTHORITIES CONTINUE TO ADVISE AGAINST NONESSENTIAL TRAVEL ABROAD. AUTHORITIES COULD REIMPOSE, EXTEND, FURTHER EASE, OR OTHERWISE AMEND ANY RESTRICTIONSL WITH LITTLE TO NO NOTICE DEPENDING ON DISEASE ACTIVITY OVER THE COMING WEEKS.

Note: this page contains basic risk information. For more details, please contact the Risk Services Office at risk@berkeley.edu.

If you are traveling to Norway on University-related business, please sign up for the University’s travel insurance program by going here. For more information on the travel insurance program, please go here

Because everyone’s health is unique, we suggest seeking the advice of a medical professional before traveling internationally. Members of the campus community interested in protecting their health while abroad may schedule an appointment with the University Health Services International Travel Clinic

Norway’s health infrastructure is good in urban areas but limited in rural areas. Public ambulance service is reliable; in a medical emergency dial 113 for assistance. Pharmacies are generally well-stocked and are open from 9 am to 4 pm. English-speaking staff are usually available in pharmacies that serve large cities and tourist areas.

The drinking water in Norway is safe. Travelers should avoid raw meat dishes and unpasteurized dairy products, which frequently harbor bacterial and parasitic pathogens.

Norway has a low crime rate. Travelers are most at risk for petty theft, especially in Oslo and other urban areas. Although public transit is safe, pickpockets are common in train and transit stations. Violent crime is rare, although a July 2011 rampage by an armed right-wing extremist left 77 people dead, shocking the country and making international headlines.

Legal/Political

Criminal Penalties: You are subject to local laws. If you violate local laws, even unknowingly, you may be deported, arrested, or imprisoned. Furthermore, some laws are also prosecutable in the United States, regardless of local law. 

Arrest Notification: If you are arrested or detained, ask police or prison officials to notify the U.S. Embassy immediately. 

  • Svalbard: The Svalbard archipelago consists of nine main islands located midway between mainland Norway and the North Pole. You need a passport to enter Svalbard.
    • Unlike Norway’s mainland, Svalbard is not party to the Schengen Agreement and air travelers to Svalbard from Norway will depart the Schengen Zone prior to boarding.
    • Travelers to Svalbard face unique hazards given the extreme weather conditions and limited transport infrastructure.
    • The U.S. Embassy has no direct representation on Svalbard, limiting its ability to provide emergency consular services.
    • Verify that you have adequate travel, medical, and medical evacuation insurance to cover the potential costs of medical treatment or repatriation before you travel to Svalbard.
    • Although road systems exist within the three largest towns – Longyearbyen, Barentsburg, and Ny-Alesund – they do not connect with each other, making sea, snowmobile, or limited air service the only options for traveling throughout Svalbard.
    • Tourism to Ny-Alesund is restricted due to its status as a research facility and the danger of polar bear attacks.
    • There have been several reported instances of death or injury to tourists in the Svalbard archipelago due to animal attacks and boating incidents, often involving unpredictable weather or ocean conditions.
    • In cases of illness or injury, a clinic in Longyearbyen can provide limited emergency care until medical evacuation to Tromsoe is available.
    • You should consult the Svalbard Tourist Board for the latest travel conditions and information before you go.

Child Protection Laws: The treatment of children is taken very seriously in Norway. All forms of corporal punishment of children are against the law, and any form of violence, humiliating treatment, or neglect may result in the child being taken away from parents by the Norwegian authorities and placed into long-term care by Norway’s social services.

LGBTI Travelers: There are no legal restrictions on same-sex sexual relations or the organization of LGBTI events in Norway.