How to Get Your First Credit Card in Norway as an International Student

Getting your first credit card in Norway as an international student is possible, but approval depends on more than having a Norwegian bank account. Card issuers normally examine your age, registered residence, documented income, existing debts and payment history before deciding whether to offer credit.

Newly arrived students should usually begin with a Norwegian debit card. Once they obtain the correct identification number, BankID and regular income, they can apply for a low-limit credit card through their main bank.

Can International Students Get a Credit Card in Norway?

International students can apply for Norwegian credit cards when they meet the issuer’s requirements. Norwegian nationality is not normally listed as a universal condition.

However, most issuers require some combination of:

• Norwegian population registration.
• A national identity number.
• Stable and documented income.
• No active payment remarks.
• No unresolved collection cases.
• BankID.
• A successful credit assessment.

Bank Norwegian, for example, requires applicants to be over 18, have stable documented income and have no payment remarks or outstanding collection cases. Re also requires applicants to be over 18, have fixed income and have no registered payment remarks.

Step 1: Obtain a Norwegian Identification Number

You normally need a Norwegian identification number to open a local bank account.

Norway uses two main identification numbers:

• National identity number: Normally issued to people registered as residents.
• D number: Used for certain foreign nationals who do not qualify for full population registration.

International students planning to remain in Norway for six months or longer must generally report their move. When the registration is approved, they receive a national identity number.

A D number can be sufficient for some services, but certain credit card issuers specifically require a Norwegian national identity number or official population registration.

Step 2: Open a Norwegian Bank Account

Open an everyday bank account before applying for credit.

The bank may request:

1. A valid passport.
2. Norwegian residence permit, when applicable.
3. National identity number or D number.
4. University admission or enrolment confirmation.
5. Proof of Norwegian address.
6. Information about the origin of incoming funds.
7. Employment or scholarship documents.

Use the account to receive salary, pay rent and manage regular expenses. An active banking relationship can give your main bank more information about your finances, although it does not guarantee credit approval.

Step 3: Get BankID

Most Norwegian credit card agreements are applied for and signed digitally with BankID.

To obtain an electronic ID, you must first have a Norwegian national identity number or D number. The individual bank then decides whether it can issue BankID after completing its identification procedures.

BankID may be used to:

• Submit a credit card application.
• Sign the card agreement.
• Access online banking.
• Authorise retrieval of income and tax information.
• Check information registered about your consumer debt.

Bank Norwegian may retrieve salary and tax documentation from the Norwegian Tax Administration and Altinn after receiving the applicant’s consent.

Step 4: Establish Documented Income

Regular income is one of the most important requirements for your first Norwegian credit card.

Potentially relevant income can include:

• Salary from a part-time job.
• Salary from a full-time or temporary position.
• Documented self-employment income.
• Other recurring income accepted by the issuer.

Scholarships, family transfers and personal savings can support your living costs, but a card issuer may not treat them as equivalent to fixed employment income.

Bank Norwegian expressly requires stable, documented income and evaluates the relationship between the applicant’s income and debt. Re requires fixed income, while Morrow Bank states that applicants generally need fixed income to receive a credit card offer.

Step 5: Check Your Existing Debt

Before applying, review your information in Norway’s Debt Register.

The register contains information about unsecured debt, including credit card facilities and consumer loans. Financial institutions use it when assessing whether an applicant can responsibly manage additional credit. Consumers can access their own information through ID-porten.

Check for:

• Old credit cards you no longer use.
• Excessively high credit limits.
• Consumer loans.
• Incorrect balances.
• Accounts you do not recognise.

Closing an unnecessary credit facility may improve your overall debt position, although it does not guarantee approval.

Step 6: Choose a Realistic First Card

Do not begin with a premium card or request an unnecessarily high credit limit.

SpareBank 1 Mastercard Ung

This can be a practical starter option for younger applicants. The published requirements include:

• Age between 18 and 34.
• Norwegian national identity number.
• No payment remarks.

The application remains subject to a credit assessment.

DNB Mastercard

DNB Mastercard currently offers:

• No annual fee.
• Up to 45 interest-free days.
• No fee on ordinary purchases.
• Supplementary travel insurance when the payment conditions are met.

DNB still assesses the applicant before granting credit.

Bank Norwegian Credit Card

Published features include:

• No annual fee.
• Up to 45 interest-free days.
• Cashback or CashPoints.
• Supplementary travel and cancellation insurance.
• Credit limit based on the bank’s assessment.

Applicants need stable documented income and no payment remarks or outstanding collection cases.

Morrow Bank Credit Card

Morrow Bank requires applicants to:

• Be at least 20.
• Be registered as residents in Norway.
• Have no active payment remarks.
• Pass a credit assessment.

Applications are signed using BankID.

Step 7: Request a Low Credit Limit

A modest credit limit is usually more appropriate for a first card.

Consider requesting between NOK 5,000 and NOK 15,000, depending on your income and monthly budget. The issuer may approve a different amount after reviewing your financial position.

A low limit can help you:

• Control spending.
• Reduce potential interest costs.
• Avoid excessive available credit.
• Learn how Norwegian card invoices work.
• Pay the complete balance more easily.

Credit limits also appear as part of unsecured credit information and can influence future assessments.

Documents to Prepare

Keep the following ready:

1. Passport.
2. Residence permit.
3. Norwegian national identity number.
4. Proof of registered address.
5. BankID.
6. Employment contract.
7. Recent salary statements.
8. Tax information or tax deduction card.
9. Norwegian bank account details.
10. Information about existing loans and credit limits.

Some providers retrieve tax and income information electronically, while others may request manual uploads.

How to Improve Your Approval Chances

Before applying:

• Receive salary into your Norwegian account.
• Wait until you can show stable income.
• Pay rent and invoices before their deadlines.
• Avoid active collection cases.
• Review your Debt Register information.
• Close unused credit facilities.
• Apply through your main bank first.
• Request a modest credit limit.
• Avoid applying to several issuers simultaneously.

Norwegian lenders must assess repayment ability using sufficiently detailed information about income and total debt.

What to Do If You Are Rejected

A rejection does not always mean you have a poor payment record. The lender may have insufficient Norwegian income data or may decide that your current expenses and debts leave too little repayment capacity.

After rejection:

1. Check whether you met the minimum requirements.
2. Review the credit-check notification.
3. Verify your registered income and address.
4. Check the Debt Register for errors.
5. Continue using a debit card.
6. Apply again only after your financial position improves.

Repeated applications without changing your circumstances are unlikely to solve the underlying problem.

Final Verdict

The best way to get your first credit card in Norway as an international student is to complete your population registration, open a Norwegian bank account, obtain BankID and establish stable documented income.

You should then apply through your main bank for a low-limit card. SpareBank 1 Mastercard Ung may suit applicants aged 18–34 with a Norwegian identity number, while DNB Mastercard, Bank Norwegian and Morrow Bank are alternatives for students who meet their respective requirements.

Students without regular income should continue using a debit card rather than relying on expensive credit for everyday living costs.

Official Sources

• Norwegian Tax Administration – International Students
• Norwegian Tax Administration – Identification Numbers
• Norwegian Tax Administration – Electronic ID
• Norwegian Debt Register – View Your Information
• SpareBank 1 Mastercard Ung
• DNB Mastercard
• Bank Norwegian – How to Apply
• Morrow Bank – Credit Card Requirements
• Re Credit Card