Oppholdstiden

Oppholdstiden is a term used in immigration, migration and administrative law to denote the period during which a person is legally allowed to reside in a country under a given authorization. The word combines opphold (stay) and tiden (time). It refers to the time frame defined by visas, residence permits or other legal statuses.

In practice, the oppholdstid begins when the person enters the country or when a residence permit is issued and ends at the expiry of that permit. The stay may be continuous or include authorized absences. Some contexts set a maximum length of stay, while others tie the duration to the permit type, such as temporary versus permanent residence. For example, in many situations a stay is restricted to a limited number of days within a set period, such as 90 days within 180 days in the Schengen area.

Calculation and conditions of the oppholdstid depend on the applicable law. Time may not always be counted if the person is outside the country beyond permitted limits, and certain statuses require ongoing fulfillment of conditions like employment, study, or family reunification. Prolonging or shortening the oppholdstid typically requires a renewal, extension, or change of status through an official procedure.

Relation to rights and pathways is central: the length of the oppholdstid affects access to work, study, welfare, taxation, and the possibility of applying for permanent residence or naturalization. Closely related terms include oppholdstillatelse (residence permit) and opphold i generell forvaltnings- eller migrasjonsforvaltning.

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