Are you planning a research stay abroad? Here you will find information on what to do when planning for a stay abroad.

The information applies to stays with a duration up to 12 months.

Norsk versjon: Forskningsopphold i utlandet

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The information applies to you who meet the following conditions:

• You are resident in Norway and you have stayed in Norway for at least one year before you start your stay abroad.
• You are employed at NTNU and you will receive salaries only from NTNU during the stay abroad.
• You have clarified the stay abroad with your HR manager.

Agreement on change of workplace

If you are going to work abroad for more than 4 weeks, an agreement on change of workplace should be signed.

To ensure that your salary earned abroad is registered correctly, the Service Center for Payroll and HR Services needs to be informed about your stay abroad. This improves the possibility of simpler and more accurate tax settlements and can be useful if you need to apply for tax deductions for additional costs related to your stay abroad."

Insurances

The National Insurance Scheme

As an NTNU employee, you normally maintain membership in Norwegian National Insurance during a research stay abroad.
If you plan to work abroad for more than 12 weeks, you should apply to NAV to get membership confirmation. This confirmation may also be required by the host institution:

• Citizen of EU/EEA countries who plan to stay in another EU/EEA country apply for A1 certificate
  • Employer part
• For all other countries, and for non- EU/EEA citizens who plan to stay in in an EU/EEA country
  • Employer part

If your family is planning to join you on the trip, they must clarify their insurance membership.

The European Health Insurance Card

If you are an EU/EEA citizen and will be traveling within the EU/EEA area, you should bring the European Health Insurance Card. The European health insurance card is a free card that documents that you have the right to access medically necessary, state-provided healthcare during a temporary stay in the EU/EEA area.

S1 certificate

For longer stays in the EU/EEA area, you can also apply for S1 certificate. The S1 certificate confirms entitlement to healthcare in the country where you temporarily work, when that is not the country where you are insured. The S1 should be registered with the local health insurance institution and the process may take a few months.

Insurance

As a posted worker, you maintain all insurances through the employment relationship and The Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund, such as group life insurance and occupational injury insurance. In addition, you get accident insurance that applies 24 hrs.

Read more about insurance during stays abroad (in Norwegian).

Travel insurance

You should have a travel insurance that is valid for the full duration of the stay abroad. This is particularly important in countries outside the EU/EEA area, or if you do not have the European Health Insurance Card.

If you pay for your trip with NTNU's Eurocard, you get travel insurance that is valid for up to 90 days abroad.

Taxes

Normally you continue to pay taxes to Norway during a temporary research stay abroad, and it is not necessary to contact the tax authorities before you leave Norway.

Exception:

If you are traveling to a country where you have citizenship: Norway has tax agreements with many countries to avoid double taxation. You should check with local tax authorities in the country you plan to stay if you will be subject to tax there. This is especially important if your stay is planned to exceed 6 months. If you become liable for taxes abroad, you need to apply for a reduced tax in Norway.

If you travel to USA: Norway and USA have a tax treaty that gives researchers the possibility to apply for a tax exemption. If this exemption is granted, you get a tax card that covers the social security contribution to NAV of approx. 8%. Remember to change the tax card back to normal before returning back to Norway. Information about how to apply for a reduced tax and how to claim the tax reduction on your tax return:

• How to apply for a reduced tax during a stay in USA (pdf) (in Norwegian)
• How to claim the tax exemption in the tax return (pdf) (in Norwegian)
• Tax agreement Norway-USA (in Norwegian) – Forskerforbundet

The National Population Register

In the stay abroad is planned to exceed 6 months, you must, in accordance with the National Registration Act, notify the register of your move.

To avoid being registered as emigrated from Norway, attach documentation showing that this is a temporary stay. For example

• completed agreement for change of workplace
• award letter for scholarship, or similar

Residence permit/Work permit

In the host country: The need for a visa must be clarified well in advance of the planned start. The visa application process can often take up to 6 months.

In Norway: If you have a temporary residence permit in Norway, you may risk to lose the permit if you stay abroad for more than 6 months. Please contact UDI if this applies to you.

More information

• To-do list: a simple list that can be used in the process of planning a research stay abroad (docx)
• Outgoing mobility - PhD
• How to submit your mobility grant settlement
• Sabbatical

Contact

• Contact HR at your unit for guidance and for filling in the employer part to NAV and agreement for change of workplace. If further assistance is needed, contact NIRS
• If you have questions about salaries or other payments during the stay abroad, please contact the Service Center for Payroll and HR