Barnetrygd – child benefit?
Basic benefit for people with children and work in Norway. Similar to the Polish 500+ scheme.
1.Eligibility criteria
1.1 Requirements
To be entitled to the benefit, you must have:
- income in Norway from employment, running your own business or receiving other benefits (e.g. sickness benefit), and therefore being a member of the Norwegian social security system
- joint registered address with the child (both a Norwegian and a Polish address are accepted)
1.2 Who is a member of the Norwegian social security system?
When we work, contributions are paid from the first month, so after this period of work in Norway we are entitled to the benefit, because we thereby become a member of the Norwegian social security system.
It is worth noting that working in Norway does not always mean that this rule is met. If, for example, we are posted to work in Norway and our employer settles in, for example, Poland, then we are automatically members of the Polish system and are entitled only to Polish benefits.
1.3 Who can receive family benefit?
- The child’s mother or father. If the parents have entered into an agreement on a shared place of residence for the child, the family benefit can be split equally between them.
- Foster parents, another guardian or a social welfare institution, if the child lives there permanently (i.e. for longer than three months).
2.Amount of the benefit
2.1 Current amount
From 1 October 2025 the benefit is:
- 1968 kr per month for a child aged 0-18 years (23 616 kr per year)
- an additional 500 kr per month if both the child and the parent receiving barnetrygd live in Svalbard, Finnmark or in one of the municipalities: Karlsøy, Kvænangen, Kåfjord, Lyngen, Nordreisa, Skjervøy or Storfjord. This is 6000 kr more per year.
The benefit can be paid retroactively for up to 3 years.
2.2 Barnetrygd and tax
Barnetrygd is tax-free.
3.How long can Barnetrygd be received?
Family benefit is paid from the child’s 1 month of life until the age of 18 – that is, until the calendar month before the child turns 18.
If our situation changes and we no longer meet the conditions, the benefit will be paid until the month in which our entitlement to the benefit ends.
4.Submitting an application
4.1 General rules
As a rule, you do not need to apply for barnetrygd. If a child is born in Norway, the mother will automatically receive family benefit about 2 months after the birth.
4.2 When we must submit an application
We must apply when:
- the mother is not registered as a resident in Norway
- the child is more than six months old when the right to the benefit arises
- the child was not born in Norway
- the father receives or has received this benefit for another child
- the mother wants the father to receive the benefit – in this case, the father must submit the application
- family benefit is assessed in accordance with the EEA Agreement or other social security agreements
- the parents declare in writing that they will have separate residences and want the benefit split
- you are the child’s guardian; in such cases the child must be listed as the applicant – a power of attorney or other document confirming that you are the child’s guardian must be attached to the application
- you are the child’s foster parent – documentation confirming care of the child must be attached
- single parents may be entitled to an extended benefit – see utvidet barnetrygd
5**.Required documentation**
5.1 Basic documentation
- child’s birth certificate (if the child was born outside Norway and is therefore not in the Norwegian population register) on an EU form or a standard form (in this case, we must attach a translation into English or Norwegian)
- applicant’s identity document
- applicant’s registration of residence in Norway (registreringsbevis) or residence permit (oppholdstillatelse)
- employment contracts for the period for which we are applying (or other documentation confirming employment in Norway)
- payslips – Lønnsslipp for the entire period for which we are applying for the benefit, and the annual income statement from the employer
If applicable
- identification numbers and home-country address for the applicant, the child and the other parent (if different from Norway)
- marriage certificate (if any) on an EU form or a standard form (in this case, we must attach a translation into English or Norwegian)
5.2 Self-employed persons
- printout from the Brønnøysund register for the business
- balance sheet from the accountant for the entire period for which we are applying for the benefit
5.3 Single parents
If we are also applying for the extension of the benefit:
- documentation confirming our situation (e.g. documents confirming separation) – if the documentation is from a country other than Norway, it must be translated into English or Norwegian
- if you are a single parent and the child lives in another EEA country, you must provide the name, address and identification numbers of the person living with the child
6.Barnetrygd and 500+
6.1. NAV’s interpretation
According to NAV’s interpretation, barnetrygd is equivalent to the Polish 500+ benefit. Therefore, before submitting an application, it is necessary to determine which country has priority in paying the benefit.
To put it simply:
- If one parent works in Norway and the other stays with the child in Poland without working, Norway has priority in paying the benefit.
- If, however, the other parent works in Poland, then Poland has priority in paying the benefit. This rule has applied since July 2019.
6.2 Barnetrygd and 500+ at the same time
The situation is similar if the benefit has been paid twice. One of the parties (Poland or Norway) may demand repayment of the benefit paid, together with interest.
7.Barnetrygd and going abroad
If we go abroad for a reason other than a holiday and receive the benefit, we should make sure whether it can still be received while staying in another country.
NAV must be informed of the country we intend to travel to. If the stay lasts longer than planned, the office must also be notified. It will assess whether payment of the benefit can continue.
Example – we are granted the benefit and receive it, but we have to return to Poland for family reasons, for example to care for a sick family member.
8.Utvidet barnetrygd- extended benefit
8.1 When can the extension be received?
Single parents who live alone with their children may receive an extension of the basic benefit.
When can you apply for utvidet barnetrygd?
- after the death of a spouse, when we thereby become single parents
- we are permanently separated from our spouse or are in an official separation
- there has been a permanent breakdown of the relationship without an official judgment/decision
- we are not married and do not live with the other parent; in the event of the breakdown of cohabitation when we have children under 16, a mediation certificate must be provided
- the other parent has been deprived of liberty or has been in custody for at least six months
- the other parent is missing, and at least six months have passed since then
8.2 Loss of entitlement to the extension
We lose entitlement to the allowance when:
- we get married
- we live with a partner with whom we do not have joint children, if we remain in cohabitation for at least 12 months out of the last 18 months
Our situation may also be affected by the birth of another child from a new relationship, even if the relationship and cohabitation have lasted less than 12 months.
Therefore, every change in our life situation must be reported. Failure to report such a change may be regarded as withholding information.
8.3 Amount of the benefit
The extension of the benefit consists of paying benefit for one more child than we have. So, having one child and meeting the conditions for the extension, we receive 2108 kr instead of 1054 kr per month; having two children, we receive 3162 kr, etc.
The extended benefit provides a special tax deduction.
8.4 Sharing with a former partner
It is possible to share the benefit with a former partner. This depends on the agreement reached between the parents.
Example:
After a divorce, the child lives with both parents, spending, for example, 50% of the time with one parent and 50% with the other. In that case, both parents are entitled to the benefit and it can be split equally.
If both parents have the right to make decisions for the child, but the child lives permanently with one of them, then that parent is entitled to the benefit.
In such situations, NAV assesses each case individually depending on the agreement reached between the parents.
9. Rejection of application/suspension of payment
An application for the benefit may be rejected, and an ongoing benefit may be suspended, if:
- information required has not been provided, false information has been given or information of material importance has been withheld
- the person concerned does not comply with instructions issued under the Act
The benefit may also be suspended if it was granted due to an error on the part of the office.
However, if we believe that our application has been rejected or suspended without justification, we have the right to appeal within 6 weeks of such a decision.
10. What does the service include?
The service includes:
- sending the application to NAV together with the required documentation (in the case of postal submission, we are not responsible for the delivery),
- attaching additional documentation (up to 2 times); further sending of documents/messages relating to the case is chargeable.
NOTE: The decision on whether the benefit is granted rests with NAV in Norway. The service only covers mediation between you and the office.