Norway overhauls immigration system through six-year digital transformation

Norway is embarking on a six-year program to rebuild its immigration system from the ground up, replacing decades-old platforms with a unified digital infrastructure spanning visas, residency, asylum and enforcement. Approved by the Storting in December 2024 with a budget of 2.065 billion Norwegian kroner (about US$185 million), the ModUlf project began in 2025 and will run through 2031.

The Modernisert utlendingsforvaltning (Modernized Immigration Administration) will bring the four official bodies in charge of foreign nationals in Norway under its umbrella. These are the Directorate of Immigration (UDI), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (UD), the police and the Immigration Appeals Board (UNE).

“Our main task is to get us more stable, modern and safe systems,” Henrik Hansen, product lead for Modulf, told The Local.

“We wanted to improve the systems, and it was required because they are quite old. We want to ensure we can make the improvements we want in the future… We need a very good foundation. The [current] system is very old, so it really requires an upgrade to make sure that our platforms are safe and stable.”

The more immediate concern for those on the user side — the most important part of any public service delivery — is those looking to become Norwegian citizens. While this may seem backwards, as the project initially focuses on the most permanent side of immigration rather than temporary visitors, the blueprint does in fact follow a clear, step-by-step logic.

Four-step transformation

ModUlf is being delivered in four overlapping phases that allow Norway to gradually rebuild the immigration system while keeping existing services running.

The first phase (2025–2029), “Staying in Norway,” focuses on people already residing in Norway, digitizing permit renewals and applications for permanent residence and citizenship. Hansen said the program begins with existing residents because they present fewer technical challenges than first-time applicants.

The second phase (2026-2030), “Coming to Norway,” modernizes visitor visas, work permits, study permits, family immigration, and initial relocation. Unlike the first phase, it must process applicants with little or no existing data while integrating with the European Union ‘s Entry/Exit System (EES). Although not an EU member, Norway participates in the Schengen Area and will integrate the platform with the EES.

The final phases (2027–2031) extend modernization to protection and asylum, before modernizing enforcement functions, including deportation, expulsion and revocation of legal status.

Old systems, slow processes, interconnection

Modulf replaces technology from the early 2000s when digital threats were less sophisticated, agencies worked independently and there was minimal interoperability. This complex architecture must now be replaced piece by piece while services remain operational.

Stability and safety remain paramount, while efficiency, if all goes well, will be a major gain. According to The Local, caseworkers on immigration cases complain about having to conduct “many” processes manually, contributing to “notoriously long” processing times due to slow and confusing systems.

Connecting data will also generate more connected thinking, contributing to greater speed and improved outcomes. “We also want to make something that is future-proof, and of course, gives us more value,” Hansen said. “By ‘value,’ we refer to shorter waiting times, a quicker and easier job for our workers, and of course, for the applicants.”

One challenge has been gathering feedback from foreign residents. Some applicants worry criticism could affect their immigration status, despite officials stressing that user research is conducted independently of case processing. The program has relied on interviews, surveys and call center data to identify pain points, but participation has remained limited.

ModUlf reflects a broader shift in government digital transformation. Rather than digitizing individual immigration services, Norway is rebuilding the underlying infrastructure that connects visas, residency, asylum and enforcement into a single digital platform. Similar modernization efforts are underway in countries including Canada, Thailand and the Philippines, suggesting governments are increasingly treating immigration systems as long-term digital infrastructure rather than standalone administrative services.

If successful, ModUlf should deliver shorter waiting times, more transparent processes and a stronger digital foundation for managing immigration, while providing a blueprint for governments undertaking similar modernization programs.

Article Topics

digital government  |  immigration  |  ModUlf  |  Norway