Living in Svalbard and Jan Mayen: What a French National Should Know Before Settling

Svalbard is an archipelago in the Arctic Ocean that Norwegian law of 1925 defines as part of the Kingdom of Norway: it notably includes Vest-Spitsbergen, Nordaustlandet, Edgeøya, Bjørnøya and Hopen. Only Norwegian rules of private law, criminal law and procedure apply there automatically; other laws apply only if they expressly so provide (Lovdata). The Svalbard Treaty of 9 February 1920 recognises Norway’s sovereignty and guarantees nationals of all the states parties, France being among the original signatories, an equal right of access and residence as well as the freedom to carry on maritime, industrial, mining and commercial activities. Taxes and fees levied in the archipelago may be used only for its own needs.

Jan Mayen, located elsewhere in the North Atlantic, is also part of the Kingdom of Norway, but is governed by a separate law of 1930 and is not covered by the Svalbard Treaty (Lovdata). The official sources read describe no residential community and no residence rule specific to Jan Mayen: a plan to stay on that island should be confirmed with the Norwegian authorities. The rest of this page describes Svalbard, where the inhabited settlements are.

For a French national, consular responsibility lies with the French embassy in Norway, in Oslo, which states that it is responsible for the archipelago (France Diplomatie, the French foreign ministry). Registration on the roll of French nationals living abroad is recommended for any move of more than six months (service-public.gouv.fr). Do not confuse it with mainland Norway: Svalbard is outside the Schengen area, and its rules differ from those described in the page Norway. The full overview is on the page health insurance in Svalbard and Jan Mayen.

According to the Governor of Svalbard, Norwegian immigration law does not apply to the archipelago: foreign nationals need neither a visa nor a residence or work permit issued by the Norwegian authorities to go there. Every traveller must, however, hold a valid travel document. France Diplomatie specifies that a valid national identity card is compulsory to go to Svalbard, that the police may ask for a passport on some flights or on arrival, and that carrying a passport is strongly recommended. The Norwegian authorities have not recognised the extended validity of certain French identity cards issued between 2004 and 2013: a passport is required in that case.

Residence is governed by specific regulations on refusal of entry and expulsion. The Governor may refuse entry, on arrival or later, to a person who must be presumed to lack sufficient means to stay there or the possibility of supporting themselves through lawful work, or who is unable to look after themselves. This rule applies to foreign nationals and Norwegians alike. No quantified resource threshold is published in the sources read: the assessment is made case by case, hence the Governor’s advice to secure a job and housing before leaving. Expulsion, which bars any return for at least two years, targets other situations, notably conviction for breaking the archipelago’s rules or disregarding a refusal of entry.

For people who then want to settle on the Norwegian mainland, the Governor points out that living in Svalbard gives in itself no right to Norwegian nationality or to residence on the mainland. The Governor accepts applications for residence permits and nationality and forwards them to the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI).

A person who intends to live in Svalbard for more than six months must declare their move to the archipelago’s population register, with the local tax office (Skatteetaten), using form RF1557 sent through the online contact form or by post to Longyearbyen, with a copy of an identity document. A stay of less than six months requires no declaration of move: a postal address can be registered instead. A person who comes from abroad without a Norwegian identity number or a temporary identification number (D-number) must make an appointment with Skatteetaten in Svalbard to obtain the latter. The council specifies that, to be considered a permanent resident, you must be entered in the Svalbard population register.

On the French side, settling abroad is prepared by notifying the agencies (health insurance fund, CAF, France Travail, pension funds) of the departure and by clarifying your tax residence. According to the BOFiP (the French tax administration’s official guidance), a person is tax resident in France as soon as one of the criteria is met: home or main place of stay, professional activity, centre of economic interests, subject to international conventions. On the Svalbard side, Skatteetaten considers anyone who stays there for at least twelve months to be a tax resident: the guide to working in Svalbard details the consequences.

The Governor writes that most housing belongs to employers, who offer it to employees as part of their contract. Without a job, it is difficult to obtain. The State owns almost all the land, so buying a plot to build on is generally not possible, and housing prices are very high. Longyearbyen local council confirms that most residents obtain their housing through their employer, with rentals and sales between individuals found through ads. All housing in Longyearbyen is heated by a district heating network. Furniture is scarce on site: the council advises bringing your own from the mainland if possible, with removals arriving mainly by boat, to be booked early.

Several consumption rules are specific to the archipelago. According to the council, Svalbard is exempt from VAT and no customs duty or VAT is charged on cars; not all online shops deliver to Svalbard, so check before ordering. The sale of alcoholic drinks is subject to quotas: a resident must present proof of residence issued by the tax administration, a visitor their travel ticket. Longyearbyen has about 45 kilometres of roads, and many residents do without a car; taxis and a bus run all day. Every visitor pays an environmental fee, which permanent residents can ask the Governor to refund.

No social assistance is granted in Svalbard, and residents must have accommodation and resources (council, NAV, the Norwegian labour and welfare administration). This rule weighs on the choice to stay or leave in the event of job loss.

There is no French school in Svalbard. According to Longyearbyen local council, the local offer consists of two full-day nurseries for children aged 1 to 6 and a single school running from year 1 to year 10, with an after-school service and an upper secondary section. The council warns that the offer has certain limits compared with mainland municipalities: section 31 of the Nurseries Act, on the right to specialised educational support, does not apply in Longyearbyen. Families whose child has special educational needs are therefore advised to ask the council before settling.

The spouse and children have no Norwegian residence permit to apply for, as the immigration act does not apply to the archipelago; each remains subject to the means-of-subsistence rule. Children’s care is provided by Longyearbyen hospital, which has a public health nurse and a midwife but no delivery room. To compare family contracts, see expat family insurance.

France Diplomatie indicates that the climate and the presence of polar bears in the archipelago require careful preparation, that the Governor’s safety brochure is indispensable before any trip and that the rules and authorisations should be checked on the Governor’s website. Longyearbyen local council points out that the polar bear can be met anywhere in Svalbard. Anyone leaving the settlements must have suitable means of scaring bears off; carrying a weapon requires a permit issued by the Governor, and loaded weapons are prohibited in the settlement and must not enter shops or public buildings. A camp requiring authorisation must be protected by an organised bear guard.

The field safety regulations, in force since 1 January 2026, require, depending on the case, prior authorisation, communication equipment, rescue insurance and a report after the activity. Permanent residents need only notify the Governor before travelling in certain protected areas, and do not have to take out specific insurance, but may have to pay rescue costs in the event of intentional misconduct or gross negligence. The Governor’s brochure notes that frostbite is among the most common injuries and advises always carrying spare hats and gloves. From 1 November to 31 May, daily avalanche warnings are issued for the Nordenskiöld Land region, and residents of exposed areas of Longyearbyen are warned in the event of evacuation. The Norwegian emergency numbers are 113 (medical emergency), 112 (police) and 110 (fire brigade).

The currency is the Norwegian krone and the official language is Norwegian (France Diplomatie). Longyearbyen local council publishes part of its information in English for foreign nationals who settle, and its welcome meetings for new residents are broadcast with English subtitles. NAV job offers, on the other hand, are published mainly in Norwegian. An app for residents brings together a calendar, news, flight times and avalanche warnings.

Social life has its customs: people take their shoes off when entering buildings, and the council recommends reading the archipelago’s rules of good conduct. The environment is strictly protected: the Governor, who also acts as environmental prefect, regulates snowmobile travel, camping and hunting, and human traces predating 1946 are protected by law.

Longyearbyen hospital is a small emergency hospital: no psychologist, no delivery room, no CT scanner, and serious emergencies leave by air ambulance for the mainland, depending on the weather and the aircraft available. Membership of Norwegian national insurance goes through a Norwegian employer established in Svalbard and voluntary enrolment does not exist. The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) covers neither care nor the air ambulance. The pages healthcare system and healthcare reimbursement detail each situation, and the page expat health insurance helps you compare contracts; Expavy can help you set these options against your situation.