NorgeStart
Translators & legal help
For anything official — UDI applications, the police, courts, marriage, recognition of foreign qualifications — you need a statsautorisert translatør, a state-authorised translator, not an ordinary translation. Interpreters are often free to you in healthcare and public services, and you are entitled to ask for one. Free legal advice exists through several schemes before you ever need to pay a lawyer.
NorgeStart is an independent private service. It is not a government agency and is not affiliated with, endorsed by or operated by any Norwegian public authority. NorgeStart brings information from many official Norwegian sources together in one place, and we work to keep it up to date. Even so, rules, rates and amounts can change at any time, and we cannot guarantee that a page here always matches the authority's latest wording. Always confirm with the responsible authority before you act. We give general information, not professional advice on legal, tax, immigration or medical matters, and we take no responsibility for differences between this page and the official source, or for decisions taken on the basis of it.
Authorized translators (statsautorisert translatør)
- For official use — UDI applications, police, courts, marriage, recognising diplomas — foreign documents usually need a translation by a government-authorized translator, who puts an official stamp confirming the translation is legally valid.
- Find one in Translatørportalen — the directory of all authorized translators in Norway, searchable by language: translatorportalen.com. Most work by e-mail nationwide.
- Typical price: NOK 700–1 500+ per page depending on language and urgency; ask for both a stamped paper copy and a digitally signed PDF.
- Money-savers: check first whether the receiver actually requires an authorized translation — UDI accepts documents in English, and universities/HK-dir often accept English-language diplomas without translation.
Interpreters — often FREE for you
- Since the Interpreting Act (tolkeloven), public services — hospitals, doctors, NAV, police, courts, schools — must book and PAY for a qualified interpreter when you need one. You never pay for this.
- Just say in advance: "Jeg trenger tolk" (I need an interpreter) and state your language when you get an appointment.
- It is not allowed to use children as interpreters in public services — never feel pressured to bring your child to translate.
- Qualified interpreters are listed in the National Interpreter Register: imdi.no/tolk.
Free legal help
- Fri rettshjelp — the state pays a lawyer for people with low income (threshold roughly NOK 350 000 single — check current) in important cases: family/children, losing your home, dismissal from work, NAV complaints. Apply via a lawyer or the county governor (Statsforvalteren).
- Student law clinics — completely free, made for exactly these questions: Jussbuss (Oslo), JURK (for women), Jussformidlingen (Bergen), Jusshjelpa (Northern Norway), Gatejuristen.
- Advokatvakten — free 30-minute consultations with a real lawyer in many cities (check your kommune/library).
- Union membership pays off here: members get free legal help in all work disputes — often the strongest legal support a newcomer can have.
- Consumer and tenancy disputes: Forbrukerrådet and Husleietvistutvalget are cheap/free and designed to be used without a lawyer.
Paid lawyers — and how to pay less
- Lawyer rates in Norway are steep: NOK 1 500–3 500+ per hour. Always ask for a written price estimate first — you have the right to one.
- Find lawyers by field and city in the Bar Association directory: advokatenhjelperdeg.no. Many offer a free or cheap first consultation — ask.
- Hidden gem: your home contents insurance (innboforsikring) almost always includes rettshjelpsforsikring — legal-expenses cover that pays most lawyer costs in disputes about housing, contracts or purchases (you pay a deductible). Check your policy before paying a lawyer yourself.
- Immigration cases: many firms offer fixed prices for UDI applications/appeals — compare two or three offers.
Official sources
Translatørportalen — authorized translators ↗IMDi — National Interpreter Register ↗Jussbuss — free legal aid ↗Advokatenhjelperdeg — find a lawyer ↗Moving to Norway or just arrived? NorgeStart explains Norwegian bureaucracy, work, taxes, housing, healthcare and daily life in plain language — with an AI assistant that explains important documents and gives clear, source-based answers.