Norway Judicial Assistance

Party to Hague Service Convention? Yes
Party to Hague Evidence Convention? Yes
Party to Hague Apostille Convention? Yes
Party to Inter-American Convention? No
Service of Process by Mail? No

THE INFORMATION RELATING TO THE LEGAL REQUIREMENTS OF SPECIFIC FOREIGN COUNTRIES IS PROVIDED FOR GENERAL INFORMATION ONLY AND MAY NOT BE TOTALLY ACCURATE IN A PARTICULAR CASE. QUESTIONS INVOLVING INTERPRETATION OF SPECIFIC FOREIGN LAWS SHOULD BE ADDRESSED TO FOREIGN ATTORNEYS. THIS CIRCULAR SEEKS ONLY TO PROVIDE INFORMATION; IT IS NOT AN OPINION ON ANY ASPECT OF U.S., FOREIGN, OR INTERNATIONAL LAW. THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE DOES NOT INTEND BY THE CONTENTS OF THIS CIRCULAR TO TAKE A POSITION ON ANY ASPECT OF ANY PENDING LITIGATION.

Embassies and Consulates
U.S. Embassy Oslo
Henrik Ibsens gate 48 (formerly Drammensveien 18)
0244 Oslo
Norway|
Telephone: (47) 2244-8550
Emergency Telephone: (47) 2244-8550Fax: (47) 2256-2751
osloamcit@state.gov
List of Attorneys
U.S. Embassy Oslo
Helpful Links
http://www.regjeringen.no/nb/dep/jd.html?id=463
Service of Process

Norway is a party to the Hague Convention on the Service Abroad of Judicial and Extra Judicial Documents in Civil and Commercial Matters.  Complete information on the operation of the Convention, including an interactive online request form are available on the Hague Conference website.  Requests should be completed in duplicate and submitted with two sets of the documents to be served, and translations, directly to Norway’s Central Authority for the Hague Service Convention.  The person in the United States executing the request form should be either an attorney or clerk of court.  The applicant should include the titles attorney at law or clerk of court on the identity and address of applicant and signature/stamp fields.  In its Declarations and Reservations on the Hague Service Convention, Norway formally objected to service under Article 10, and does not permit service via postal channels. For additional information see the Hague Conference Service Convention web page and the Hague Conference Practical Handbook on the Operation of the Hague Service Convention.  See also Norway’s response to the 2008 Hague Conference questionnaire on the practical operation of the Hague Service Convention.

Service on a Foreign State:  See also our Service Under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act (FSIA) feature and FSIA Checklist for questions about service on a foreign state, agency or instrumentality.

Service of Documents from Norway in the United States:  See information about service in the United States on the U.S. Central Authority for the Service Convention page of the Hague Conference on Private International Law Service Convention site.

Criminal Matters

Prosecution Requests:  U.S. federal or state prosecutors should also contact the Office of International Affairs, Criminal Division, Department of Justice for guidance.

Defense Requests in Criminal Matters:  Criminal defendants or their defense counsel seeking judicial assistance in obtaining evidence or in effecting service of documents abroad in connection with criminal matters may do so via the letters rogatory process.

Obtaining Evidence in Civil and Commercial Matters

Norway is a party to the Hague Convention on the Taking of Evidence Abroad in Civil and Commercial Matters.  The Central Authority for Norway for the Hague Evidence Convention designated to receive letters of request for the taking of evidence is the Royal Ministry of Justice and the Police.  See the Hague Evidence Convention Model Letters of Request for guidance on how to prepare a letter of request.  Letters of Request should be prepared in duplicate.  Requests must be translated into Norwegian, Danish or Swedish.  Requests for compulsion of evidence under the Hague Evidence Convention are transmitted directly from the requesting court or person in the United States to the Norwegian Central Authority and do not require transmittal via diplomatic channels.  See the Norwegian Declarations and Reservations on the Hague Evidence Convention.  See also Norway’s response to the 2008 Hague Conference questionnaire on the practical operation of the Hague Evidence Convention.

Requests from Norway  to Obtain Evidence in the United States:  The U.S. Central Authority for the Hague Evidence Convention is the Office of International Judicial Assistance, Civil Division, Department of Justice, 1100 L St., N.W., Room 11006, Washington, D.C. 20530.

Taking Voluntary Depositions of Willing Witnesses
Voluntary depositions of willing witnesses in civil and commercial matters is permitted regardless of the nationality of the witness.  However, prior permission from the Norwegian Central Authority for the Hague Evidence Convention is required.  This is obtained by the U.S. Embassy.  It is advisable to ask the embassy to request permission of the Norwegian Central Authority three or four weeks prior to the desired deposition date.  Oral depositions or depositions on written questions may be taken by U.S. consular officers or by private attorneys at the U.S. Embassy or at another location such as a hotel or office, either on notice or pursuant to a commission.  If the services of a U.S. consular officer are required to administer an oath to the witness, interpreter and stenographer, such arrangements must be made in advance with the U.S. embassy directly.
Authentication of Documents
Norway is a party to the Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement for Legalization of Foreign Public Documents. Norway’s competent authority for the Hague Apostille Conventionwill authenticate Norwegian public documents with Apostilles.  For information about authenticating U.S. public documents for use in Norway, see the list of U.S. Competent Authorities.  To obtain an Apostille for a U.S. Consular Report of Birth Abroad of a Citizen of the United States of America, contact the U.S. Department of State, Passport Services, Vital Records Office.