Tromsø

Register in UDI's Application Portal and pay the €90 fee (ages 6–11 €45, under 6 free) by card. Then book an appointment at the VFS Global Norway visa centre in UB and go in person to give fingerprints; the service fee is €70 / 294,700₮. The passport takes 5–7 working days each way to Beijing and back, and a decision can take up to 45 days — apply at least 45 days before travel.

Tip: Apply for Norway if it is your longest stay; if you will spend more days in Germany, apply at the German Embassy instead.

Medical insurance valid in all Schengen states with cover of at least €30,000 is mandatory (machine-printed policy). Attach the return ticket, hotel bookings, itinerary, bank statements and an employment letter, showing roughly NOK 500 or more per day in Norway. Don't pay for non-refundable bookings before the visa is issued.

At your first Schengen border (Frankfurt or Helsinki) the EES system records your fingerprints and face (fully live since 10 April 2026); ETIAS does not apply to Mongolians with a visa. There is normally no further passport check entering Norway, but always carry your passport.

It meets flights and stops at central hotels and the harbour terminal, ~15 minutes. One way: adults 125 kr, children 80 kr, family 250 kr; return 200 kr. Pay online or by card.

Buses 24, 26, 40 and 42 serve the airport — the cheapest option, paid in the Svipper app or by card (no cash). Taxis wait to the left of arrivals; ~10 minutes to the centre.

If your phone supports eSIM, install a Europe travel eSIM (Airalo, Holafly) before you leave — it works as soon as you land in the Schengen area and in Norway at no extra charge (Norway is in the EEA, so 'roam like at home' applies).

Tip: Signal can be weak in aurora valleys and Lyngen — download Google Maps offline. Phone batteries drain fast in the cold — keep it in an inner pocket and carry a power bank.

Telenor, Telia and Ice prepaid SIMs are sold at Narvesen, 7-Eleven and supermarkets. In Norway prepaid SIMs must be registered with a passport, so bring yours. Telenor is generally considered to have the widest rural coverage.

A Tromsø (zone 1) single is 50 kr, or 30 kr weekdays 09:00–14:00 and 17:00–01:00; a 24-hour ticket is 140 kr, 7-day 327 kr; ages 6–17 half price. Pay with the Svipper app or a card — no cash.

The Tromsø Bridge is under repair until 1 Nov 2026: pedestrians and cyclists can always cross; scheduled buses use it only 07:00–17:00 and otherwise go through the tunnel. For the cathedral and Fjellheisen take bus 26 or 28, or walk across the bridge.

Winter roads are icy and unlit and storms blow in suddenly; accidents from stopping on the roadside to watch the aurora are common. If you lack snow-driving experience, join aurora, Sommarøy or Lyngen tours instead of renting a car. In summer, driving to Kvaløya and Sommarøy is easy.

The currency is the Norwegian krone (NOK). Norway is almost cashless — shops, cafés, buses and even toilets take cards and contactless, and some places refuse cash. Tipping is not customary; service is included.

Tip: If the card reader offers to charge you in tögrög, say no — choose NOK.

Tours (aurora, huskies, whales) are the biggest cost — thousands of kroner per person. Buying food at Rema 1000, Kiwi or Coop Extra and cooking in a flat with a kitchen saves a lot. On some nights you can see the aurora from town or from Fjellheisen — for free.

Non-residents who spend above a minimum amount can reclaim part of the VAT with a Tax Free form. Norway is not in the EU, so you claim it at the airport where you leave Norway on an international flight — not in Frankfurt.

Arctic cod (skrei, January–April), king crab, fish soup, Sámi reindeer stew (bidos), reindeer steak, salmon and Mack beer. Try the Ølhallen pub and the harbour fish restaurants.

Tip: The cheapest meals are hot dogs from Narvesen or 7-Eleven and supermarket ready meals.

Rema 1000, Kiwi and Extra are cheapest; most supermarkets close on Sundays. Beer is sold in shops only during limited daytime hours; wine and spirits only at Vinmonopolet, age 20+.

Police 112, ambulance 113, fire 110 — free, 24 hours, in English. For non-urgent illness call 116 117 to reach the Tromsø out-of-hours clinic (legevakt).

Pavements are slippery with ice — buy shoe spikes (brodder) in town. For aurora waiting wear thermal underwear, wool layers, waterproof trousers, thick-soled boots, a hat and gloves; check whether your tour lends thermal suits. Check children often for signs of frostbite.

Hike or ski in the mountains only with a guide because of avalanches and blizzards; check avalanche warnings on varsom.no. Never stop on the roadside for the aurora — use proper parking areas. Harbour edges are icy; keep children back.

The Sámi are Norway's Indigenous people; don't photograph people in gákti or their reindeer without permission, and never call their clothing a 'costume'. Don't approach or scare reindeer herds. They are often curious about comparisons with Mongolia's reindeer herders.

At aurora spots don't point torches or headlights at others — use a red light. Keep off private land and gardens. Norwegians are quiet and punctual; don't talk loudly on public transport, and take your shoes off in homes.

Svipper — tickets and routes for Tromsø and Troms buses and express boats. Entur — journey planner for all of Norway. SAS and Norwegian — domestic flights.

Yr — the Norwegian Met Institute's forecast and cloud cover. 'Norway Lights' and 'My Aurora Forecast' show aurora activity (Kp) and clear-sky areas. The aurora is only visible under clear, dark skies.

The Airport Express bus takes ~15 minutes from the centre, adults 125 kr; or city bus 40 or 42. Winter weather can delay flights — leave plenty of connection time.

Leave the Schengen area no later than the date on your visa — EES records your exit day automatically. If you connect to MIAT in Frankfurt on separate tickets, allow plenty of time in case of delays.