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Svalbard Global Seed Vault, Longyearbyen — Svalbard

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Svalbard

Svalbard visit visa for Pakistan passport holders

VisitVisaInfo Editorial Team

Our Svalbard guide is built from official government and embassy sources.

Last updated

On this page
  1. Document requirements
  2. Fees and timeline
  3. Fees
  4. Timeline
  5. How to apply
  6. Visa ratio
  7. FAQ
  8. Official sources
  9. Related guides

Svalbard · Svalbard Global Seed Vault, Longyearbyen · Michael Major for Crop Trust · CC BY-SA 2.0

Summary

Depends — verify

Not confirmed on the official source. The current Svalbard rule for Pakistan passport holders could not be confirmed on an official page. Check the official portal linked below before you book travel or pay any fee.

Visa type
No Svalbard visa; Schengen visa with two or more entries needed to travel via mainland Norway
Stay limit
No limit set for Svalbard; the Schengen visa allows up to 90 days in any 180 in the Schengen area
Entries
At least two entries on the Schengen visa

Svalbard is Norwegian territory, but Norway's Immigration Act does not apply there and the archipelago sits outside the Schengen area, so the Governor of Svalbard requires no visa or residence permit. In practice Pakistani travellers still need a Schengen visa, because Pakistan is on the EU list of visa-required nationalities and the usual route to Longyearbyen runs through mainland Norway. That Schengen visa must allow at least two entries so you can re-enter mainland Norway on the way home.

Svalbard is a high-Arctic archipelago halfway between mainland Norway and the North Pole. Its main settlement, Longyearbyen, is one of the world's most northerly towns, and visitors come for glaciers, polar bears seen from boats, the midnight sun in summer and the northern lights during the long polar night.

The entry rules are unusual. Svalbard belongs to Norway under the 1920 Svalbard Treaty, yet Norway's Immigration Act does not apply there and the islands are not part of the Schengen area. The Governor of Svalbard therefore asks for no visa or residence permit from anyone, Pakistanis included.

That does not make the trip visa-free in practice. Scheduled flights reach Longyearbyen from Oslo and Tromsø, both inside Schengen, and Pakistan is on the EU list of nationalities that need a Schengen visa. A Pakistani traveller must hold a Norwegian Schengen visa valid for at least two entries, so that the return into mainland Norway is covered.

The Schengen application from Pakistan follows Norway's normal process. The Royal Norwegian Embassy in Islamabad refers applicants to the regional visa hub in Abu Dhabi and to UDI, with appointments at VFS Global where needed. The adult fee is 90 euros, and processing times are those published by UDI.

Once in Svalbard, you need a valid passport and the means to support yourself. The Governor may turn away people who cannot, which matters mostly for longer stays: housing is tied to employers, land belongs to the state, and anyone hoping to live there should arrange work and lodging before arriving.

Checklist

Document requirements

  • Valid Pakistani passport for entry to Svalbard (no minimum validity rule, but renewal on the islands is very hard, so keep spare validity)
  • Schengen visa with two or more entries if you fly via mainland Norway
  • Norwegian Schengen visa application through UDI, with an appointment at VFS Global in Pakistan when required
  • Documents for the Schengen application: purpose of trip, accommodation, travel insurance, funds and return plans
  • Evidence that you can support yourself in Svalbard (the Governor may reject people without means)
  • Confirmed accommodation; for longer stays, a job and housing arranged before arrival

Pakistan is on Annex I of EU Regulation 2018/1806, so Pakistani nationals need a Schengen visa to pass through mainland Norway. Applications from Pakistan are handled by Norway's regional visa hub in Abu Dhabi and UDI. Svalbard itself issues no visa.

Checklist source: sysselmesteren.no, udi.no, norway.no

Money and time

Fees and timeline

Fees

Only where a visa or permit is required.

  • Official fee

    €90

    No fee for Svalbard itself, which issues no visas. The 90-euro amount is the standard Schengen visa fee for adults (45 euros for children aged 6 to 12, free under 6) for the double- or multiple-entry visa needed to pass through mainland Norway. VFS Global adds a service charge.

    Fee source

Timeline

  • Processing and appointments

    Svalbard has no visa process. For the Schengen visa, Norway in Pakistan says applications are handled by the Abu Dhabi visa hub and UDI, and refers applicants to UDI waiting-time pages; no fixed time is guaranteed.

Official links

How to apply

You will leave VisitVisaInfo for an official government or designated VAC website.

Check another passport

Not travelling to Svalbard on a Pakistani passport? Pick other countries and the flight animation takes you to that guide.

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Passport country first, then destination. Pages only show fees, timelines, and refusal rates that official sources have published.

Official statistics

Visa ratio

Not officially published

Norway does not publish refusal figures for Svalbard trips; Schengen visa statistics for Norway cover all destinations together.

A percentage is shown only when an official source published one for this route. Blog tables and estimates are left out.

Quick answers

FAQ

Do Pakistanis need a visa for Svalbard?

Not for Svalbard itself, which issues no visas. But you almost certainly need a Schengen visa, because Pakistanis must hold one to travel through mainland Norway, the normal way in and out.

Why is a double-entry visa needed?

Svalbard is outside the Schengen area. Flying from Oslo or Tromsø to Longyearbyen counts as leaving Schengen, and returning counts as a new entry, so a single-entry visa would be used up on the way north.

How many entries should I request?

UDI advises applying for two or more entries. If you plan to arrive in Norway from another Schengen country first, count the extra crossings too.

Who issues the Schengen visa for this trip?

Norway. Applications from Pakistan are handled by Norway's regional visa hub in Abu Dhabi and by UDI, and appointments may be needed at VFS Global.

What does the visa cost?

The standard Schengen fee is 90 euros for adults and 45 euros for children aged 6 to 12; under-sixes pay nothing. VFS charges a service fee on top.

Is there any document check in Longyearbyen?

Yes. Everyone arriving in Svalbard, including passengers on private jets and boats, must carry a valid travel document such as a passport.

Can I move to Svalbard and work without a permit?

Foreigners need no Norwegian work or residence permit for Svalbard, but the Governor can reject people who cannot support themselves, so arrange a job and housing first.

Can I buy property or build a house?

Hardly. The Norwegian state owns almost all land, and most homes belong to employers who rent them to staff.

Can I arrive by ship without going through Norway?

Svalbard sets no visa for arrivals from outside Schengen, for example on an expedition cruise. Ship and aircraft operators must still send advance passenger notifications.

What should I ask the Governor about?

The Governor of Svalbard advises on Norwegian immigration rules, takes applications for residence permits and citizenship for UDI, and holds authority over visa matters on the islands.

Is my passport validity checked?

There is no rule on validity beyond the entry date, but the Governor advises keeping it valid past departure because renewing a passport in Svalbard is very difficult.

Is there an official refusal rate?

No figure exists for Svalbard. Schengen statistics for Norway are published only as a whole.

Checked against

Official sources

Last checked for Svalbard visas on 29 October 2026. Rules change without notice, so confirm on the official pages before you apply or travel.

Compare Svalbard with other countries: Visa-free, visa on arrival and eVisa countries for Pakistanis · Visa fees for Pakistani passports, country by country