United States and Norwegian officials signed the first U.S.-Norwegian Social Security agreement (TIAS 10818) on January 13, 1983, and it entered into force on July 1, 1984.  U.S. and Norwegian authorities later negotiated this second agreement that replaced the original agreement.

The primary purpose of this latest agreement and its accompanying administrative arrangement, both signed in Oslo on November 30, 2001 and effective September 1, 2003, was to formalize a Norwegian administrative decision that allowed U.S. citizens to receive credit under the Norwegian social security system for periods of Norwegian residence between 1936 and 1967.  This latest agreement also repeals a provision in the prior agreement that could reduce the Norwegian disability or survivors benefit payable to certain people who simultaneously receive a disability or survivors benefit from the United States.  In addition, the latest agreement updated the original agreement to take into account changes in U.S. and Norwegian law that had occurred since the original agreement entered into force and, for easier reference, incorporated the provisions of the Final Protocol to the original agreement in the text of the agreement itself.

Like the original instrument, this document is described as an “Agreement,” with the understanding that it entered into force for Norway as a formal treaty subject to parliamentary ratification and for the United States as an executive agreement under authority of Section 233 of the Social Security Act.  Upon entry into force, this latest agreement had (and has) the effect of law in both countries and is binding on both countries.