diff --git a/frontend/src/routes/guest/register/steps/register.tsx b/frontend/src/routes/guest/register/steps/register.tsx
index 5463e4011b31c7e8e712074b9a42280ca4d21344..6688df1a3b3855ad57c30b592a4c22a7a9c1653c 100644
--- a/frontend/src/routes/guest/register/steps/register.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/routes/guest/register/steps/register.tsx
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ const GuestRegisterStep = forwardRef(
     // components directly to the form-field using useForm
     const [countryCode, setCountryCode] = useState<
       CountryCallingCode | undefined
-    >(undefined)
+    >('NO')
     const [passportNationality, setPassportNationality] = useState<
       string | undefined
     >(undefined)
@@ -124,11 +124,6 @@ const GuestRegisterStep = forwardRef(
       console.log('trigger result is', result)
       const tohandler = data
 
-      // Both mobilePhone and mobilePhoneCountry must be set
-      if (!data.mobilePhoneCountry || !data.mobilePhone) {
-        setPhoneErrorState(t('validation.phoneNumberAndCountryCode'))
-        return
-      }
       // Phone checks passed, clear error message
       setPhoneErrorState('')
 
@@ -502,7 +497,7 @@ const GuestRegisterStep = forwardRef(
               >
                 <Select
                   sx={{
-                    maxHeight: '2.5rem',
+                    maxHeight: '2.65rem',
                     minWidth: '5rem',
                     marginRight: '0.5rem',
                   }}
@@ -511,7 +506,7 @@ const GuestRegisterStep = forwardRef(
                   displayEmpty
                   onChange={handleCountryCodeChange}
                   label={t('input.countryCallingCode')}
-                  value={countryCode ? countryCode.toString() : ''}
+                  value={countryCode ? countryCode.toString() : 'NO'}
                   renderValue={(selected: any) => {
                     if (!selected || selected.length === 0) {
                       return t('input.countryCallingCode')
@@ -526,9 +521,6 @@ const GuestRegisterStep = forwardRef(
                     'data-testid': 'phone-country-code-select-inner',
                   }}
                 >
-                  <MenuItem disabled value="">
-                    {t('input.countryCallingCode')}
-                  </MenuItem>
                   {sortedPhoneCountries.map((country) => (
                     <MenuItem key={country[0]} value={country[0]}>
                       {country[1]} ({country[2]})
@@ -605,7 +597,7 @@ const GuestRegisterStep = forwardRef(
               >
                 <Select
                   sx={{
-                    maxHeight: '2.5rem',
+                    maxHeight: '2.65rem',
                     minWidth: '5rem',
                     marginRight: '0.5rem',
                   }}