If you've lived in Norway for several years, it might be time to consider strengthening your ties to the country. Learn everything you need to know about how you qualify to become a Norwegian citizen.
Most people gain their Norwegian citizenship at birth. However, it is also possible for people from other countries to become citizens of Norway later in their life. However, it is not an easy process.
Generally speaking, you will need to have had legal residency in Norway for at least seven years to be able to apply. You'll also need to be at least partially fluent in the Norwegian language.
But as with all things related to immigration, it is highly dependent on your personal circumstances. There were also some significant changes to the process and requirements during 2021 and 2022, of which many people were unaware.
Read on for more information and the latest requirements that apply as of January 2024.
Why become a citizen of Norway?
First things first, do you need to take citizenship? Many foreigners have been living in Norway for most of their adult lives and have not taken citizenship.
If you have permanent residence here, the day-to-day differences are marginal. So, why become a Norwegian citizen?
Citizens of Norway can vote in national elections, and receive a Norwegian passport. The latter could be a good enough reason to apply depending on the “quality” of your original passport.
What do I mean by that? Well, citizens of many countries face a lengthy visa process to travel to many countries. According to the Henley visa restrictions index, Norway's passport is one of the best in the world for freedom of movement.
Norwegian citizens enjoy visa-free or straightforward visa-on-arrival access to 173 countries and territories. We think that's something worth having! So, let's take a look at how to do just that.
Double citizenship in Norway
Up until recently, dual citizenship was not allowed. This meant that most applicants would have to renounce their previous citizenship in order to become a Norwegian citizen.
There were some exceptions to this rule, but it stopped many people who qualified from going ahead with the process. Norway was one of the few countries in Europe to have this restriction. Politicians had long debated removing this restriction.
In December 2018, the plans were finally approved with only minor opposition in Parliament. Opposition centred around issues such as whether people would have divided loyalties in wartime.
From January 2020, new citizens of Norway have no longer needed to give up their previous citizenship. Of course, if your original country does not allow more than one citizenship, you will still lose this citizenship when you become a Norwegian citizen.
This law change led to a big increase in applications and record numbers of new citizens.
How the process works
How do you become a Norwegian citizen? There is an online application process, but the requirements differ for different groups of people.
Some of the factors include the type of residence permit you have, how long you have been in Norway, whether you have family here, and if you have previously been a Norwegian citizen.
The rules typically fall into two broad categories:
- The length of time you've lived in Norway
- Your level of documented fluency in Norwegian
Now let's look into more detail at each of these points.
Residency period
Generally speaking, you must have lived in Norway for a total of eight of the past eleven years. This period was recently extended by a change in the Citizenship Act made by the Norwegian government, and applies from January 2022. It was previously seven of the past ten years.
In addition, you must have held valid residence permits (such as a work permit) that cover that period of time. The rules for residency depend, among other things, on whether you are a citizen of an EU/EEA country or not.
If you have ‘sufficient income', the residency requirement is reduced to six of the last ten years. At the time of writing, sufficient income is defined as an annual figure of NOK 329,352.
If you are married to, or are the registered partner or cohabitant of a Norwegian citizen, the time you have lived in Norway, you must have lived in Norway for a total of at least five years during the past ten years. In these cases, your combined residence period and marriage period must be at least seven years.
Typically, time spent away from Norway for more than two consecutive months in a calendar year extends the amount of time required for residency by the same amount.
So if you lived overseas for a year in the middle of your residency period, the time required extends to eight years. You must also intend to continue to live in Norway once you have been awarded citizenship.
Proving your language ability
Fluency in Norwegian is a non-negotiable when applying for citizenship. However, in October 2022, the rules were overhauled significantly. The focus now is on fluency in spoken Norwegian.
Previously, applicants had to have completed 250-300 hours of approved tuition in the Norwegian language and be able to document language skills.
This was done by passing the Norskprøve written and oral tests (levels 2 or 3), the Bergenstest, or another oral and written Norwegian test. The minimum level you needed to have attained was A2 or B1, depending on your current country of citizenship.
However, now what is required is a successful B1 grade in oral Norwegian. There is no longer a requirement for other language exams or a specific number of tuition hours.
There are a couple of exceptions to this rule whereby only A2 is required. These include people over the age of 55 who came to Norway as a refugee or receive disabled benefits.
Applicants for Norwegian citizenship must also pass an exam about Norwegian society, laws and history. There are two tests available: one is the social studies and the other is the citizenship test.
Nordic citizens
The biggest exception for citizenship rules is for nationals of the other Nordic countries.
The Norwegian Nationality Act of 1950 allows any Nordic citizen who has been legally living in Norway for at least two years and can understand Norwegian to become a citizen upon application.
There are reciprocal rules for Norwegian citizens who are living in other Nordic countries and wish to become a citizen there.
Citizenship through family ties
As with almost every country in the world, citizenship by birth is not applicable in Norway, unless the child has a Norwegian parent.
This means children of a foreign-born couple do not automatically become Norwegian citizens. However, if you were born in Norway to foreign parents, or moved here as a child, there is a shorter residence period requirement for the citizenship application.
There is also no provision for people with Norwegian heritage to become citizens by heritage. This means that someone identifying as “Norwegian American” is not entitled to Norwegian citizenship because they had a Norwegian grandparent.
Individuals in such cases have to meet the criteria for citizenship listed above, including the length of time with permanent residence in Norway and documented fluency in the Norwegian language.
Citizenship by heritage is very rare and is only really possible in Ireland and Italy. A handful of other countries offer something similar in very specific circumstances, but Norway is not one of those.
One big exception is if your parents were Norwegian when you were born. If so, check these pages to see if you qualify to become a Norwegian citizen.
Family immigration permits are available, which mean that someone can move to Norway if their spouse or other immediate family member lives in Norway, in most circumstances. But this is a residence permit, and not the same thing as citizenship.
How to apply for citizenship
If you hold a valid residence permit in Norway and you live here on a permanent basis, you can apply for Norwegian citizenship. Your residence permit must be valid both when you apply and while your application is being processed.
It's very important to understand that applying for Norwegian citizenship does not mean that you have a valid permit to stay in the country. If you are here on a work permit and apply for citizenship, you must still apply to renew your work permit.
The actual process of starting an application is handled online, although you will have to hand over documents in person. To begin your application, complete the application form on the UDI website. You will be given an appointment to present your papers in person.
There is an application fee, which as of January 2024 is NOK 6,500 for an adult. This must be paid by debit or credit card during the initial application process. Those under the age of 18 do not pay.
Items you will need depend on your personal circumstances but will include the following:
- Birth certificate
- Certificate of marriage / partnership
- A full list of entries and departures to Norway, including a copy of all the pages in current and previous passports
- Tax returns covering the qualification period
- A police certificate proving good conduct
- Proof of language competency (exam results)
After becoming a Norwegian citizen, you will be invited to participate in a voluntary citizenship ceremony.
Questions?
I am just a writer, and have collected various bits of information here to help you understand the process.
Despite the number of people commenting below, please note that I do not work in immigration and cannot help or advise on individual cases.
The information above is a summary of what is available on the UDI website. Questions should be directed there. Thanks!
I am a Norwegian citizen. Have lived and studied in Norway before returning to South Africa. In 2003 I went to the Embassy to renew my passport. The documents was taken and I never heard from them. I tried to contact the embassy with no avail. I am still interested to retain my citizenship and go back for some time.
Please advise
Regards
You need to contact the Embassy.
Where can I find a job and/or Norwegian husband? My biological family is from Norway. I was given for adoption in America, but my heart is in Norway. I have been there.
hey am Derrick currently living in Kenya…. uhmm which is the easiest way for me to get permanent residence if an uncle of mine is a norweigian citizen and he has agreed to sponsor me
iam from pakistan and have nationlaty iam of 46 2children therefore how i would become a permament resident of norway
Hi, it is detailed in the article above.
If my great grandparents were born in Norway and emigrated to Norway, can I become a Norwegian citizen if I pass the tests?
Hi Gabby, this is all covered in the article above 🙂
Hi David,
Thanks for providing this information about Norway’s immigration policy. I was sorry to read that there is no provision for heritage. My heritage is a hundred percent Norwegian, second generation American on my father’s side, and first generation American on my mother’s side. There’s even an island in northern Norway called Dyro, or Dyroa, which happens to be my last name. LOL, I was hoping that this would count for something, but after reading your information I was saddened to find out I was wrong.
I am first generation Mother’s side, and second Father’s side as well! I am going to look into it further!!!
Hi Barbara.. My mum is fully Norwegian with a Norwegian passport but I was born in the UK. I’d love to find out what you have discovered. I am dying to get a Norwegian passport, esp now after Brexit….
Brexit is a good thing…remember that!
Hi Sarah, where you ever able to get a Norwegian passport as I am in the identical position! and am trying to see how to exactly apply for dual nationalities etc.
Wonderful informative article. So glad to learn that Norway has the good sense to think carefully and thoroughly about Immigration. I totally support all the restrictions and policies now in place. Wise and intelligent while the rest of most the world is becoming more chaotic moment by moment.
Chaotic for sure. But reactionary and with survival as the goal. It must be so hard to find a safe haven to move towards when home is violent and unsafe. Unpredictable and literally not safe.
This article does not address individuals seeking asylum or those who have refugee status. All nordic countries take in high numbers of refugees per capita.
Hi my dad and his whole family were born and live in norway, my mother is from NZ where i was born. I have been living in australia for the last 10 years and have recently returned from a trip to Norway and was wondering what my chances are of getting citizenship? Thanks.
Hi,
I was born in the United States to a Norwegian father who was not a US citizen when I was born but he was born in Norway. Later he became a US citizen. Am I eligible for Norwegian citizenship?
Read. The. Article.
Nei.
Please if I live three years in Norway without changing my passport to the new one issuin my country,will be given residence permit?
What about Icelandic citizens, passport holders living in norway for 4.5 years, how can they become norwegian citizens and get a norwegian passport? Where do they need to apply? Thanks!
My son had Norwegian citizenship through marriage and lived in Norway for several years. He sadly passed away and is buried in Norway.
Would it be possible for me and my only son left to apply for citizenship in Norway. If so, what is the criteria please?
I am from South Africa and a pensioner. I want to apply for sole Norwegian citizenship and renounce my South African citizenship.
I think you failed to mention if one of your parents is Norwegian that you must apply for citizenship before you reach age 21. I found this out way too late, sadly.
me too😢
“Citizenship is not automatically given to individuals born in Norway unless they have a Norwegian parent.” – – – Boy, if only Donald Trump had thought of that we wouldn’t need to build a wall so much.
I was born in Oslo –my mom and dad was born in Norway –all my family on both sides were born and lived in Norway till they passed away -I have several first cousins born and lives in Norway –my family goes back centuries all born in Norway –I went to school in Norway as a child — my mom and dad immigrated to the USA when I was 11 my brother 15 -I became a US citizen when I was19–I been back to Norway many times over the years to visit my family–I speak Norwegian– am I eligible to get a dualNorwegian citizenship
You’ll have to check with UDI.
Hi, thanx for your informations.
I and my husband are Italian citizens but we got married in Norway: this circumstance could be condition to get easier Norwegian citizenship?
Thank in advance for your answer.
Daniela
If you are both foreigners, getting married makes no difference unless one of you already qualifies for citizenship (i.e. seven years residency, documented fluency etc)
I am a Norwegian citizen living in the US for 30+ years. My son is 32 – born in the US, and we applied for and had both Norwegian and US passports for him. These were renewed through the age of 21. We have gone to Norway with him at least once a year and have strong family ties there. However, as I understand it he automatically lost his Norwegian citizenship at 21 unless he gave up his US citizenship. While I am happy to be able to gain US citizenship and retain my Norwegian one, would it be possible for my son to regain his Norwegian citizenship without moving there and passing language and other tests?
You’d have to check with UDI.
How about re-acquiring previous citizenship after becoming Norwegian.
I can’t see how Norwegian law would have any impact on that – you’d have to check with the specific country’s own citizenship laws.
What if one person is from another country and one is from Norway and they got marriage.. how the process will work for having the citizenship for the person (Male) who got married with Norwegian women?🤔
Are there any changes for children of dual citizenship in law amendment approved by parliament in November? I am Norwegian and my children are Norwegian and British. However, they have never lived in Britain or Norway and I am curious if the minimum living in Norway period will remain 2 years before age of 22 in order to retain Norwegian citizenship. They all speak Norwegian and have visited Norway all their lives.
I was born in Norway and emigrated to the USA at a young age on a U.S. Greencard (Permanent Resident Alien). Held a Norwegian Passport until I was 22 years old, when I took out my US citizenship and was issued a US Passport. I still have my expired Norwegian Passport and Norwegian Birth Certificate. My Norwegian language skills are still pretty good. What is the best way to proceed to obtain dual citizenship?
If I understand your circumstances right, you can reclaim your Norwegian passport if you were forced to give it up, when the new double citizenship rules come in from January 2020.
It is ashame that Norway do not recognise Norwegian blood-line heritage in some way. I live in Australia and my grandfather (Lars Larsgaard) came here as a child with his parents. Naturally, my mother (86) has 50% and I (63) have 25% Norwegian blood line heritage.
Australia is a multi-cultural country and people from all around the world can obtain Australian Citizenship or Residency after passing the necessary conditions. Depending on the country they come from many can hold duel passports. I can understand that it shouldn’t be easy to qualify for duel passports, but I am like a lot of other people are very proud of my Norwegian heritage and it would be great if the Norwegian government would recognise it for non residence.
Even now because of multiculturalism people have to do DNA testing to find out their heritage, which is sad if a living generation of people know their heritage but that government will not recognise it.
But as one parliamentarian made the point about war: Whose side would you chose? Denouncing your citizenship to one country is not as easy mentally as one thinks. Many people up here write their heart is in Norway, what about their allegiance to their home country? I can see the point. This is why UDI handles such matters.
Dual citizenship and allowing citizenship by heritage are two completely different things. Norway allows dual citizenship from January 2020. And anyway, there’s an almighty difference between “recognising” heritage and handing out passports, which give full access to the welfare system for people who have never paid in anything…
Hello David,
I find your article very informative. However, I would just like to clarify something.
1. At the time that a person applies for Norwegian citizenship are they allowed to visit their home country on a yearly basis?
2. If you are in Norway through marriage, and is currently working on the citizenship will divorcing your partner who is a Norwegian national affect your application?
I hope you will answer.
Answer to question 2: You will be affected UNLESS you have already obtained permanent residency. That makes you fully independent of your ex 😉
Reading these comments makes me realize that, for some incomprehensible reason, people ask questions that were explicitly addressed in the article. It pains me. Read the article.
I am Norwegian born and my mother is Norwegian as well though we both now are Canadian citizens. Can we get dual citizenship when it goes thru parliament? also I only lived in Norway for 2or 3 years when I was young and have not lived there since nor worked there.. I am I eligible for a pension of any kind? The embassy gave me a link to check but they did not clarify whether I could get it without going thru the whole process. Is it worth my pursuing or not/ Any info would be helpful. Thanks
So..I wanted to move to Oslo, Norway someday. I want my career and life to be there. I am not Norwegian tho and I know it’s gonna be rough for me. I thought it was gonna be easy, but when I looked as read all of this…it seems hard. Is there any easier way? Tbh with you, I’m dumb. I feel like I wouldn’t even pass the exam. (I forget things to quickly!) I love someone over there and promised to one another that we’ll have the best life. I’m losing hope…WHY DOES IT HAVE TO BE SO DIFFICULT?! *cries*
Lol bro you are not dumb!
This article is about citizenship – you don’t need to be a citizen to travel to Norway or start working here. Citizenship is the very last step in a long process that takes many years.
I’ve wanted to move there since like 5th grade (I’m 15 in 9th now) but I don’t have family there or anything. So I will have to probably live there for awhile and pay for college myself. My friend who is Norwegian said college is free, but only for citizens. I’ve been learning Norwegian for a few months and am okay it it so far. Although it will take awhile.
Hi, can someone who is not a norwegian citizen but has a permanent residence card travel to the united states?
You’ll need to check with the United States for their entry requirements.
Hi,
I have a UK Passport but have lived and worked in Norway for 28 years. I have been married to my Norwegian wife all this time and we have 2 grown up kids.
My question is, although I am fluent in Norwegian I dont have any written exam papers, do I still need to take the tests ?
I never thought Id need the passport but Brexit has changed this for me.
A Scot.
Hi David
I’m another person with a sad long lost Norwegian heritage. I have a list of about 40 names on both sides of the family and marriages dating back to the 1600’s. My great grandparents came separately and met at Ellis Island, NY USA. I don’t even know where to begin to research my lineage; however, I’ve been told we have land in Norway. Perhaps you can share a website or link so that I may do a name search in the Norwegian archives to establish contact with family and pursue sponsorship and/or potential citizenship?
Kind regards,
Donny
Can a friend petition for you to become a Norwegian citizen? I’m trying to get the hell out of the US.
Hi,
I had a business in Norway for 12 years before I left in 2011 I have a son aged 20 who lives there and he wants me to return has Brexit stopped this??
BR Peter
You would need to apply for a work permit in the same system as all other non-EU/EEA citizens.
I am born in Malta and I can’t wait to go back home but I changed my nationality from Maltese to Norwegian
My grandfather Oivend Nilssen a Norwegian sailor from Oslo married my grandmother in a registry office in Glasgow in the 1920’s. They had two sons and a daughter. Would he have had to have registered the marriage also in Oslo Norway?? I have a copy of my father’s birth certificate. The only other item I have is a photograph my grandfather with his sailor’s uniform and which has some writing on his hat. They say Nilsen or Nilssen is just like the name Smith in the UK – extremely common. He ran away to the gold and mineral mines in Mount Isa in Western Australia. When I was 7 years old I sent a letter there which was returned not known at that address. Where could I start a search in Oslo. I would love to find Norwegian relatives that is my final quest. Do I have any chance of finding them. I am Scottish what a situation is it futile. LOL
Hi! What if the case is like this I have lived in norway continuously for 3 years and then lived at my home country without a residence in Norway for 1 year. And then moved back to Norway, if I apply for a permanent residence permit and be granted the Total years of residing in Norway is about 7 years…. Am I eligible to apply for norwegian citizen given the fact I was not in Norway for a year?
It depends on the category you fall into, you can easily check this with UDI
Retired US citizen, have lived in Norway 51 years. Will I still need to update my residence card every 2 years if I become a Norwegian citizen? At present I need to show the card when returning to Norway from a European country. For example, when I fly to the US via Denmark.
If you become a citizen you can get a Norwegian passport. You won’t need a residence card anymore.
My biological father is Norwegian, my mother is not, was born and raised outside Norway, what should i do to become a citizen ?
You need to check with UDI.
If you were granted citizenship and was away for extended time, how does it affect your status, does your citizenship get taken away?
That is an excellently written and informative article. It must be a great annoyance to you that many commenters obviously didn’t bother carefully reading it before firing off questions already clearly answered in it. As a dual-national (USA & Ireland) and a father of two triple-nationals (those two countries plus Russia thanks to the wife), I can attest to how useful having more than a single passport can be, especially as an expat living and working abroad. As you mention, Ireland is one of few nations whose citizenship can be acquired by heritage, which is how I applied for mine, my paternal grandmother having been born there in Galway before coming to the USA in 1919. My main reason for getting Irish citizenship was to be able to legally live and work in Germany, when I resided there through much of the ’80s, since a citizen of one European Union (EU) country can live and work in any other. Although not a full member of the EU, Norway enjoys a similar relationship whereby citizens of any EU nation may live and work in Norway. One merely needs to register with the police within three months, which is free of charge. Hence, since having at least one Irish grandparent isn’t exactly “exotic” here in the USA, many Americans who want to live in Norway might be able to avail themselves of that Irish citizenship EU loophole so long as they have at least one Irish-born grandparent. The process is fairly simple, and can be done through any Irish embassy by mail. Obtaining Italian citizenship by heritage is a fair bit more difficult than the Irish process, but may also be an option for some. Then, once happily ensconced in Norway as an EU permanent resident, one might then need only spend those seven or however many years residence may be required by one’s circumstances to then later apply for Norwegian naturalization should one wish.
Thank you for the informative article. Oh gosh… what a bummer though. I am 100% and I live in Minnesoooota. Our ways and traditions are still very much the same as when my ancestors arrived. I had hoped so much that there was some kind of Citizenship By Descent that went to the 4th generation at least. My heart has always been in Norway. Fishing in the beautiful Fjords has always been a lifetime dream. Mange takk og ha en god kveld.
My mother is Norwegian and so is my brother.my mum lives in the uk and my brother lives in Norway.is there anyway I can get citizenship or daul nationality???
What is meant by at least 7 years? If I lived in the country with a valid visa for 7 years without going anywhere else does it counts?
Hi there!
I just read the article and had me raise the question. I’m deaf and mostly sign and write as I don’t speak very much. I’m not sure if they would let the Deaf to become citizen for Norway based on frequent in Norwegian Sign Language and/or on read and write, or just rather have to stick with the length of residency since speaking orally in Norwegain is likely out of question. Just asking for a deaf person.
You can get an exemption to the requirement to pass the oral test, but you have to submit an extra form and get it signed off by a suitable healthcare worker:
https://udi.no/globalassets/skal-sokehar-soktfatt-svarskal-fornye/statsborgerskap/krav/skjema-for-opplaring-pp-ped-for-unntak-fra-krav-til-prover-ved-soknad-om-norsk-statsborgerskap_b.pdf
Sorry, I linked to the wrong document! This is it:
https://udi.no/globalassets/skal-sokehar-soktfatt-svarskal-fornye/statsborgerskap/krav/skjema-for-a-be-om-unntak-fra-krav-om-prover-ved-soknad-om-norsk-statsborgerskap__b.pdf
For permanent residence, you can apply up to 3 months in advance of your residence having reached 3 years.
I’m wondering is citizenship like that as well? i.e. do you need to wait until you’ve passed 6 years, and then apply, or can you apply in advance at say 5.5 years of residence?
How long does it take to get an application approved (from submitting to receiving passport). I read somewhere that it could be 24months?
Applying for a passport is a different process. You start that once you’ve become a citizen, and that just takes a few weeks. Application time for citizenship varies massively, but it has been longer lately because of the change in law to allow dual citizenship, which led to more applications. The UDI website publishes its latest expected waiting times.
Hi, where can you take the norwegian language test so it’s accepted by UDI?
Thanks!