Citizenship entails affiliation to a state with rights and obligations in relation to that state. If you are resident in Norway, you must submit your application for Norwegian citizenship to the police. If you reside abroad, your application is submitted to a Norwegian foreign service mission. Norwegian citizens can apply for Norwegian passports.
03/03/2008 ::
You must, as a rule, meet the following conditions in order to acquire Norwegian citizenship
- Have documented or clarified your identity
- Be at least 12 years old (or have parental consent if you are under the age of 18)
- Live in Norway and intend to continue living here
- Meet the conditions for a settlement permit. This does not apply to applicants with permits pursuant to the EEA/EFTA regulations
- Have spent a total of seven years in Norway during the last ten years
- Have shown good conduct
- Be released from your original nationality
Other requirements for period of residence:
Other reguirements for period of residence apply to, among others, former Norwegian citizens, applicants who are married to, are registered partner or cohabitant of a Norwegian or Nordic citizen, are children under 18 years of age or persons who are stateless.
If you have been convicted of a criminal offence, more than seven years' residence in Norway may be required.
Dual Nationality:
As a general rule, persons applying for Norwegian citizenship must be released from their previous nationality. Exceptions may however be made in certain cases.
Exemptions can be made if:
- The fee for being released from a previous nationality is unreasonably high
- The process of release takes an unreasonable length of time
- For reasons of personal security, the applicant should not contact the authorities in his/her home country
If the fee exceeds four per cent of the applicant's income, the release fee is considered to be unreasonably high. In such cases it is possible to retain the previous nationality.
This also applies if the applicant has daily care and control of children under the age of 18 and the release fee, including any release fees for children, exceeds two per cent of the applicant's income. A release fee of up to NOK 2,500 is nevertheless not deemed to be unreasonably high.
Orphans are not required to be released from their previous nationality if the authorities in their original home country demand a fee.
The following documents must be enclosed with the application:
- An original birth certificate or baptism certificate (applies to applicants born abroad)
- A copy of the applicant's tax certificate
- A police certificate of good conduct (which you obtain from the police). This also applies to children aged 15 years or more
- Original marriage certificate/confirmation of cohabitation/partnership certificate*
- Separation or divorce certificate*
- An overview of all stays abroad during the last ten years if the applicant has resided in Norway for so long
- Copies of all the pages in old an new travel documents for the last ten years** This also applies to children
*Applies if the applicant is or has been married, is a cohabitant or lives in a registered partnership
**Or for as long as the applicant has resided in Norway, if less than ten years
Children's applications for citizenship shall also include:
- Their original birth certificate or baptism certificate showing their parent's names (applies to children born abroad)
- Confirmation from the children's school that the children attend tuition, if the children are of school age
- Documentation from an official body which has parental responsibility (this applies if one of the parents does not have parental responsibility, or if persons other than the parent have parental responsibility)
- If the applicant has joint parental responsibility with another person, the other person's consent is required unless already given on the application form
- Overview of children's stay abroad and copies of all the pages in their travel documents for the last ten years**
**Or for as long they have been resident in Norway, if less than ten years
Requirement for Norwegian language skills:
Everyone applying for Norwegian citizenship after 1 September 2008 must be able to document that they have completed 300 hours of tuition in the Norwegian language and social studies or be able to document that they have sufficient knowledge of Norwegian or Sami.
Notification of receipt of application:
When you apply for citizenship you will receive notification in the post that the immigration authorities have received your application. The notification will include information about the expected case-processing time.
How long does it take to process an application?
It varies. See the UDI's website www.udi.no/case-processing time for updated information, or contact UDI's Information Service by e-mail ots@udi.no or phone (+47) 23 35 16 00.
You have been granted Norwegian citizenship:
When you have been granted Norwegian citizenship you can apply for a Norwegian passport from the police or a Norwegian foreign service mission.
Appeal:
If your application is rejected, you can appeal. UDI will first process your appeal. If UDI does not reverse the rejection, the appeal will be processed by the Immigration Appeals Board. The processing of appeals is free of charge.
Further information:
If you have any more questions, please contact the Information Service for applicants in UDI by e-mail ots@udi.no or phone (+47) 23 35 16 00, the police or your nearest Norwegian foreign service mission. Please also see links.
The Directorate of Immigration
Hausmannsgate 21
P.O Box 8108 Dep
N-0032 Oslo
Tel: (+47) 23 35 15 00
Fax: (+47) 23 35 15 15
Email: udi@udi.no