Citizenship of Norway

Norway has a high standard of living, a stable economy and developed social systems. The kingdom attracts those who want to change their destiny. A new citizen becomes a full-fledged member of society, while gaining access to a variety of benefits: from medical care to improving career prospects. The advantages of a Norwegian passport include access to high-quality education and great business opportunities. This is especially true for entrepreneurs who are looking for a suitable environment for their investments, as well as for young families seeking to secure the future for their children.

As for special programs for obtaining citizenship, at the moment, according to the law, there are several categories of foreigners who can apply for simplified conditions of naturalization in Norway. Persons who arrived in the kingdom before the age of 18 must have lived in the country legally for 5 years, and stateless persons for 3 years.

Ways to obtain citizenship

A Norwegian passport is obtained by right of birth or adoption, through marriage or by naturalization. In the latter case, it will be necessary to comply with the requirements of the law «On Integration», which entered into force in 2006.

By naturalization

Requirements for the applicant:

• passing the test (it is required to pass an exam in social studies or citizenship, each includes the following sections: family, health, education, work, history of the country, state structure);
• proof of financial viability (income over 30,492 € per year);
• no criminal record.

Please note!

The concept of «no criminal record» implies that a person is not wanted for criminal offenses and is not a member of terrorist organizations.

A prerequisite is compliance with the period of settlement (at least 8 years out of 11) and knowledge of the official language. Minors can be naturalized with the consent of both guardians.

Reasons for moving:

1. Employment. A working residence permit requires an official invitation from the employer. Specialists with professional training, as well as religious figures, outstanding athletes and coaches apply for permanent residence after three years with a temporary permit.
2. Commercial activity. The residence permit is intended for individual entrepreneurs who can prove ownership of a business, significant experience and professional qualifications, as well as obtaining licenses and permits.
3. The provision of asylum. Refugees apply for permanent residence after a five-year legal stay on the basis of temporary asylum.
4. Family reunion. Foreigners who come to Norway (including dependents and close relatives) apply for the status on the same grounds as the family members who invited them.
5. Training. Residence on a study visa does not provide grounds for obtaining a status and is not taken into account when calculating residency. Nevertheless, graduates often apply for it to search for vacancies and employment on simplified terms, which is carried out without prior approval from the Department of Labor and Social Security. In the future, a former student can be naturalized on general terms.

Those who hold a passport from Finland, Sweden, Denmark and Iceland receive the status after a two-year stay in the Kingdom.

By right of blood

Norwegian children become citizens automatically, quickly and without special conditions, as well as orphans found in the country. The place of birth does not matter.

The exception is persons who have spent less than 7 years in the Scandinavian countries together before the age of 22. This category of applicants formalizes the status by submitting an application for its preservation.

Through marriage

Foreigners who are officially married or in a registered partnership with Norwegians apply for a passport in a simplified manner. They are subject to the usual requirements for naturalizing, with the exception of sedentariness. Instead of 8 years, the relocator must live in the Kingdom for at least 5 years out of the last 10.

The period of joint life and registered marriage does not necessarily have to coincide with this period. Partners may live abroad for some time, but it is important that they can confirm cohabitation with their spouse for 7 years.

Advantages of Norwegian citizenship

Norwegian passport holders travel and work freely in the European Union and other countries with which the Kingdom has concluded visa-free travel agreements.

Other important advantages include:

• prestigious free education (tuition does not have to be paid for by residents of the European Union and those who have a residence permit in Norway); 
• social protection (everyone who lives in the country can apply for assistance if they do not have enough money to live); 
• political stability (the Kingdom has the strongest democratic foundation in the world: elections honest, the power of the parties is replaceable, civil liberties are respected); 
• the right to vote and be elected (citizens from the age of 18 can participate in parliamentary and local elections); 
• obtaining a visa to the United States of America and Canada under a simplified scheme; 
• preferential loans (mainly loans are given to those who have a stable income from work, but a loan can also be taken if there is a disability allowance); 
• affordable medical care (for children under 16, pregnant, nursing, elderly and disabled people, medical care is free, in other cases it is necessary to pay, but the amount depends on the situation and always acceptable).

Dual citizenship

According to the current law on citizenship, foreigners seeking to legitimize their presence in the territory can acquire another citizenship, while maintaining the original one. As a result, they get the right to use two passports, as well as all the benefits provided, but in each country they are recognized only by their residents.

The authorities do not require the relocant to renounce his original passport and do not inform the authorities of his native country about obtaining a certificate from another State.

Citizenship by Investment Program

This feature is not available. But businessmen get a residence permit by investing in the local economy and real estate. And he, in turn, opens access to the passport in the future.

The expected annual income from business activities should be at least 26,623 €. A businessman becomes a resident after 3 years.

Recent reforms of the citizenship program

Starting in 2019, individuals will lose their passports if they are sentenced to six years in prison for serious crimes related to military operations, terrorism, treason or espionage.

Since January 1, 2020, the authorities have officially recognized multiple citizenship, which allows you not to renounce citizenship. Now the refusal of an existing certificate is not a condition for naturalization.

According to article 22 of the relevant law, persons who previously had the status can restore it by submitting an application to the Directorate for Foreigners. In addition, birthright is now granted to children born in families where at least one of the parents is already a citizen. Before that, it was inherited exclusively from the fathers.

Step-by-step process

The procedure for obtaining in 2024 consists of the following stages:

Children are added to the parents' application, while a minimum period of residence in Norway is set for them – at least two years. Also, minors who have lived in the Kingdom for a total of 5 out of seven years and have reached the age of 12 have the right to apply independently.

Collecting documents and submitting an application

The applicant needs to register on the portal of the Norwegian Immigration Office (UDI), which will allow him to access the application form and the list of requirements, as well as make an appointment for a visit. The dossier is submitted personally to the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The waiting time varies depending on the specific circumstances.

The applicant is exempt from taking the citizenship exams for health reasons or if there is an academic certificate confirming the required competence (for those who previously studied at local universities).

List of documents

You will need to provide:

• completed application form;
• original passport; 
• notarized copies of all pages of the available travel document;
• birth and marriage certificate, if required;
• certificate confirming successful completion of tests; 
• certificate of non-conviction (the issued certificate has a validity period of 3 months).

After logging in to UDI, the applicant must fill out a special form on the Application Portal, which contains data on all trips over the past 10 years or for another period of legal residence in the Kingdom.

In addition, you will need to provide an overview of planned trips abroad, justifying all proposed trips that will last more than 60 days (for example, work, study or travel).

Certificates issued abroad should be translated into Norwegian or English using the services of a certified translator.

All originals, except for a foreign passport, must be legalized using an Apostille stamp.

The cost of obtaining the status for an adult applicant is 6,500 NKr. The costs of translation and notary services (from 10 to 15 € per page of text), renting an apartment for living and intermediary services, if such assistance is needed, are also taken into account. In addition, during the naturalization process, fees for registration and extension of a residence permit are paid, which range from 500 to 900 €, depending on the basis, as well as a fee for obtaining permanent residence (from 300 €).

Consideration and decision

The immigration service is dealing with this issue. For candidates of Scandinavian origin, the decision is made within 60 days. In other cases, the waiting period usually does not exceed six months. If the application passes automatic verification, the review takes place faster – within two months.

The transfer of documents from the police to the UDI takes from seven days to several months, and it depends on the department. The decision will be sent to the applicant's email or postal address.

Disadvantages of Norwegian citizenship

Despite the large number of significant advantages for Russians, there are also some disadvantages of Norwegian citizenship. The following are distinguished:

• significant costs; 
• language requirements; 
• lack of an investment program;
• integration conditions (applicants must demonstrate their willingness to integrate into Norwegian society, as well as respect its rules and traditions).

If Norwegian citizenship is refused, you can appeal to the Directorate for Foreigners. If he does not change the decision, the verdict can be appealed to the Aliens Appeals Commission.