How to Become a Norwegian Citizen

Citizens of other countries can generally apply for Norwegian citizenship after having lived legally in the country for 7 years. Unless you are a citizen of a European Union country, this means that you must obtain a permanent residence permit before you can apply for Norwegian citizenship. Norwegians are proud of their language and culture, which is reflected in the fact that you must study and pass tests on social knowledge and the Norwegian language before you can become a citizen. of the country. ^{[1] X Research Source}

Table of Contents

Register for permanent residence

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You must have a valid residence permit for at least 3 years. In general, you can only be eligible to apply for permanent residence after having resided legally with a residence permit in Norway for at least 3 years. Residence permits are usually issued for the case of working or studying in the country. ^{[2] X Research Source}

If you are a spouse or lover living with a Norwegian who is working for an Embassy or Consulate, you are exempt from a residence permit.
If you are a citizen of an EU country, you automatically get a permanent residence permit in Norway after 5 years of living here. You must provide proof that you have lived here legally for 5 years, that you have worked, studied, or other self-sufficient activities. ^{[3] X Research Sources}

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Fluent advance Norwegian. Although many Norwegians speak English, if you want to become a permanent resident here, you must be fluent in their national language. Norwegian free online courses are available at https://www.ntnu.edu/learnnow/. ^{[4] X Research Sources}

There are different options for learning Norwegian for free, or you can pay for paid courses or tutoring. Find links to language resources at https://www.kompetansenorge.no/English/Immigrant-integration/#Norwegianlanguagetuition_5.

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Take the Norwegian language and social knowledge test. If you are between the ages of 16-55, you must pass an oral test of Norwegian as low as A1, and a written test of your knowledge of Norwegian society in the language of your choice. ^{[5] X Research Sources}

To learn about the Norwegian language test, go to https://www.kompetansenorge.no/norwegian-language-test/. On this page, you can register to take the test in the summer (July 5-12) or winter (November 26-December 6). The website includes links to study materials and practice tests.
To register for the social literacy test, visit https://www.kompetansenorge.no/test-in-social-studies/.

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Clean profile. During the 3 years you lived in Norway before applying for permanent residence, you were not allowed to commit a crime. You will also be ineligible for permanent residency if involuntary psychiatric treatment is required. ^{[6] X Research Source}

Committing a crime does not mean you are permanently barred from being a Norwegian citizen. However, you will have to wait another 3 years from the date of conviction before you can apply.

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Register your profile at the Registration Portal. Most applicants can complete an application for permanent residence at the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI) Online Application Portal. Visit https://selfservice.udi.no/ to create an account. ^{[7] X Research Sources}

From your user account on the Registration Portal, you can fill out an application, submit an application, make an appointment, and check the status of your application.

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Proof of financial ability. UDI only grants permanent residency to applicants who demonstrate that they have met the minimum financial income required for the previous year. In 2018, this regulation level was NOK 238,784. ^{[8] X Research Sources}

Minimum income requirements and supporting documentation will be listed on the application.
You will not receive any social security payments during your residency prior to submitting your application for permanent residence.

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Pay the registration fee. In 2018, the application fee for adult permanent residence was NOK 3,100. People under 18 years old do not need to pay the fee. To check fees and payment information, visit the UDI website. ^{[9] X Research Source}

If you complete and submit the application online, you can pay the fee online at the same time using your Visa or MasterCard card.
Review all the answers you have filled out in the application before submitting. Because once you’ve passed the checkout, you won’t be able to go back and edit anything. ^{[10] X Research Source}

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Bring supporting documents to the nearest police station. Once you have submitted your application, you can make an appointment to go to your local police station to submit other required documents. ^{[11] X Research Source}

To view a list of documents to bring to your appointment, visit https://www.udi.no/en/checklists-container/citizenship-travel-permanent/checklist-permanent-residence/ and answer a question. number of questions about the application.

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Wait for the notification. Once you have submitted your application, UDI will begin reviewing the process. This phase takes about 3-6 months to process a permanent residence application. You may be contacted again to obtain additional information and documents required before your application is approved. ^{[12] X Research Source}

You can monitor the application timeout by visiting https://www.udi.no/en/word-definitions/guide-to-case-processing-times-for-applications-for-permanent-residence/ and answer some questions.
If your application is denied, you can appeal. Information about how to appeal will be included in the notice you receive. ^{[13] X Research Source}

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Make an appointment with the police department. If your application for permanent residence is approved, you must go to the nearest police station to complete the process and receive your permanent resident card. The police will fingerprint and take a picture, then give you a card. ^{[14] X Research Source}

You can also book an appointment online from the Registration Portal if you already have an account set up here.
If you’re having trouble booking an appointment online, call the police department directly. You cannot make an appointment via UDI.

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Receive your permanent resident card by mail. Your card will be sent when done. Please allow at least 10 business days for the card to arrive. If planning to go abroad, make sure to allow a day to receive your permanent resident card before leaving the country. Otherwise, you will have difficulty returning. ^{[15] X Research Source}

Even with your photo on it, your permanent resident card cannot be considered proof of identity. When traveling outside of Norway, you still need to carry your passport.

Qualifying for naturalization

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Lived in Norway for 7 years. “Duration of stay” is the first condition you must meet to be eligible for Norwegian citizenship. The majority of applicants must have lived in Norway with a permanent residence permit for at least 7 years without interruption. ^{[16] X Research Source}

There are some exceptions for special groups of applicants, such as spouses of Norwegian citizens, athletes, or Norwegian citizens living and working abroad at the Norwegian Embassy or Consulate. Uy. ^{[17] X Research Source}
Short visits outside of the country are also allowed without being deemed to disrupt the period of stay. However, if you live outside the territory for more than 2 months in any year, your stay will end.

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Maintain a clean record while living in Norway. To become a Norwegian citizen, you must prove that, during your stay, you have not committed a crime or have been subjected to psychiatric treatment. ^{[18] X Research Sources}

If you have a criminal record, you can still become a Norwegian citizen. However, usually you have to wait. Waiting time depends on the penalty applied in your sentence.

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Have a clear identity. The Norwegian government must verify your identity through trusted documents before you qualify for citizenship. In most cases, this requires you to provide a valid passport from your home country. ^{[19] X Research Source}

If for some reason you no longer have a valid passport, other documents, such as a birth certificate, can be used.
Norway does not consider documents from countries like Iraq, Afghanistan, and Somalia to be authentic. Mainly because the governments of these countries are unstable, or there has just been unrest. If you’re from such countries, there’s a few extra steps to confirm your identity.

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Pass the oral test in Norwegian at level A2. To become a Norwegian citizen, you must demonstrate proficiency in Norwegian at level A2 or higher. If you have passed the Norwegian test for permanent residence at A1 level, you will have to retake the test to reach A2 level.

If you pass the Norwegian language test at level A2 when you get your permanent residence permit, you will not need to take it again.
Information about the language test is available on the Skills Norway website at https://www.kompetansenorge.no/English/.

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Pass the Norwegian citizenship test. When taking the social literacy test for your permanent residence permit, you are allowed to take the test in the language of your choice. If you choose to take the test in your own language, you must take the test again in Norwegian to be eligible for citizenship. ^{[20] X Research Sources}

Information about the citizenship test (social literacy) is available on the Skills Norway website at https://www.kompetansenorge.no/English/.
If your citizenship test when applying for a permanent residence permit was in Norwegian and passed, you will not need to take it again when you apply for naturalization.

Apply for naturalization

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Complete profile. You can apply for a profile on the UDI Application Portal at https://selfservice.udi.no/. If you registered an account using the Residency Application Portal previously, you can use the same account to apply for naturalization. ^{[21] X Research Source}

After logging into the user account, click through the steps required to complete the naturalization application. Make sure your answers are as clear and detailed as possible. All fields marked with a yellow asterisk must be completed before submitting the application. ^{[22] X Research Source}

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Fee payment. The fee for applying for Norwegian citizenship in 2018 is NOK 3700. Check the UDI website for the most up-to-date fees. Persons under the age of 18 do not need to pay a fee. ^{[23] X Research Sources}

If you apply through the Application Portal, you can pay the fee at the same time using your Visa or MasterCard card.
Once you have clicked the “Go to Payment” button, you will no longer be able to edit your application. If you make a mistake, you can correct it when you go to your appointment at the police station. ^{[24] X Research Sources}

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Bring additional documents to the police station. After submitting your application, you can make an appointment with the nearest police department to submit additional documents to the information you claim in the application. ^{[25] X Research Sources}

Documents required can vary, but are usually birth certificates, marriage or relationship certificates, passports, tax returns, police background checks, proof of language ability , and language and social literacy test results. ^{[26] X Research Source}
Go to https://www.udi.no/en/checklists-container/citizenship-travel-permanent/checklist-for-citizenship/ and answer the questions to get a list of the documents you need to bring.

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Waiting for response. UDI will conduct a review of your application upon receipt of all additional documentation. They may call you for an additional interview or provide additional documents to add to your resume.

To keep track of how long it took for your application to be reviewed, visit https://www.udi.no/en/word-definitions/guide-to-case-processing-times-for-applications-for-norwegian-citizenship/ and answer questions.
If your application is denied, you can appeal. Information about the appeals process will be included in the notice from the UDI decision. ^{[27] X Research Source}

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Make an appointment to receive a citizenship decision. If UDI approves your citizenship file, you can pick up the papers at the nearest police station. The naturalization decision must be received within 3 months of its issuance. ^{[28] X Research Sources}

After receiving your citizenship decision, you can apply for a Norwegian passport.
Bring your naturalization notice letter to the police station, along with your old passport and residence card.

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Relinquish old citizenship. Norway does not allow dual citizenship. If you want to become a Norwegian citizen, you must officially renounce your previous citizenship. Please go to the nearest Embassy or Consulate for instructions on the steps to renounce citizenship. ^{[29] X Research Sources}

The government is currently working on a proposal for dual citizenship. However, until the law is passed by Parliament, you still have to give up your old nationality to become a Norwegian citizen. If the new law is passed, the old law will remain unchanged until at least 2019. ^{[30] X Research Source}

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Attend the naturalization ceremony. After becoming a Norwegian citizen, you are invited to attend a naturalization ceremony where you will officially become a Norwegian citizen. Although this ceremony is voluntary, it is also a special event for new citizens like you. ^{[31] X Research Source}

If you do not attend the naturalization ceremony, you are still a Norwegian citizen.

Steps

Register for permanent residence

Qualifying for naturalization

Apply for naturalization

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