Methods and grounds for obtaining Norwegian citizenship. How to apply for citizenship status and purchase a Norwegian passport. Is dual citizenship allowed in Norway? What is needed to obtain citizenship: documents, application requirements, passing exams. Terms and cost of registration.
Norwegian citizenship provides for a legal connection between an individual and the state, which is expressed in the totality of the rights and obligations of the parties. The Kingdom is not included in the list of EU countries, but is a full participant in the Schengen Agreement and a member of the European Free Economic Area Associations EEA/EFTA. According to the Schengen Border Code, Norwegian citizens can freely travel, live, work and do business in any country on the Scandinavian Peninsula and the European Union. Read more about the features and conditions for obtaining a Norwegian passport for Russians later in the article.
Conditions for obtaining Norwegian citizenship
According to the Nationality Act, a Norwegian passport can be obtained by birth/adoption, by application or by naturalization. In most cases, a person of foreign origin receives a document on the basis of legal residence in the Kingdom for a total of 8 years out of the last 11. The condition for naturalization is the acquisition of permanent residence and the applicant’s compliance with the requirements of the Integration Law. Applicants between the ages of 18 and 67 take a language and statehood test. The legislation provides simplified conditions for obtaining a passport for candidates with family ties in Norway, as well as residents of the EU and Northern Europe.
Who can obtain Norwegian citizenship
The following people have the right to request a Norwegian passport:
- Permanent residents (migrant workers, entrepreneurs, refugees).
Holders of Norwegian permanent residence can apply for a passport subject to legal uninterrupted residence in Norway for 8 years out of 11. The total eight-year residence period must include at least 1 year of residence in the country under a permanent residence permit, achieved during one or more application periods. For applicants who have demonstrated sufficient income (more than 30,492 EUR/year) with payment of a flat tax, the requirements for the duration of stay in the state are reduced to 6 years out of 10. The general conditions for naturalization do not apply to asylum seekers in Norway. However, at the time of filing an application for citizenship, the refugee must confirm that over the past decade he has lived in the Kingdom for a total of 7 years, including 1 year under a residence permit. - Spouses of subjects.
Registered partners and cohabitants of Norwegian citizens can apply for a state passport after 5 years of permanent residence in the country out of the last 10. The total period of residence must include 1 year of residence permit. You can apply after 7 years of marriage. The authenticity of the marital relationship is verified by the Norwegian police. - Former subjects.
Applicants who have lost Norwegian citizenship can restore their passport after two years of continuous stay in the country, provided that this period includes 1 year of stay in the Kingdom under a residence permit. Persons with a criminal history and outstanding convictions are not eligible for re-acquisition of status. - Residents of the EU and Northern Europe.
Citizens of Scandinavian countries have the right to request a Norwegian passport after two years of continuous stay in the Kingdom. Persons covered by the EEA Agreement (EU residents, as well as their spouses/partners, minor children, dependent relatives) receive a document after three years of permanent residence in the state. - Foreigners who moved to Norway before reaching the age of 18.
This category of immigrants is naturalized after 5 years of residence in the state of their last 7, including 1 year of temporary residence. - Adopted/biological children of subjects.
An applicant acquires citizenship of a country unconditionally if at least one of his living or deceased parents is a legal resident of the state. Minor children also inherit the legal status of their guardians when guardianship has been granted by the Norwegian authorities in accordance with the Adoption Act. Automatic recognition of nationality also applies to children found in Norway whose origin has not been established (the identity of the parents is unknown).
Ways to acquire Norwegian citizenship status
The timing, cost and features of obtaining citizenship depend on the status of the applicant, his nationality and connection with the state. Norwegian legislation provides for several ways to acquire a passport under different conditions:
- By birth.
Norwegians on the father’s and/or mother’s side acquire citizenship automatically, in a short time and without certain requirements. An exception is for persons who, before the age of 22, stayed in the Kingdom for less than two years or less than 7 years in total in Norway and other Scandinavian countries. This category of applicants formalizes their status by submitting an application to retain citizenship. There is no fee for issuing a birthright passport. - According to the statement.
Persons who lost their Norwegian passport due to acquiring citizenship of another country before January 1, 2020, as well as former subjects of the Kingdom over 12 years of age, apply for status on the basis of a valid passport, a police clearance certificate and data from the National Population Register Folkeregisteret. The application is considered within 3 months. The consular fee is 305 EUR (for residents of Northern Europe countries – 257 EUR). - By naturalization.
Norwegian citizenship can be applied for by permanent residents of the Kingdom over 12 years of age who have successfully passed the citizenship test, confirmed financial solvency, availability of housing and intention to reside in the state in the future. A prerequisite for obtaining citizenship on the basis of permanent residence is the achievement of a certain period of residence (8 years out of 11) and knowledge of the Norwegian language at a level of at least B1. A child under 18 years of age is naturalized with the consent of both parents. The registration fee is 620 EUR and is not charged to minor applicants. The application is considered within 18 months from the date of submission of documents to the police.
Grounds for naturalization
The path to naturalization for Russian immigrants begins with choosing a certain type of residence permit, which allows you to obtain permanent residence status after 3–5 years of continuous stay in the Kingdom. An immigrant successively obtains temporary and permanent residence, and upon reaching the required period of residence, submits documents for citizenship. The reasons for moving to Norway to acquire citizenship may be:
- Employment.
A work residence permit is issued upon availability of an invitation from a specific Norwegian employer. Experienced, qualified specialists who have undergone professional training, religious leaders, athletes and coaches can request permanent residence after 3 years of stay in the country on a temporary certificate, and after another 7-8 years – apply for citizenship if the conditions for continuous residence are met. - Commercial activity.
An entrepreneurial residence permit is provided for self-employed persons who have confirmed sole ownership of a business, have relevant professional experience/qualifications and have received permission/license from Norwegian government agencies (if necessary). The estimated income from commercial activities must exceed EUR 26,623/year. This type of residence permit allows you to acquire permanent resident status after 3 years, and after the next 7-8 years – to naturalize. - Asylum, humanitarian status.
Refugees receive permanent residence after 5 years of stay in the state as temporary residents. After achieving an uninterrupted seven-year period of residence within the last decade, one can apply for Norwegian citizenship. - Family reunification.
Foreigners who have moved to the Kingdom on the basis of family immigration (spouses, dependents, close relatives of residents/citizens) are entitled to acquire Norwegian citizenship on the same basis as the persons inviting them. - Education.
Residence in Norway under a study residence permit is not the basis for acquiring permanent residence and is not taken into account when calculating the period of residence in the naturalization process. However, a university graduate can apply for a temporary residence permit for the purpose of searching for work and find employment under simplified conditions, without prior approval from the Norwegian Labor and Social Security Administration. In the future, a former student at a Norwegian educational institution can naturalize on the general conditions for the chosen basis (work, business).
Required documents
To obtain a Norwegian passport, a citizen of the Russian Federation should prepare a package of documents containing:
- Completed application form.
All necessary application forms are available on the UDI Immigration Directorate website in the “Forms” section. - Identification.
An original valid citizen/immigrant/refugee passport must be presented at the police station. - Notarized photocopies of all pages of the existing travel document.
Data is required for the last 10 years or for the period during which the applicant has held a Norwegian residence permit. - Birth certificate.
May be required for persons born outside Norway who have not previously provided this document to Norwegian immigration authorities. - Data on time spent abroad.
After authorization on the website of the UDI Immigration Directorate, the applicant fills out a special form on the Application Portal containing data on all trips abroad during the last 10 years or for another period of legal residence in Norway sufficient for naturalization. - Review of planned trips abroad.
It is required to describe and justify all proposed trips abroad in the near future lasting more than 2 months (work, study, travel). - A current police clearance certificate.
To obtain this document, the applicant must submit an application on the Norwegian Police portal. The validity period of the issued certificate is 3 months. - Certificate confirming passing the Norwegian citizenship test.
The applicant may be exempt from the examination for health reasons or if he has an academic certificate that proves the required competence (for persons who have previously studied at schools and universities in Norwegian).
Certificates and certificates issued abroad must be translated into Norwegian or English by a certified specialist. All original documents, except the passport, are subject to legalization by affixing an Apostille stamp.
Procedure for obtaining Norwegian citizenship
- Choosing the basis for legalizing residence in Norway.
Initially, you should determine the specific purpose of the visit to the country and develop a clear algorithm of actions in accordance with legislative norms. Migrant workers can read instructions for finding a job on the website of the Labor and Social Security Administration, entrepreneurs have the opportunity to register a business on the portal The Brønnøysund Register Centre, applicants will find a list of Norwegian universities using the Study in Norway resource. - Opening a national visa.
Persons wishing to come to the Kingdom to subsequently obtain Norwegian citizenship are required to apply for a long-term permit based on the confirmed purpose of the visit to the country: an invitation from an employer, registration of a company, admission to a university. Russians, Ukrainians and Belarusians submit documents for consideration to the UDI Immigration Directorate through the official VFS Global visa center. All applicants over 6 years old take biometrics: ten fingerprints and a facial photo. The standard period for issuing a permit is 4 months. - Obtaining a residence permit .
Within 30 days from the date of entry into Norway, a foreigner must contact the police at his place of residence to obtain a residence card. It is advisable to reserve an application date before arriving in the country, as the waiting time for an appointment can be long. - Acquisition of permanent residence .
After reaching the required period of settlement under a Norwegian residence permit, a foreigner has the right to apply for permanent residence. To do this, you must confirm the fact of continuous stay in the country for at least 7/10 months out of the required 3/5 years, depending on the purpose of your stay in the state. A police report can be submitted as early as three months before the conditions for the duration of residence in Norway are met. The application is registered no later than 30 days before the expiration of the current permit. After submitting the application, the foreigner can remain in the country on the same basis as before until receiving a response from the representative bodies for the next 16 months. - Naturalization.
An immigrant who has lived in Norway for an average of about 6-8 years out of the last 10-11 years can apply for citizenship. The application is submitted to the police no later than 30 days before the expiration of the existing permit. Applicants for a Norwegian passport are required to demonstrate their reliability, knowledge of the language and the basics of statehood. To confirm the required competencies, a foreigner takes a test on the website of the Directorate of Higher Education and Expertise. The Immigration Service reviews the case within 18 months and notifies the decision via email or SMS.
Refusal and revocation of Norwegian citizenship
The Norwegian Immigration Service may refuse to grant an applicant civil status if, during an identity check, the following is found:
- false, incomplete or unreliable data;
- outstanding convictions;
- connections with criminal groups;
- actions contrary to the fundamental interests of the state.
Within 3 weeks from the receipt of a negative decision from the competent authorities, the applicant or his authorized representative has the right to file an appeal. To do this, you should write a corresponding letter in Norwegian or English, then upload it to a special form for sending documents or submit it to the police. There is no provision for a repeated appeal after the appeal application is rejected.
Dual Norwegian citizenship
As of January 1, 2020, dual Norwegian citizenship has been legalized by the government. At the moment, the applicant does not need to renounce his current status to receive the document. Most post-Soviet states do not allow bipatrism, but do not prohibit their residents from having multiple passports.
Benefits of Norwegian citizenship
A Norwegian passport is a document that gives its owner a number of rights and opportunities, namely:
- visa-free entry into the territory of 188 countries;
- progressive social services and prestigious education free of charge;
- access to the international banking system and European preferential lending programs;
- the right to high-level medical care in any EU and Nordic country under a Norwegian insurance policy;
- simplified visa program for the USA and Canada.
Norway is a highly developed country with a stable economy, a favorable environmental situation and a low crime rate. The incomes of the state’s residents are among the highest in Europe, and social security programs guarantee powerful financial support for older citizens and people in difficult life circumstances.