Norwegian Citizenship

• 7 years of residence: You must have lived in Norway for at least 7 of the last 10 years with valid permits (Nationality Act § 7)
• Permanent residence permit: You must hold a permanent residence permit (or be exempt, e.g., Nordic citizens)
• Age requirement: You must be at least 12 years old to apply on your own
• Identity documented: Your identity must be sufficiently documented
• No serious criminal record: Certain criminal convictions lead to a waiting period before you can apply
• Language test (B1 oral): You must pass a Norwegian language test at B1 level (oral) or higher
• Civics test: You must pass the civics test (samfunnskunnskapsprøven) in Norwegian
• 600 hours of Norwegian courses: Required for applicants aged 18-67 (or documented equivalent skills)

Since January 1, 2020, Norway allows dual citizenship. This means:

• You do NOT need to give up your current citizenship when becoming Norwegian
• Norwegian citizens who acquire another citizenship no longer lose their Norwegian one
• Former Norwegian citizens who lost their citizenship due to the old rules can apply to get it back