Norway is attracting an increasing number of migrants from different parts of the world. Starting from the regions covered by military conflicts (Middle East), ending with quite stable and developed states (USA, Western Europe). Many immigrants expect to stay in the country long enough to eventually obtain Norwegian citizenship.
How to get Norwegian citizenship?
The basic rules governing the issuance of a Norwegian passport are spelled out in the local citizenship law. The rights and obligations arising after receiving the document are specified in other regulations. The application for Norwegian citizenship is submitted through the special UDI website.
First of all, any child, regardless of the country of birth, if one of the parents has a Norwegian passport automatically receives Norwegian citizenship. In addition, conditions may vary for residents of some countries. For example, for citizens of the Scandinavian states, the process is simplified. In other cases, it is necessary to undergo a certain procedure known as naturalization.
Norwegian citizenship by naturalization
To apply for citizenship by naturalization, a foreigner must have a residence permit in Norway. Moreover, the document must be valid during the entire period of consideration of the application. Further, the following requirements are provided for the candidate:
The presence of an identity document, as a rule, is a civil passport. An exception may be refugees from regions where hostilities are taking place or persons who, for reasons beyond their control, cannot restore their passport in their country. In this case, it is allowed to provide any other document for identification.
Have a permanent residence permit or fulfill the requirements for issuing this document. The main conditions here are living in Norway for 3 years with a residence permit, no criminal record and taking language courses (see paragraph 3). In addition, the candidate must have a strong desire to stay on the territory of this country in the future.
Persons between the ages of 18 and 55 must take special courses in the study of the Norwegian language. Usually the training period is 300 hours. Foreigners who have received education in Norwegian at one of the local universities and holders of a certificate proving sufficient language skills are exempted from taking courses.
If the person has a criminal record, serious administrative fines or is under investigation, depending on the severity of the crime or the prison term, the period for granting citizenship can be delayed from 2 to 34 years and 6 months.
Renunciation of previous citizenship. Issued only if the laws of the home country do not provide for automatic cancellation of the document. With rare exceptions, it is allowed not to do this. The reason may be war, political persecution, the length of the procedure (more than a year), refusal to deprive of citizenship and other weighty circumstances.
From 1 January 2020, it is allowed to hold one or more citizenships in addition to Norwegian citizenship. Previously, most people had to give up their previous citizenship to obtain a Norwegian passport.
Period of obtaining a Norwegian passport
The period of uninterrupted stay in Norway must be at least 7 years out of the last 10. In this case, a residence permit issued for at least 1 year is included in the calculation. Sometimes this rule can be excluded, for example, in the case of family reunification or professional activities.
Stays outside Norway for more than 2 months during the year are not included in the period of uninterrupted stay.
The period of permanent residence in Norway is reduced for the following categories:
- up to 5 years old, if a child aged 12 to 18 years old applies independently, regardless of the parents’ citizenship;
- up to 3 years, in case of marriage with a Norwegian citizen;
- up to 2 years, for minors (under the age of 18), if one of the parents has a Norwegian passport;
In 2021, the cost of obtaining Norwegian citizenship is 3,700 Norwegian kroner (350 euros). Persons under the age of 18 are exempt from payment. For those who previously held Norwegian citizenship, there is a reduced fee of NOK 2,700 (€ 255).
Watch also: Residence Permit in Norway 2021: Guide
Advantages of living in Norway
Norway is one of the most prosperous countries in the world, with high incomes and social security. Unlike many European educational institutions, Norwegian universities provide free higher education, including to foreigners. A thriving market economy is associated with abundant natural resources, in particular oil and gas.
A large number of foreigners are quite successful in finding work in Norway, especially on oil platforms and fish factories. Many even manage to open their own business.
However, it is worth highlighting a few points that to some extent restrain the number of those wishing to get a Norwegian passport.
