How to Get Norway CitizenshipKey facts
- Residence for naturalisation
- 8 years
- Language
- Test or certificate
- Dual citizenship
- Accepted
- Civic test
- Required, with a test or certificate
- Criminal record
- A criminal record or good character condition applies
- Income condition
- No income condition in the law
- Dual citizenship in detail
- Accepted in both directionsNew citizens do not have to give up their previous citizenship.Citizens who naturalise abroad keep their citizenship.
- Available routes
- Region
- Europe
- Law in force as of
- 1 January 2024
- Last checked
- Not yet checked by our team
The rule text in the sections below was coded for the law on 1 January 2024. A November 2026 search found no later change for this country, but this has not been verified.
Naturalisation (residence)
This route covers foreign residents who seek citizenship after living in Norway, subject to the conditions below. Meeting the legal conditions does not guarantee approval, since authorities retain final discretion.
- Residence
- 8 years
Person has resided in Norway for a total of 8 years in the last 11 years with residence or work permits of at least 1 year duration, or, if person has sufficient income (established by regulation) according to a tax settlement, for a total of 6 years in the last 10 years with residence or work permits of at least 1 year duration.
- Previous citizenship
- New citizens do not have to give up their previous citizenship
- Language
- Required, with a test or certificate
If applicant is between 18 and 67 years old, there is a requirement of passing at a minimum level B1 in an oral test in Norwegian.
- Civic knowledge
- Required, with a test or certificate
Person must pass a civic integration test.
- Criminal record
- A criminal record or good character condition applies
If the applicant has been sentenced to punishment, a certain time must have lapsed before naturalisation is possible. There is no right to naturalisation if this goes against the state's vital interests or foreign policy considerations.
- Income or economic resources
- No income condition in the law
Marriage or civil partnership
This route covers people married to a citizen of Norway, subject to the conditions below. Meeting the legal conditions does not guarantee approval, since authorities retain final discretion.
Person is the spouse of a citizen, with common household. Ordinary naturalisation applies (see the rules for ordinary naturalisation) with reduced residency requirement: Person must have has resided in Norway at least 5 out of the last 10 years with residence or work permits of at least 1 year. In addition, the duration of the residence and the duration of the marriage with citizen must total a minimum of 7 years.
Descent (citizen parent)
Descent from a citizen parent is the basis of this route in Norway. Norway grants citizenship by operation of law, requiring no decision from any authority.
Descent (born in country)
Person is born to a citizen.
Descent (born abroad)
Person is born to a citizen.
Child of a new citizen
For children whose parent becomes a citizen of Norway, the rules below set out what applies.
Transfer to a child
Person is a minor whose parent is acquiring or has acquired citizenship by naturalisation. If over 2 years old, the person must have been resident in Norway for 2 years, with residence or work permits of at least 1 year.
Child coacquisition
Person is a minor who, if under the age of 2, has been resident in Norway for 2 years and whose parent is acquiring citizenship by naturalisation. Other conditions: see the rules for transfer to a child.
Child coacquisition
Person is an unmarried minor child of a citizen of a Nordic country that acquires Norwegian citizenship by declaration. The child must be resident in Norway.
Adoption
Adoption by a citizen of Norway is the basis of this route. Norway grants citizenship by operation of law, requiring no decision from any authority.
Person is a minor who is adopted by a citizen.
Former citizens (reacquisition)
For former citizens of Norway, the rules below show when citizenship can be reacquired.
Person is a former citizen who has been resident in Norway for 2 years with work or residence permits of at least 1 year.
Person who lost his/her Norwegian citizenship and has thereafter only been a citizen of Nordic countries, may reacquire the citizenship by declaration if residing in Norway.
Person lost his/her citizenship due to acquisition of, or failure to renounce other citizenship. Exceptions apply where the person has been sentenced to certain criminal sanctions. Other conditions: person must have resided for at least 6 months in Norway before the age of 22, unless the Norwegian citizenship was originally acquired by naturalisation. There is no right to reacquisition if this goes against the vital interest of the state or foreign policy considerations.
Citizens of specific countries
Holding the citizenship of a particular country is the basis of this route in Norway.
Person is a citizen of Denmark, Finland, Iceland or Sweden and has been resident in Norway for 2 years. Other conditions: see the rules for ordinary naturalisation.
Person is over 18 and has been resident in Norway for 7 years, has a clean criminal record. Also by declaration if the person is a former citizen who acquired citizenship of Denmark, Finland, Iceland or Sweden and seeks to recover citizenship. Automatic extension to minor children.
Ethnic or cultural affinity
For people with ethnic or cultural ties to Norway, the rules below set out what applies. Meeting the legal conditions does not guarantee approval, since authorities retain final discretion.
Person is a descendant of citizens who emigrated to Murmansk or Arkhangel County in Russia from the second half of the 19th century until the Russian border was closed in the late 1920s, who have been granted a residence or work permit because they have a specific connection with Norway, and who have been resident in Norway for 2 years preceding the application with residence or work permits of at least one year. Other conditions: see the rules for ordinary naturalisation.
Residence during childhood
This route covers people who lived in Norway during childhood, subject to the conditions below. Meeting the legal conditions does not guarantee approval, since authorities retain final discretion.
Person arrived in Norway as a minor. Ordinary naturalisation applies (see the rules for ordinary naturalisation), with reduced residency requirement: person must have resided a total of 5 out of 7 years with a residence permits of at least 1 year.
Refugees
For recognised refugees in Norway, the rules below set out what applies. Meeting the legal conditions does not guarantee approval, since authorities retain final discretion.
Person is a recognised refugee and has resided in Norway for a total of seven years during the last ten years, with residence permits of at least one year's duration. Other conditions: see the rules for ordinary naturalisation
Stateless persons
This route covers stateless people and children who would otherwise be stateless, subject to the conditions below.
Foundlings
Person is found in Norway of unknown parentage.
Otherwise stateless (born in country)
Person is a recognised stateless person born in Norway. Other conditions of the provision do not apply to a child born in Norway.
Stateless persons
Person is a recognised stateless person. Ordinary naturalisation applies (see the rules for ordinary naturalisation), but with no minimum age or residence requirement. However, if the person is over 18, he or she must have been resident in Norway for 3 years, with a residence permits of at least 1 year. This provision does not apply to persons who by their own action or omission has chosen to be stateless, or who in a simple way can acquire the citizenship of another state.
Not available in Norway: Birth in the country, Other family members of citizens, Very long residence, Special achievements, Public or military service, Investment. This follows the GLOBALCIT coding, with in-force changes applied.
Dual citizenship
Dual citizenship is accepted in Norway for new citizens and for citizens who naturalise abroad.
- New citizens
- New citizens do not have to give up their previous citizenship
- Citizens who naturalise abroad
- Citizens who naturalise abroad keep their citizenship
Compare with neighbours
Across Northern Europe, the most common requirement is 8 years, and Norway sets the same period.
Check where Norway sits in the full residence ranking
| Country | Residence | Language | Dual citizenship |
|---|---|---|---|
 Denmark | 9 years | Test or certificate | Accepted |
 Estonia | 8 years | Required, no test | Citizens abroad only |
 Finland | 8 years | Test or certificate | Accepted |
 Iceland | 7 years | Required, no test | Accepted |
 Lithuania | 10 years | Required, no test | Not accepted |
 Sweden | 8 years | None | Accepted |
Official sources
This page was located by search and has not yet been checked by our team.
Naturalisation provisions: Nationality law: Art. 7, 8.
Cite this page
TravelDecl. (n.d.). How to Get Norway Citizenship. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://traveldecl.com/citizenship/norway/
<a href="https://traveldecl.com/citizenship/norway/">How to Get Norway Citizenship</a> (TravelDecl, retrieved 5 November 2026)
Sources and licence
Vink, van der Baaren, Bauböck, Džankić, Honohan, Manby (2025). GLOBALCIT Citizenship Law Dataset v3.1. Global Citizenship Observatory, https://hdl.handle.net/1814/73190. CC BY 4.0. Modified by TravelDecl.
Modified by TravelDecl: updated with changes after 1 January 2024.
GLOBALCIT codes the law as written. Fees, processing times, quotas and how officials apply the rules in practice are not in this dataset: check them with the official authority.
FAQ
How many years to become a Norwegian citizen?
The nationality law of Norway sets 8 years of residence for ordinary naturalisation, along with further conditions.
Does Norway allow dual citizenship?
Yes. Norway accepts dual citizenship in both directions, as coded in the data.
Do I need a language test for Norwegian citizenship?
The law of Norway requires language ability, shown by a test or certificate.
Is there a civic knowledge test for Norwegian citizenship?
A civic knowledge test or certificate is required when applying for Norwegian citizenship.
Do I have to give up my current citizenship to get Norwegian citizenship?
Your current citizenship does not need to be given up to get Norwegian citizenship. The law of your current country may have its own rules on this.
Can I get Norway citizenship by marriage?
Yes. Marriage to a citizen is a route to citizenship in Norway. Procedure: discretionary.
Can I get Norway citizenship by descent?
Yes, Norway has a descent route. Procedure: automatic.
Can I get Norway citizenship by investment?
No. The data codes no citizenship-by-investment route for Norway.
Related pages
Also see: Norway passport, visa-free access and entry rules. Latest law changes.
Corrections to this page are handled by Sarah Kim, Fact-Checker.