What group do you belong to?

• Stateless person over the age of 18

  If you have a valid residence permit in Norway and you live here permanently, you can apply for Norwegian citizenship. You must have a valid residence permit, or have applied for one, when UDI processes your application. If you don’t have a permanent residence permit, it is important that you renew your temporary permit at least one month before it expires.

  Applying for Norwegian citizenship does not mean you have the right to stay in Norway.

  Requirements for Norwegian citizenship

  • You must pay an application fee.
  • You must have your identity verified. As a general rule, you are required to present a passport. 
  • You must be residing in Norway and intend to continue living here in the future.
    
    • You must reside in Norway both when you apply for Norwegian citizenship and when the application is processed.
  • You must have lived continuously in Norway for the last three years with residence permits valid for at least one year. The requirements are:
    • You cannot have been outside of Norway for more than two months per calendar year in the past three years.
    • You cannot have been without a valid residence permit for more than two months in total the past three years.

  The past three years are calculated from the date we decide your case.

  • If you are between 18 and 67 years old, you must meet the following requirements:
    
    • Passed an oral test in Norwegian at level A2 at the minimum or provide proof of sufficient Norwegian skills
    • Passed a test in social studies in Norwegian, passed a citizenship test or provide proof of sufficient knowledge about the Norwegian society
    • You may request exemption from these requirements if you are unable to meet them due to health, personal circumstances or other compelling reasons
  • If you over the age of 15 years: You must order a criminal record certificate (external website), which you must hand in with the application. The certificate cannot be more than three months old when you meet for your appointment with the police to submit the application documents. Therefore, you must wait to apply for a criminal record certificate until you know when you have an appointment with the police. If you already have a criminal record certificate that is older than three months, you must apply for a new certificate before you have your appointment. If you have been convicted or fined by the police or if you are under investigation for a criminal offence, you might have to wait longer to become a Norwegian citizen.
  • If you do not have a permanent residence permit, you must have at least three years of residence permits, that qualify for permanent residence.

  You must also meet the other requirements for a permanent residence permit, such as the self-sufficiency requirement (income requirement). All requirements must be met when UDI processes your citizenship application. For example, the self-sufficiency requirement must have been fulfilled for the last twelve months before the application is processed.

  Read about the consequences of applying for Norwegian citizenship without applying for permanent residence.

  Go to the application form

• Stateless person under the age of 18

  If you have a valid residence permit in Norway and you live here permanently, you can apply for Norwegian citizenship. You must have a valid residence permit, or have applied for one, when UDI processes your application. If you don’t have a permanent residence permit, it is important that you renew your temporary permit at least one month before it expires.

  Applying for Norwegian citizenship does not mean you have the right to stay in Norway.

  Your parents must apply

  Since you are under the age of 18, your parents, or the parent who has sole parental responsibility for you, must apply for Norwegian citizenship on your behalf. If your parents are dead or have forfeited their parental responsibility, your guardian has to submit the application.

  If you are over the age of 12, you have to consent to an application for Norwegian citizenship being submitted on your behalf.

  Requirements for Norwegian citizenship

  • You must have your identity verified. As a general rule, you are required to present a passport. 
  • You must be residing in Norway and intend to continue living here in the future.
    
    • You must reside in Norway both when you apply for Norwegian citizenship and when the application is processed.
  • If you over the age of 15 years: You must order a criminal record certificate (external website), which you must hand in with the application. The certificate cannot be more than three months old when you meet for your appointment with the police to submit the application documents. Therefore, you must wait to apply for a criminal record certificate until you know when you have an appointment with the police. If you already have a criminal record certificate that is older than three months, you must apply for a new certificate before you have your appointment. If you have been convicted or fined by the police or if you are under investigation for a criminal offence, you might have to wait longer to become a Norwegian citizen.
  • You must either have a permanent residence permit or meet the requirements for one. If you are applying without the permanent residence permit, you must have had residence permits for the last three years, that qualify for permanent residence. You must meet all the other requirements for a permanent residence permit. All requirements must be met when UDI processes your citizenship application.

  Read about the consequences of applying for Norwegian citizenship without applying for permanent residence.

  • If you are born in Norway, are under the age of one and your parents hold or meet the conditions for being granted a permanent residence permit, you can apply for a permanent residence permit and Norwegian citizenship at the same time, without having held a residence permit in Norway before. 

  Go to the application form

• Statless children under the age of 18 who have one Norwegian parent or apply together with one parent

  If you have a valid residence permit in Norway and you live here permanently, you can apply for Norwegian citizenship. You must have a valid residence permit, or have applied for one, when UDI processes your application. If you don’t have a permanent residence permit, it is important that you renew your temporary permit at least one month before it expires.

  Applying for Norwegian citizenship does not mean you have the right to stay in Norway.

  Your parents must apply

  Since you are under the age of 18, your parents, or the parent who has sole parental responsibility for you, must apply for Norwegian citizenship on your behalf. If your parents are dead or have forfeited their parental responsibility, your guardian has to submit the application.

  If you are over the age of 12, you have to consent to an application for Norwegian citizenship being submitted on your behalf.

  Requirements for Norwegian citizenship

  • You must have your identity verified. As a general rule, you are required to present a passport. 
  • You must be residing in Norway and intend to continue living here in the future.
    
    • You must reside in Norway both when you apply for Norwegian citizenship and when the application is processed.
  • If you over the age of 15 years: You must order a criminal record certificate (external website), which you must hand in with the application. The certificate cannot be more than three months old when you meet for your appointment with the police to submit the application documents. Therefore, you must wait to apply for a criminal record certificate until you know when you have an appointment with the police. If you already have a criminal record certificate that is older than three months, you must apply for a new certificate before you have your appointment. If you have been convicted or fined by the police or if you are under investigation for a criminal offence, you might have to wait longer to become a Norwegian citizen.
  • You must have stayed in Norway continuously for the past two years and have held residence permits that were each valid for at least one year (applies if you are over the age of two).
    • This means that you cannot have been abroad for more than two months per calendar year during the past two years.
    • Nor can you have stayed in Norway without a valid permit for more than two months in total during the past two years, reckoned from the date on which we make a decision in your case.
    • If you are under the age of two when you apply, there is no residence period requirement, but you must have applied for or hold a residence permit before we make a decision in your case.
    • Read more about how to calculate the length of your residence period.

  Go to the application form