Citizenship for children:
According to The Act on Norwegian nationality, a child born to a Norwegian mother or father acquires Norwegian citizenship automatically at birth. This applies no matter if the child is born in Norway or abroad, and no matter if the parents were married or not.
Please note that other rules apply for children born before 1 September 2006.
To confirm the child’s citizenship, the identity and citizenship of the child's parents must be determined.
Norwegian citizenship may also be acquired for children based on notification, adoption or application.
Please note that Norwegian citizenship acquired at birth, notification or adoption may later be lost.
For more information on how to confirm if you or your child is a Norwegian citizen, please see the UDI website.
Citizenship by application:
Applications for Norwegian citizenship must be lodged in Norway. The application should be registered online on Application Portal Norway before an appointment is made to submit supporting documents at the local police station in Norway. Notifications to get back Norwegian citizenship may be lodged abroad.
All applications for citizenship are forwarded to the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration for processing. You will receive notification in the post once the immigration authorities have received your application. The notification will include information about the expected case-processing time. The following link shows the UDI processing times: Case-processing times.
The UDI website provides information on who can apply for Norwegian citizenship and how to apply. The website also provides checklists for required documentation to provide with your application and a case procedures overview.
Norwegian citizenship may be lost if:
- you do not have close relationship with Norway;
- you acquired another citizenship before 1 January 2020,
- you apply to be released from your Norwegian citizenship, or
- your Norwegian citizenship is revoked
Loss due to no close relationship with Norway:
A person who acquired Norwegian citizenship at birth, but who has not resided in Norway for a total period of two years, or in Norway and other Nordic countries for a total of seven years, shall lose his or her Norwegian citizenship upon reaching the age of 22. The period of residence is defined as a continuous stay of not less than six months.
This does not apply to Norwegian citizens who:
- Will become stateless as a result of the loss, or
- Has been granted a licence to retain the citizenship ("Retention of citizenship beyond the age of 22")
Please note that other rules apply for Norwegian citizens who attained the age of 22 before 1 September 2006.
Loss in the event of acquisition of another citizenship:
If you obtained citizenship by application in another country before 1 January 2020, your Norwegian citizenship was automatically lost in accordance with the previous Norwegian Citizenship Act §23. This applies to all applications for citizenship, including applications for Australian citizenship by descent.
If you were granted citizenship in another country automatically (not by application or notification, nor having explicitly confirmed that you will become a citizen of another country), your Norwegian citizenship would not be lost.
If you have lost your Norwegian citizenship because you became a citizen of another country, it may be possible to get back your Norwegian citizenship. You must still check with the authorities in the country you are a citizen of now whether they accept that you have dual citizenship. For more information, please see Notification to get back your Norwegian citizenship
For more information regarding loss of Norwegian citizenship, please see UDI's website Losing your Norwegian citizenship.
From 1 January 2020, it is allowed to have one or more citizenships in addition to Norwegian citizenship. This rule applies to both Norwegian citizens who obtain another citizenship, and to those who are applying for Norwegian citizenship.
In order for you to have dual citizenship, the other country you are a citizen of must also allow this. You must always check with the authorities in the country you are or wish to become a citizen of if they allow dual citizenship.
Norwegian citizens who become a citizen of another country, must give written notice to the Norwegian authorities. For more information, see the Tax Administration's website.
Please note that the changes to the Citizenship Act implemented from 1 January 2020 are not retroactive. If you obtained another citizenship by application before 1 January 2020, your Norwegian citizenship was lost from the date your new citizenship was granted. In such case, it may be possible to get back your Norwegian citizenship. For more information, please see Notification to get back your Norwegian citizenship
For more information regarding dual citizenship, please see UDI's website: Dual citizenship.