If you are a spouse or unmarried partner cohabiting with a Norwegian national who works in a Norwegian embassy or consulate, you are exempt from the residency requirement. If you are an EU national, you automatically acquire permanent residency in Norway after living there for 5 years. You must provide proof that you have been living legally in the country for 5 years, and that you are working, studying, or otherwise self-sufficient. [3] X Research source

There are other options available for learning Norwegian for free, or you can pay for commercial courses or private tutoring.

For the Norwegian language test, go to https://www. kompetansenorge. no/norwegian-language-test/. On this page, you can register to take the test either in the summer (June 5 – 12) or winter (November 26 – December 6). The page includes links to study materials and a practice test. To sign up for the social studies test, go to https://www. kompetansenorge. no/test-in-social-studies/.

Having a conviction doesn’t mean you can never become a permanent resident of Norway. However, you may have to wait until at least 3 years have passed since the date of conviction before you can apply.

From your user account on the Application Portal, you can fill out your application, submit your forms, book appointments, and check the status of your application.

The applicable minimum income requirements and documentation required to prove your income will be listed on your application. You also cannot have received any social security payments during your residency period prior to submitting your application.

If you completed and submitted your application online, you can pay your fees online at the same time using a Visa or MasterCard. Review your responses to all the questions on your application before you submit it. Once you’ve clicked through to the payment screen, you won’t be able to go back and make any changes. [9] X Research source

To generate a checklist of the documents you’re required to bring with you to your appointment, go to https://www. udi. no/en/checklists-container/citizenship-travel-permanent/checklist-permanent-residence/ and answer a few questions about your application.

You can find out the approximate wait time for your application to be processed by visiting https://www. udi. no/en/word-definitions/guide-to-case-processing-times-for-applications-for-permanent-residence/ and answering a few questions. If your application is denied, you can appeal the decision. Information on how to appeal will be included with your notification. [12] X Research source

You can also book an appointment online from the Application Portal if you have an account set up there. If you have problems setting up an appointment online, call the police station directly. You cannot book an appointment through UDI.

Even though it has your photo, your residence card is not considered proof of identity. When traveling outside of Norway, you still must carry your passport.

Exceptions are made for some special groups of applicants, such as spouses of Norwegian nationals, athletes, or members of Norwegian nationals living abroad on foreign service missions at a Norwegian embassy or consulate. Brief visits outside the country are allowed without your period of stay being interrupted. However, if you are outside the country for more than 2 months in any given year, your period of stay starts over.

If you have a criminal conviction, you may still be able to get Norwegian citizenship. However, you typically have to wait. The length of your waiting period depends on the penal sanction that was imposed as a result of your conviction.

If for some reason you no longer have a valid passport, other documents, such as a birth certificate, may be used. Norway does not consider documents from some countries, such as Iraq, Afghanistan, and Somalia, to be reliable. This is generally because the governments of these countries are not stable, or were recently unstable. If you come from such a country, there are additional steps needed to confirm your identity.

If you already passed the oral Norwegian test at the A2 level for your permanent residency, you do not have to take the test again. Information about the language test is available on the Skills Norway website at https://www. kompetansenorge. no/English/.

Information about the citizenship (social studies) test is available on the Skills Norway website at https://www. kompetansenorge. no/English/. If you took the Norwegian citizenship test in Norwegian for your permanent residency and passed, you do not have to take it again when you apply for citizenship.

Once you log onto your user account, click through to complete the necessary citizenship application forms. Make sure all your answers are as thorough and detailed as possible. All fields marked with a yellow star must be completed before your application will be accepted. [20] X Research source

If you submit your application through the Application Portal, you can pay your application fee at the same time using a Visa or MasterCard. Once you click the “go to payment” button, you will not be able to make any changes to your application online. If you make a mistake, you can correct it when you attend your appointment at the police station. [22] X Research source

While documentation varies, it generally will include your birth certificate, marriage or partnership certificates, passport, tax return, police background check, proof of your language study, and test results for your language and social studies tests. [24] X Research source Go to https://www. udi. no/en/checklists-container/citizenship-travel-permanent/checklist-for-citizenship/ and answer the questions to get a checklist of documents you must bring with you.

To get a reliable estimate of the processing time for your application, go to https://www. udi. no/en/word-definitions/guide-to-case-processing-times-for-applications-for-norwegian-citizenship/ and answer the questions. If your application is rejected, you can appeal the decision. Information about the appeal process will be included in your notification of the UDI’s decision. [25] X Research source

Once you get your citizenship decision papers, you can apply for a Norwegian passport. Take the notification letter you received with you to the police station, along with your old passport and your permanent residence card.

The government has proposed allowing dual citizenship. However, until a law is passed by parliament, you still must renounce your former citizenship to become a Norwegian citizen. If a law was passed, this rule would not change until 2019 at the earliest. [27] X Research source

If you opt not to participate in the ceremony, you’re still a Norwegian citizen.