Norway Explains How Many Years Foreigners Must Stay in Country Before Applying for Citizenship
- Norway's government has outlined the residency conditions foreigners must meet before they can qualify for Norwegian citizenship
- Most immigrants are required to have lived in Norway for a period of time before an application can be approved
- The country also has rules on how citizenship can be lost, including an automatic provision that applies before a person turns 22
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Norway has laid out the specific requirements immigrants must fulfil to become Norwegian citizens, with residency duration sitting at the heart of the process.
According to Norway's official government guidelines, most foreigners seeking citizenship must demonstrate that they have been present in the country for a particular period of time.
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Residency years for Norwegian citizenship
Interested foreigners are to be present in the country for a minimum of eight out of the last eleven years at the point when their application is assessed.
There is, however, a shortened pathway available: applicants who can show sufficient income over the previous year need only prove six years of residence within the last ten.
How Nordic citizens are treated differently
Citizens from other Nordic countries are not subject to the same lengthy process. They can acquire Norwegian nationality through a simpler notification procedure, becoming Norwegian nationals on the date the police receive their notification, provided the necessary conditions have been met.
This represents a significantly faster and less demanding route compared to the standard application process available to other foreign nationals.
For those born in Norway or adopted by a Norwegian national, citizenship is granted automatically. Any child born after 1 September 2006 acquires Norwegian nationality at birth if either parent holds it, and adopted children also receive it automatically under the relevant legal conditions.
When Norwegian citizenship can be lost
Norway also has provisions under which citizenship can be taken away or lapse. Nationals who have not lived in Norway for at least two years in total before their 22nd birthday automatically lose their citizenship, though they have the option to apply to keep it.
Beyond this automatic lapse, Norwegian citizens may formally apply to be released from their nationality. In more serious circumstances, dual citizens who have been convicted of grave offences or whose conduct has been judged as significantly harmful to Norway's fundamental interests can be stripped of their Norwegian citizenship entirely.
Legit.ng has also published residency years for foreigners who want to become Qatari citizens.
Citizenship: Australia mentions residency years for foreigners
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that Australia's Department of Home Affairs has outlined the residence requirement foreigners must meet before applying for citizenship.
Applicants must have lived in Australia on a valid visa for a number of years before the date they apply for citizenship.
The rules also specify how much time applicants are allowed to have spent outside Australia during that period.
Source: Legit.ng
