Application requirements

• You must have become a Norwegian citizen when you were born. If you are unsure whether you became a Norwegian citizen when you were born, you can use our guide.
  • If it is not registered in the National Population Register (Folkeregisteret) that you became Norwegian at birth, you must be able to document that you became a Norwegian citizen at birth. Here you can check with the National Population Register that you are registered as a Norwegian citizen (external website).
• You cannot have already lost your Norwegian citizenship because you became a citizen of another country. If you are unsure whether you have lost your Norwegian citizenship, you can use our guide.
• You must have stayed in Norway for a total of six months. These six months can consist of several short stays/holidays.

Exemptions from the requirement of a six-month stay in Norway

If you have not stayed in Norway for a total of six months, you can still keep your Norwegian citizenship if you have a strong connection to Norway. When UDI decides whether you have a strong connection, we will give weight to whether 

You must apply before you turn 22. If you apply after you turn 22, we can nevertheless consider your application if you cannot be blamed for failing to meet the deadline, or if it would be unreasonable if you were to lose your Norwegian citizenship.

If you turned 22 before 1 September 2006, special rules apply. Information about the rules pertaining to you, and about how to document that you have retained your Norwegian citizenship since then, is available on the page, Am I a Norwegian citizen?.

Applications for children under the age of 18

If you are under the age of 18 years, your parents must apply on your behalf. Both parents must sign the application, unless one of them has sole parental responsibility. An appointed guardian can also submit such applications. If you are over the age of 12, you must consent to an application being submitted on your behalf.