The path to Norwegian citizenship takes years and costs a fortune in application fees, tests and language courses. 

In addition, you aren’t guaranteed to have your application accepted by the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI). 

However, if your application is accepted and you find out you will be granted Norwegian citizenship, you’ll likely wonder what’s next. 

Confirmation 

The UDI will confirm in writing by mail or Digipost (a digital mailbox for public services) that your application has been successful.

From that point onwards, you can consider yourself a Norwegian citizen. You do not need to obtain a passport or attend a ceremony to make it official. 

After the time and money put into the application, you will likely want to celebrate and remind yourself of the benefits of becoming a Norwegian citizen. 

The next steps 

Despite technically becoming a Norwegian citizen, several things will happen next. First of all, your residence permit becomes void. 

Even if your card hasn’t expired, it will become void. This can complicate travel somewhat. This is because you will not have received your Norwegian passport, so you will not be able to prove that you are a Norwegian citizen. 

This means that you may need a visa to enter certain countries, or the authorities may think you are subject to the 90 out of 180 days rule for travel within the Schengen area. 

You will also need to wait a week for the National Population Register registration to be updated. Once this is updated, the authorities in Norway will be able to see that you are a Norwegian citizen. 

Once this is updated, you can begin the process of obtaining a passport. The passport is essential for proving you are a Norwegian citizen when travelling abroad, as authorities overseas won’t have access to the Norwegian population register. 

The process of getting a passport isn’t automatic; it must be done by you. The police in Norway handle the issuance of passports. You will need to book an appointment with the police to begin the process of obtaining a passport. 

Passport applications require you to show valid ID, a letter from the UDI stating that you are a citizen and your residence card. 

The citizenship ceremony

Norway hosts regular ceremonies for its new citizens. Your local county authority, such as Oslo or Nordland, hosts the citizenship celebration. 

Think of it as a graduation ceremony without the fear of student loans or what to do with the rest of your life looming over you.

The ceremony is only for those 12 and older who are granted Norwegian citizenship. All new citizens in your county will be invited to the event. 

Registration is entirely voluntary. Local dignitaries will be at the event, which will feature speeches and cultural performances. 

Those who attend typically receive a gift book and food and refreshments. During the ceremony, attendees will be invited to sing verses from the national anthem. According to the UDI, there will also be an opportunity to swear a vow of allegiance to Norway. However, as the ceremony is entirely voluntary, there is no need to worry about having your passport confiscated if you don’t participate.

Can your citizenship be revoked? 

Should the authorities have reason to believe that you have provided incorrect information on any residence or citizenship applications, they will typically invite you for an interview with the police or notify you of your revocation in advance. 

If you have your citizenship revoked, you may be required to reapply for residence if you aren’t ordered to leave Norway. Those who are required to leave Norway may be unable to return for a number of years or indefinitely. 

Those who were granted dual citizenship when born need to live at least two years in Norway or for at least seven years in Nordic countries by age 22 to retain their citizenship. Alternatively, they can apply to keep it.