SHARE
COPY LINK
For members

RESIDENCY PERMITS

How do the language rules for Norwegian citizenship and permanent residence differ? 

With Norwegian citizenship and permanent residence, you can stay in Norway indefinitely, but both come with language requirements? So, what are the rules, and how do they differ between applications? 

These are how the language rules for permanent residency and citizenship differ.
These are how the language rules for permanent residency and citizenship in Norway differ. Pictured is a person atop a mountain. Photo by Ole Jørgen on Unsplash

Dual citizenship has become an attractive proposition for many since Norway adopted it in 2020. A Norwegian passport comes with many perks, perhaps the main one being that you can stay in the country permanently. 

However, depending on your situation, it can take a while before you are eligible to become a Norwegian citizen. Another way of being able to live and work in Norway for as long as you wish (this mainly applies to non-EEA nationals as the freedom of movement doesn’t apply to them) is by obtaining permanent residency. 

Many will be eligible for permanent residence after three years of living legally in Norway, making it easier to obtain. 

Both Norwegian citizenship and permanent residency come with language requirements. The Norwegian language skill requirements differ between citizenship and permanent residence, however. 

READ ALSO: Which countries in Europe impose language tests for residency permits?

Permanent residence

The language rules for permanent residence can differ quite a bit depending on the type of permit you have held or the nationality and permit of the person you moved to Norway to be with. 

This can make it difficult to lay down the requirements that apply to everyone. To find out what specific language requirements for permanent residence apply to you, follow this link and fill out the information that applies to you. 

Generally, you will need to have completed tuition and tests in the Norwegian language to qualify. 

Those with skilled worker permits, aged between 16-54 who were granted their first residence permit after January 2016, will need to have either completed Norwegian language tuition of 250 hours or more, received an assessment grade at lower or upper secondary school level, or passed Norwegian level A2 at oral, listening, reading and written presentation. You will also need to pass the final “social studies test” in Norwegian or complete 50 hours of tuition in social studies

Those with a family immigration permit who moved to be with somebody who holds Norwegian citizenship will need to have completed more than 550 hours in Norwegian language classes, been awarded an assessment grade from a secondary school, or passed at A2 level in Norwegian across four areas, and meet the social studies requirements. The same applies to those who moved to be with someone who holds permanent residence or a family immigration permit. For reference, A2 is considered a basic level by the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR). 

If you hold a family immigration permit, and the person you moved to be with has a work permit, or self-employed person permit, then you will need 250 hours of Norwegian lessons or pass at A2 level. This is in addition to completing the social studies course or passing the exam.  

Those between 55-66 will either be fully exempt from language requirements or have to pass Norwegian A2. Those over 67 are entirely exempt. 

You can check the rules that apply to those granted residence between 2015 and 2005 here.

EU/EEA nationals registered as living in Norway are not subject to any language requirements. Likewise, non-EEA nationals with residence cards to live with EEA nationals registered in Norway also face no requirements. 

Citizenship

The rules for EU/EEA citizens and non-EEA residents are the same when it comes to citizenship, which means while those with the freedom of movement won’t need to meet any language benchmarks for permanent residence, they will need to be able to document Norwegian language skills for citizenship. 

To be eligible for citizenship, on the language side of things at least, you will need to have completed the approved tuition in the Norwegian language, passed Norwegian at a minimum of A2 level and passed either the social studies test or citizenship test in Norwegian. The citizenship and social studies tests must both be completed in Norwegian. 

From autumn 2022 at the earliest, the level of Norwegian required will be raised from A2 to B1 level. 

If you haven’t done the required tuition, with the number of hours required depending on your situation, then you can make yourself exempt by proving you have “adequate knowledge” of Norwegian or a Sami language.  

You can prove you have adequate knowledge of Norwegian and Sami by completing all four parts of Norskprøven for voksne innvandrere by Kompetanse Norge at levels A2, B1 or B2. This includes the reading test, listening test, test in written presentation and oral examination. 

You also qualify if you passed both of Kompetanse Norge’s two subtests of the Norwegian test C1: lytteprøve og skriftlig fremstilling and leseprøve og muntlig kommunikasjon.

Passing the oral and written Norskprøve 2 or 3, Språkprøven i norsk for voksne innvandrere, or Språkprøven i norsk for fremmedspråklige voksne, with at least 220 points (these tests are no longer completed), also counts. 

Completing studies in Norwegian or Sami at university or college level in Norway or abroad corresponding to 30 credits, or meeting the admission requirement for studies in Norwegian or Sami at a university or college in Norway.  

Member comments

Log in here to leave a comment.
Become a Member to leave a comment.
For members

RESIDENCY PERMITS

The Norwegian vocab you need to understand the citizenship process

Many people who have settled in Norway aim to become citizens. The process involves some specific terminology you'll want to familiarise yourself with.

The Norwegian vocab you need to understand the citizenship process

Norway, a country often dubbed the envy of the world due to its social safety net, high standard of living, and jaw-dropping natural sights, often leaves a lasting impression on those who move here.

Therefore, it’s no surprise that many who move to this Scandinavian country develop a connection to it, leading them to consider becoming Norwegian citizens.

READ MORE: How long does it take to get Norwegian citizenship in 2024?

However, the journey to Norwegian citizenship is not without its complexities. The process is layered with various steps and requirements that can vary depending on your background and individual circumstances.

Adding to the challenge is the specific terminology used in the citizenship process.

Basic considerations

Like any legal procedure, obtaining Norwegian citizenship (Norwegian:statsborgerskap) involves a host of specific terms and phrases that are crucial for applicants to understand.

In this article, we will focus on the process for European Union (EU) and European Economic Area (EEA) nationals, as put forward by the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI).

First of all, if you live in Norway with a valid residence permit (Norwegian: oppholdstillatelse), note that it’s essential to ensure that your residence permit remains valid not only when you apply but also while your application (Norwegian: søknad) is being processed.

If your permit is close to expiring, remember to renew it (Norwegian:å fornye) at least one month before it expires (Norwegian: å utløpe).

The requirements (Norwegian: kravene) for Norwegian citizenship aren’t uniform for everyone.

Factors such as age, who you are married to, and when you arrived in Norway can affect how long you must have lived in Norway before applying.

You can learn more about the application process – and challenges often related to it – in The Local’s deep dive on the topic.

Other key requirements: Application fee, language and social studies tests

An application fee (Norwegian: søknadsgebyr) must be paid when you submit your citizenship application (Norwegian: søknad om statsborgerskap).

Verifying your identity is usually done through presenting an ID document (Norwegian: ID-dokument), such as a passport (Norwegian: pass).

Applicants must have been residing permanently in Norway (Norwegian: bo fast i Norge) at the time of application and plan to continue living in the country.

Typically, applicants aged between 18 and 67 years must pass Norwegian language tests (Norwegian: norskprøve) and a social studies test (Norwegian: prøve i samfunnskunnskap).

You can find out more about the two tests here (for the Norwegian language one) and here (for the social studies test) in our explainers.

The standard citizenship requirement involves having lived in Norway for at least eight of the past eleven years, with each residence permit valid for at least one year.

There are several exceptions to this rule, relating to refugees (Norwegian: flyktninger) and asylum seekers (Norwegian: asylsøker), financially independent individuals, and those who were born in Norway or moved to the country before the age of 18.

Other requirements exist, which we cover in more detail in articles that focus on the application process itself.

Dual citizenship and other important details

Since January 1st, 2020, Norway has allowed dual citizenship (Norwegian: dobbelt statsborgerskap), which means you can retain another nationality (Norwegian: å beholde det andre statsborgerskapet) without losing your Norwegian citizenship.

However, it’s important to check the regulations (Norwegian: reguleringer) of your current country of citizenship because some countries do not allow dual citizenship.

Understanding the terms we highlighted above not only eases communication with immigration authorities (Norwegian: immigrasjonsmyndigheter) but also enhances your own understanding of the process’s requirements and expectations.

This, in turn, helps alleviate stress and build confidence, making the entire process more managable.

Note that, as we have explained, becoming eligible for Norwegian citizenship is a process which takes years.

When you finally submit your documents (Norwegian: å sende inn dokumenter), you could find out whether you have been successful in a couple of months or up to two years. 

The Local has an explainer that looks at why some Norwegian citizenship applications take much longer than others.

Keep in mind that if you’re unsure about any details of your citizenship application, it’s always best to reach out directly to the UDI.

SHOW COMMENTS