Norwegian citizenship and dual citizenship in Norway

Many Poles have lived in Norway not for a year or two, but for ten, fifteen, and sometimes twenty years. Here we work, raise children, buy apartments, pay taxes and plan for the future.

According to SSB data on 1 January 2026, 111 740 immigrants from Poland lived in Norway. Poles remain the largest group of immigrants by country of origin.

No wonder the question increasingly arises:

After so many years, is it worth becoming a citizen of Norway?

And immediately a second one:

Do I then have to give up my Polish citizenship?

You don't have to.

Since 1 January 2020 Norway has allowed holding one or several other citizenships alongside the Norwegian one. A Pole can therefore become a citizen of Norway and retain Polish citizenship.

But simply living in Norway for many years does not automatically mean you meet all the requirements.

In this guide we go through everything calmly and step by step.

What citizenship gives.

Who it might actually be useful for.

How many years you need to live in Norway.

How trips to Poland are counted.

Which exams you have to pass.

What about children.

What about criminal records.

And finally, how to submit the application so you don't do it too early.

Can a Pole hold Polish and Norwegian citizenship at the same time?

Yes.

That's the simplest answer.

Norway allowed multiple citizenship on 1 January 2020. If you become a Norwegian citizen, you do not have to inform UDI that you want to retain Polish citizenship. There is also no separate application for dual citizenship.

If you want to check the current rules directly at the Norwegian authority, you can find them here:

UDI: dual citizenship

Polish regulations also allow a Polish citizen to hold another citizenship at the same time.

There is, however, an important thing worth remembering.

If you have Polish and Norwegian citizenship, you are still treated as a Polish citizen by the Polish authorities. A Norwegian passport does not mean that the rights and duties of a Polish citizen cease to apply to you in Poland.

Is it worth applying for Norwegian citizenship?

There is no single answer for everyone.

If you came to Norway for a few years, still treat the stay as temporary and plan to return to Poland, citizenship may not be particularly important for you.

If, however, Norway has become your home, the situation looks different.

You have family here.

Your children go to school here.

You have a house or an apartment.

You have been working here for many years.

You plan to retire here.

Then citizenship may be a natural next step.

But it is worth knowing what it really gives and what it does not.

Citizenship gives the right to vote in elections to the Storting

This is one of the most important differences between the right of residence and citizenship.

A Polish citizen living in Norway can, after meeting the appropriate conditions, vote in local elections.

However, Norwegian citizenship is required to vote in parliamentary elections to the Storting.

For someone who has lived here for over a decade, this has very concrete implications.

Decisions of the Storting affect your taxes, work, your children's school, health care, pensions and the functioning of the country in which you live.

After obtaining citizenship you can also influence who makes those decisions.

You can find more about voting rights here:

Valg.no: information for voters

You gain the right to a Norwegian passport

After receiving citizenship you can apply for a Norwegian passport.

For a Pole this does not mean a revolution in travel, because a Polish passport and EU citizenship already provide very wide possibilities.

Therefore it is not worth presenting the Norwegian passport as a magical document opening the world.

However it matters as a document of the state of which you are a full citizen.

Citizenship is more than the right to residence

As a Polish citizen you are part of the EEA and already have very strong rights in Norway.

After five years of legal residence you can also meet the requirements for varig oppholdsrett, that is a permanent right of residence. It gives the right to live and work in Norway without time limitation.

Check the rules here:

UDI: varig oppholdsrett for EU and EEA citizens

Citizenship goes further.

You are no longer a citizen of another country possessing a right of residence in Norway.

You become a citizen of Norway.

For some it will mainly be a legal matter.

For others also a symbolic confirmation:

This is my country and here is my life.

Does Norwegian citizenship get you more from NAV?

No.

This is one of the myths worth clarifying immediately.

Norwegian citizenship does not automatically give a higher pension, better sickness benefits, a higher child benefit or better access to a doctor.

Most social rights depend on other things.

On membership in the National Insurance Scheme (folketrygden).

On the length of employment.

On income.

On place of residence.

On insurance history.

On the specific type of benefit.

Not on whether you have a Polish or Norwegian passport.

So if the only reason for applying would be the belief that "a Norwegian gets more from NAV", that is not a good reason.

Does citizenship open additional professional opportunities?

Sometimes.

There are positions, especially related to state security, the security services or a certain level of access to information, where citizenship may be important.

However that does not mean that after obtaining a passport all positions in the police, the military or the administration automatically open up.

Each position has its own requirements.

In some cases a security clearance (sikkerhetsklarering) may be more important than citizenship itself.

For ordinary work, Norwegian citizenship is not needed for a Pole.

As an EEA citizen you already have the right to work in Norway provided you meet the conditions of the right of residence.

How many years do you have to live in Norway to get citizenship?

This is where most outdated information appears.

For years Polish articles repeated the rule:

7 years within the last 10 years.

For the majority of adult Poles this is no longer the current main rule.

Currently an EU or EEA citizen using the registreringsordningen must as a rule have a total of 8 years of residence in Norway within the last 11 years. During this period you must have oppholdsrett or an appropriate right of residence.

It is always best for a Polish person to check the current requirements directly here:

UDI: citizenship for EU and EEA citizens

And here we come to a very important point.

It is not only the date when you first arrived in Norway that counts.

What counts is the period during which you actually had the right of residence.

What does oppholdsrett mean?

For a Polish citizen oppholdsrett can result, among other things, from the fact that you:

worked in Norway

ran a business

studied and met the appropriate conditions

were a family member of an EEA citizen who had a right of residence.

If you were not properly registered at some point, this does not automatically mean the loss of the entire period.

UDI allows the possibility of proving the right of residence with documents.

These can be, for example, employment contracts, payslips or documents from school or university.

This is very important for Poles who arrived here many years ago and do not have perfect documentation from their first period of residence.

Some may be able to apply after 6 years

And this is a point many people do not know.

If you have a sufficiently high income, a shorter requirement applies.

Instead of 8 years within 11 years you may need 6 years of residence within the last 10 years.

UDI refers to this as tilstrekkelig inntekt.

Income must correspond to at least three times the average value of the basic amount for the year to which the most recently used tax assessment applies. UDI checks data from the tax assessment.

Therefore the practical advice is simple.

If you have lived in Norway for six or seven years and you think:

Still too early.

First check the rules regarding tilstrekkelig inntekt.

It may turn out that you do not have to wait until the eighth year at all.

UDI: shorter residence period with sufficient income

Do you have a Norwegian spouse? The rules may be different

Persons who are the spouse, partner or, in certain cases, the cohabitant of a citizen of Norway may have a different way of counting the period.

You can combine the time of residence with the time of marriage or cohabitation, but you still have to meet the minimum residence requirement in Norway.

UDI gives, among other things, an example in which at least 5 years of residence within the last 10 years are needed, and the sum of the period of residence and the relationship with the citizen of Norway must be at least 7 years.

So it does not work simply:

I have been married for five years, so I am entitled to citizenship.

You have to check several conditions simultaneously.

Trips to Poland can change the calculation

This is one of the most often overlooked topics.

You may say:

I have lived in Norway for eight years.

But if during that time you spent long periods in Poland or another country, UDI may calculate your period differently.

If in a given calendar year you spent at most two months outside Norway, the period abroad will generally not reduce the time counted toward citizenship.

However, if the trips exceeded two months in the year, the entire period of stay abroad may be deducted, and not just the portion beyond two months.

Example.

You were in Poland for 50 days.

That essentially does not change the calculation.

You were in Poland for 90 days.

Then do not assume that UDI will subtract only about 30 days over the limit.

The entire 90-day stay may be deducted.

Therefore, people working on rotation or who travel very frequently should check this point especially carefully.

You can find the method of calculation here:

UDI: how to calculate the period of residence for citizenship

Do you need a permanent right of residence?

UDI requires that an EU or EEA citizen have a permanent right of residence or have met the relevant residence law conditions in the last three years.

If you do not have a permanent right of residence, the last three years must be continuous. During this period you cannot exceed the permitted stays abroad.

Importantly, you can have a permanent right of residence even if you have never applied for a document confirming that right.

UDI can assess whether you actually met the requirements.

What language level is required?

The old information about “300 hours of Norwegian” no longer describes the current main rule for adult applicants.

If you are between 18 and 67 years old, as a rule you must pass an oral Norwegian exam at a minimum B1 level.

It concerns the oral part.

You do not have to have B1 in all parts of the exam just because you are applying for citizenship.

UDI primarily requires a passed oral Norwegian test at B1 level or higher.

There are exceptions to this rule, so a person with a particular health situation, certain previous education or meeting other conditions should check the possibility of an exemption.

However, it is not worth assuming on your own:

They will definitely exempt me.

First check the required documents.

UDI: requirements for exams for citizenship

You also have to pass the citizenship test

Language is not everything.

People aged 18 to 67 must, as a rule, also pass the citizenship test or an equivalent social studies exam in Norwegian.

And here's a practical tip.

Don't wait to take the exams until the last month before applying.

If you know that you still lack one year to the required period of residence, you can use that time for the Norwegian test and the citizenship test.

When you are ready to submit the application, you will have that stage already behind you.

Do you need to have a clean criminal record?

Criminal history matters, but it doesn't mean that the smallest fine permanently blocks the path to citizenship.

If you are 15 or older, when submitting the documents you need a police certificate.

And here a very important detail.

The certificate cannot be more than three months old on the day of the meeting with the police. UDI even recommends not ordering it too early.

First schedule the appointment.

Then order the certificate.

If you received a conviction, a specified sentence, a fine, or you are subject to proceedings, karenstid may apply, that is a period you have to wait.

This does not automatically mean that you will never receive citizenship.

Psychiatric treatment does not rule out citizenship

This needs to be explained very clearly, because older Polish materials can contain incorrect information.

Depression does not take away the right to citizenship.

Seeing a psychologist does not take away the right to citizenship.

Psychiatric treatment itself does not take away the right to citizenship.

For citizenship, a criminal record and certain sanctions resulting from criminal law may be relevant.

This is a completely different matter than the ordinary treatment of a person who needs medical help.

There is no rule:

You are undergoing psychiatric treatment, so you cannot become Norwegian.

How to submit an application step by step?

Here it is worth doing everything in the right order.

Not because the procedure is particularly scary.

It's simply a waste of time and money to submit an application too early.

Step 1. Check the correct path on UDI

Do not use a friend's checklist.

Do not use an article from five years ago.

Go to UDI's page on citizenship and choose your situation.

UDI distinguishes, among other things:

EU and EEA citizens

people with other types of residence

spouses

children

people who previously had Norwegian citizenship.

UDI: start checking the conditions for citizenship

Step 2. Count the actual period of residence

Don't look only at the date of registration.

Check:

when you started working

whether you had oppholdsrett (right of residence) throughout the period

whether there were gaps

how much time you spent abroad

whether you have documents confirming earlier years.

If you do not have perfect documentation from the early years, prepare employment contracts, lønnsslipp (pay slips), skatteoppgjør (tax assessments) and other documents confirming residence and activity in Norway.

Step 3. Check whether the 6-year rule applies to you

If you have sufficient income, do not automatically assume that the 8-year rule applies to you.

Check your latest skatteoppgjør (tax assessments) and UDI's rules regarding tilstrekkelig inntekt (sufficient income).

For some people this may mean a two-year difference.

Step 4. Pass the required exams

If the ordinary requirement applies to you:

take the norskprøve oral B1 exam

and the statsborgerprøven (citizenship test) or the appropriate samfunnskunnskap (social studies) exam.

Don't postpone this until the end.

Step 5. Only then register the application

You submit the application through the UDI system.

After selecting your situation, the system will show you the requirements and documents specific to your case.

Don't prepare ten documents just because someone on Facebook wrote that they once needed them.

Use UDI's checklist for your application.

Step 6. Schedule a meeting with the police

After electronic registration of the case, in most cases you need to make an appointment to submit documents in person.

UDI currently informs that due to changes in IT systems in the immigration administration some people may wait longer for an available appointment with the police.

Therefore, after registration do not postpone booking the appointment.

Step 7. Order the police certificate only when you know the date

If you are at least 15 years old, you need a police certificate.

Remember the three-month validity for the appointment.

It's a small detail, but it can cause you to unnecessarily order the document a second time.

Step 8. Prepare a valid identity document

UDI essentially requires establishing your identity. This is most often done on the basis of a valid passport.

If your situation is unusual, the list of documents may look different.

So again: use the checklist generated for your case.

Step 9. Submit the documents to the police

At the scheduled appointment you present the required documents.

The police accept them and the case moves on to processing.

From that moment, the most important thing is to respond if UDI requests additional information.

Do not submit the application several months too early

This is one of the most important practical mistakes.

Someone says:

I'm four months short, but UDI will in any case process the case for a year.

Don't count on that.

UDI clearly warns not to submit the application before meeting the conditions. If the authority processes the case earlier than you expected, you may receive a refusal.

First meet the requirements.

Then submit the application.

What about children?

You also cannot apply one rule for everyone here.

If a child is born in a situation where one of the parents is already a citizen of Norway, rules on automatic acquisition of citizenship may apply.

If, however, the child was born earlier, when neither parent was Norwegian, the matter may require a separate application or adding the child to the parent's procedure.

For a child over 12 years of age, their consent to apply for Norwegian citizenship is required.

Therefore, with a family do not assume:

I get citizenship, so the children automatically do too.

Check each child separately in the UDI system.

Do you have to give up the Polish passport?

No.

After obtaining Norwegian citizenship you can hold both a Polish and a Norwegian passport.

If for some reason someone wanted to renounce Polish citizenship, that is a separate Polish procedure.

This does not happen automatically upon being granted Norwegian citizenship.

Which passport should you use when you have two citizenships?

The simplest way to look at it is like this.

In Norway you are Norwegian.

In Poland you are Polish.

Having two citizenships does not mean that in Poland you can choose which law you are subject to at any given moment.

Therefore, it is worth keeping a valid Polish document even after obtaining Norwegian citizenship.

Can you lose Norwegian citizenship after moving?

Simply moving from Norway to Poland does not automatically mean losing citizenship.

Similarly, acquiring another citizenship after 1 January 2020 does not by itself cause the loss of Norwegian citizenship.

There are special rules concerning loss or revocation of citizenship in exceptional cases, but these should not be conflated with the ordinary situation of a person who legally obtained citizenship and later changed their country of residence.

You already have a permanent residence permit. Does citizenship still make sense?

That's a very good question.

Permanent right of residence gives an EEA citizen a very strong and stable situation.

You can live and work in Norway without time limits.

So if you ask:

Do I have to have citizenship to continue living normally in Norway?

No.

You can live here without it.

But if you ask:

Do I want to be a full-fledged citizen of the country where I will probably spend the rest of my life?

That's a completely different question.

Citizenship makes particular sense if:

Norway is your permanent home

you want to vote in parliamentary elections

you want to have a Norwegian passport

your children and family are tied to Norway

you plan your future and retirement here

you want to have full legal ties with the state.

If, however, you do not feel such a need, no one forces you to submit an application.

Citizenship is an option, not an obligation.

Three examples to make it easier

Piotr has lived in Norway for nine years

Piotr has been legally working in Norway for nine years.

He has not had long periods outside the country.

He has documented right of residence.

He passed the Norwegian oral test B1.

He passed the citizenship test.

He has no problems that would cause a period of ineligibility.

In his case, the basic requirement of 8 years within 11 years is met.

Now he is checking the remaining conditions and can prepare the application.

Anna has lived here for six years

Anna is convinced that she has to wait another two years.

But she has a stable and sufficiently high income.

Before she gives up the idea of submitting an application, she checks the sufficient income rule.

It may turn out that she qualifies under the requirement of 6 years within 10.

Marek says that he has been in Norway for eight years

That's true.

But for several years he spent three or four months a year in Poland.

In his case, the date of first arrival alone is not sufficient.

Marek should carefully calculate the periods of stay and departures according to UDI rules before he pays for the application.

Checklist before submitting the application

Before you click „send”, calmly check:

Do I have the required period of residence?

Have I had the right of residence for the required time?

Have long absences from Norway not changed my period of residence?

Can I use the 6-year rule because of income?

Do I have permanent right of residence or do I meet the conditions concerning the last three years?

Have I passed the Norwegian oral test B1?

Have I passed the citizenship test or the appropriate civic knowledge exam?

Is my passport valid?

Do I know when to order the police certificate?

Do I have a criminal record that may cause a period of ineligibility?

Will my children also be submitting applications?

If you answer to any of these questions:

I don't know.

This is exactly the point to check before submitting the application.

The most important piece of advice at the end

Do not use the procedure of a friend who got citizenship seven years ago.

Don't rely on an article written before 2020.

Do not assume that eight years since your first registration automatically counts as eight years of residence.

And don't assume that because someone else got citizenship under certain conditions, your case looks identical.

Norwegian citizenship depends on a whole set of conditions.

Period of residence.

Right of residence.

Departures.

Language.

Examination.

Documents.

Criminal history.

Sometimes income.

Sometimes family circumstances.

That's why the best order is simple.

First check your group at UDI.

Then calculate your length of stay.

Check your exams.

Prepare your documents.

Only submit your application at the end.

Then, instead of wondering over the next months whether something was missing, you'll know that you did everything in the proper order.