Norway

Dual Citizenship Norway

Restricted

Citizenship in Norway is regulated by Act No 51/2005 as amended in 2006. The acquisition of citizenship is mainly based on the principle of ius sanguinis and is generally acquired upon birth to a Norwegian parent, irrespective of the place of birth or through naturalisation after residing in Norway for seven years over the last ten years. Norwegian citizenship can also be obtained by notification and adoption.

The Norwegian Nationality Act restricts dual citizenship, but there are some exceptions where this is allowed. A person seeking to obtain Norwegian citizenship as a second citizenship has an obligation to register within one year with their country of origin to be released from the original citizenship, unless exempted.

Under Norwegian law, dual citizenship is only allowed where:

• A person automatically became a citizen in Norway and of another country upon birth, and where the parents did not take any action in order for the person to be granted the second citizenship;
• It is impossible to be released from the previous citizenship;
• The authorities in the former home country have rejected an application for release;
• For reasons for personal safety, the applicant should not be required to contact the authoritiesof his or her former home country in order to apply for release; and
•   The authorities in the applicant’s former home country set unreasonably burdensome conditions for release. Whether the fee charged for release is unreasonably burdensome shall be assessed on the basis of ordinary income.