Published: 23.06.2026
The Norwegian government has opened a public consultation on proposed changes to citizenship rules. The proposals include continuous-residence requirements, longer periods for some categories, possession of an already granted permanent residence permit, and digital checks of biometric and criminal-record data.
If adopted, the changes would make the path to citizenship less flexible, as long absences and breaks in residence would have a greater impact on eligibility. The proposal could affect spouses of Norwegian citizens, stateless people, refugees, children, and applicants seeking to count residence in Svalbard. According to the sources, the consultation runs until 19 October 2026, and implementation is unlikely before summer 2027; current requirements remain in force until the process is completed. People already planning naturalisation should factor in the possible changes, but should not treat the proposal as current law.