Norway citizenship for South Africans

One of the most liveable countries on the planet, Norway is known for its picturesque landscapes, attracting people from all over the globe to its shores. But the country offers so much more than just natural beauty, it has a stable economy and citizens of the country can enjoy all the benefits of being part of the EU. Unlike other European countries the path to getting citizenship in Norway is slightly longer. In this guide we help you understand the routes to citizenship and process slightly better before you embark on the Norwegian citizenship journey.

We also introduce you to Wise which provides international money transfers back home to South Africa at the mid-market exchange rate!

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How can South Africans apply for and get Norwegian citizenship⁵?

There are 5 ways of obtaining Norwegian citizenship:

• Birth
• Adoption
• Marriage
• Naturalisation
• Notification

The notification route to citizenship is applicable only to Nordic citizens and hence will not be delved into in this guide for South Africans.

Different routes to obtaining Norwegian citizenship

Birth
Like most other countries children born to one or both Norwegian parents become citizens automatically post birth.

Adoption
Minor children adopted by citizens of Norway are also granted citizenship.

Marriage
You can also gain Norwegian citizenship by marrying a Norwegian citizen, but you must have stayed with them for a minimum of 5 years before applying. You will also have to show proof of joint residence and should have been in a relationship for a minimum of 7 years.

Naturalisation
To become a citizen by naturalisation, a foreigner must live in the country for at least 8 years during the last 11 years before the application.
The residence must be legal.

What are the requirements to get Norwegian citizenship⁶?

The Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI) provides detailed information on the steps that must be taken to obtain citizenship. There is guidance provided on the country and even route of citizenship. For South Africans the requirements are broadly as follows:

• You must pay an application fee.
• You must have your identity verified. As a general rule, you are required to present a passport.
• You must be residing in Norway and intend to continue living here in the future.
  • You must have permanent residence when you apply for Norwegian citizenship and when the application is processed.
• If you are between 18 and 67 years old, you must meet the following requirements:
  • You must have passed an oral test in Norwegian at level B1 at the minimum, or
  • You must have passed an oral test in Norwegian at level A2 at the minimum, if you are:
    • a stateless person
    • over 55 years of age and came to Norway on the basis of an application for protection or as a resettled refugee, or
    • over 55 years of age and receive disability benefits, and
  • Passed a test in social studies in Norwegian or a citizenship test
• If you are over the age of 15 years: You must order a criminal record certificate (external website), which you must hand in with the application. This certificate cannot be more than 3 months old.
• You must have a permanent residence permit – or fulfil the requirements for a permanent residence permit – at the time we reach a decision on your application for citizenship.
  • You must have stayed in Norway for a total of eight of the past eleven years and have held residence permits that were each valid for at least one year.

Which documents may be required⁷?

The full list of required papers depends on the route through which you're applying. A basic list of documents, however, includes:

• A filled-out application form;
• Recent photographs
• A copy of your passport along with the original document
• Health insurance
• Bank statements showing sufficient funds to support yourself
• Residence proof in Norway
• Your updated CV

Please make sure that all your documents are in either English or Norwegian.

Send money to South Africa from Norway at the mid-market rate with Wise

If you’re a South African expat living in Norway, Wise can help you save money¹ when making international money transfers back to South Africa.

Banks and money transfer services use the mid-market rate when they trade between themselves, but they rarely pass it on to you. Instead, they often mark up the rate to make extra money.¹³

It is recommended to check the exchange rate offered by your bank against the mid-market rate, which is similar to the exchange rate shown on Google. Say no to hidden fees!

The mid-market exchange rate is the rate that banks use to transfer money between them and is considered the fairest rate in the market. Find out what you would pay for an international money transfer with Wise:

Wise customers don’t have to pay an additional markup fee but only a small transparent fee to make an international transaction¹. That’s because Wise uses the mid-market rate for overseas payments!

With Wise, South African expats can save money¹ on an international money transfer by providing low fees and also do away with the markup on the mid-market exchange rate when making international payments from Norway to South Africa.

Can I hold dual South African-Norwegian citizenship⁹?

Yes, Norway allows dual citizenship. This means that you won’t have to give up your South African citizenship allowing you to experience the best of both worlds.

Can I get Norwegian citizenship through investment⁸?

Norway offers neither citizenship nor residency by investment. However, a special sole proprietor visa exists for self-employed persons with a company in Norway or abroad. Based on this visa, foreigners get the status of a Norwegian resident.

If a person has a business in Norway, they get a residence permit for 1 year at once. 3 years after holding temporary residency, they can apply for a permanent residence permit and then, for citizenship. The proprietor's relatives also obtain residence permits. If all the applications are filed together, the whole family gets the documents simultaneously.

If a foreigner has a company outside Norway, they get the status of a resident for 2 years, which can be extended for up to 6 years. However, it doesn't lead to permanent residency. Family members obtain a residence permit only if the foreigner works in Norway for longer than 6 months.

Can I get Norwegian citizenship through descent or ancestry¹⁰?

No, Norway doesn't give citizenship to people with Norwegian ancestry. But anyone with at least one Norwegian parent is eligible for citizenship by birth. This rule also works if parents lose their citizenship but are Norwegian at the time of a child's birth.

Norwegian citizenship fees and costs¹¹

You will have to pay fees on every step to Norway citizenship. The cost of a residence permit depends on the type of residency you're getting. The sums are the following:

• NOK 6,300, or €550 - for a work permit and the renewal of it;
• NOK 5,400, or €470 - a student permit and the renewal of it for persons over 18.
• NOK 11,900, or €1,000 - first-time application for family immigration for adults.
• NOK 4,400, or €380 - renewal of the residence permit for family immigration.

Resident permits for minors are free of charge. Additional expenses are required when applying with a Visa Application Centre or in another country if your home country doesn't have a Norwegian embassy.

Applying for permanent residency costs NOK 4,000, roughly €350, for adults and is free of charge for children under 18. The citizenship application fee is NOK 6,500, or roughly €560, for adults and NOK O for minors.

How long does application processing take¹²?

Obtaining Norway citizenship by ordinary naturalisation takes at least 8 years. Expats are required to get a residence permit and then, permanent residency. The timelines mentioned below provide an overview and may vary on a case by case basis.

The UDI currently has approximately 20,500 unprocessed Norwegian citizenship applications. Due to the high number of applications, the waiting time has unfortunately increased several times.

It normally takes 26 months from when you hand in your documents to the police until you receive a decision for your application.

The route to citizenship in Norway is longer than other European countries so if you’re looking for a quick path to citizenship this might not be ideal. However, if you love the Norwegian lifestyle and want to build a life there, going through the process may be worth it. The country also allows dual citizenship so you can hold onto your South African passport while also boasting of a Norwegian one!

For matters related to transfer of money back home from Norway you can always count on Wise – that helps exchange of Euros to Rands at the mid-market exchange rate with a transparent fee model.

Join Wise!

*Disclaimer: This publication is provided for general information purposes and does not constitute immigration, legal, tax or other professional advice, and it is not intended as a substitute for obtaining advice from a financial advisor or any other professional.

Sources:

1. Please see Terms of Use for your region or visit Wise Fees & Pricing for the most up to date pricing and fee information.
2. Transaction speed claimed depends on funds availability, approval by Wise’s proprietary verification system and systems availability of our partners’ banking system, and may not be available for all transactions.
3. Eligibility is subject to verification of customers identity. Wise may request additional documents to verify a customer's identity.
4. Please note that certain products or features may not be available in all regions. Please visit www.wise.com to check for availability and learn more about our offerings.
5. Routes to citizenship
6. Requirements
7. Documents needed
8. Citizenship by investment
9. Dual citizenship
10. Citizenship by descent
11. Fees
12. Processing time
13. Wise - Mid-market rate and markups