Information about the general rules that apply is available here: Requirements for being granted Norwegian citizenship by application and Who can become a Norwegian citizen by notification? (only available in norwegian).
 

Citizenship by application - permanent residence permit (previously called a settlement permit)

 

As a rule, it is a condition that the person applying for citizenship meets the conditions for being granted a permanent residence permit or holds a corresponding settlement permit pursuant to the old Immigration Act from before 1 January 2010, see Who can be granted a permanent residence permit?.
 
A permanent residence permit is a permit granted pursuant to the Immigration Act. The Immigration Act does not apply to Svalbard. The requirement for a permanent residence permit means that persons staying on Svalbard who are not entitled to travel to the mainland will not meet the conditions for being granted citizenship by application.
 
If, after a period on Svalbard, you move to the mainland and meet the conditions for being granted a permanent residence permit, your stay on Svalbard will count as a period of residence. If you are resident on Svalbard and have been granted a permanent residence permit after 1 January 2010 or hold a settlement permit from before 1 January 2010, your stay on Svalbard will count as a period of residence.
 
The permanent residence permit or settlement permit will not lapse during stays on Svalbard.
 

 

The requirement for a permanent residence permit or a settlement permit does not apply to Nordic nationals, foreign nationals covered by the EEA Agreement or the EFTA Convention, former Norwegian nationals and children who apply for citizenship as secondary applicants.

 

Nordic nationals: Residence on Svalbard is deemed to be equivalent to residence on the mainland. 

 

Foreign nationals covered by the EEA Agreement or the EFTA Convention: Applicants with right of residence pursuant to the EEA provisions in the Immigration Act must have resided on the mainland for the past three years with this right of residence or with a permit that was granted for five years pursuant to the regulations that applied before 1 January 2010. The residence period on a permit granted for five years and residence period with right of residence are added together. The residence period on Svalbard and the period of residence on a permit and/or right or residence must total seven years.

 
Former Norwegian nationals: The applicant must have resided on the mainland for the past two years with a permit granted pursuant to the Immigration Act. 

Children who apply for citizenship as secondary applicants: The child must have resided on the mainland for the past two years with a permit granted pursuant to the Immigration Act.

 

 

Residence on Svalbard is deemed to be equivalent to residence on the mainland.

 

A former Norwegian national who, after losing his/her Norwegian citizenship, has only been a national of another Nordic country can regain his/her Norwegian citizenship by settling on Svalbard.

 

 

A Norwegian citizen can lose his/her citizenship on reaching the age of 22. See Loss of citizenship because of non-residence in Norway.

 

Residence on Svalbard is deemed to be equivalent to residence on the mainland.