Main rule
If you are between the ages of 18 and 55 the requirements are that:
- you have completed approved tuition in the Norwegian language, or
- you can document that you have sufficient knowledge of Norwegian or Sami.
You must hand in documentation with your application
When the Directorate of Immigration (UDI) processes your application, we consider whether:
- the requirements of the law regarding completed tuition in Norwegian or adequate knowledge of Norwegian or Sami have been met, or
- there are grounds for granting an exemption.
It is therefore important that you enclose the necessary documentation with the application.
Do you already have a permanent residence permit?
In order to get a permanent residence permit (formerly known as a settlement permit), you are also required to have completed Norwegian tuition.
If you have a permanent residence permit (or a settlement permit) and have completed tuition in Norwegian and social studies in order to get that permit, you do not have to complete tuition in the Norwegian language or document knowledge of Norwegian or Sami again in order for your citizenship application to be granted.
This will be relevant for anyone between the ages of 16 and 55 who was granted a residence or work permit after 1 September 2005 and was not exempted from the requirement according to the Norwegian Introduction act.
Persons who were granted residence permit before 1 september 2005
Persons who were granted residence permit before 1 September 2005 were not required to document that they have completed tuition in the Norwegian language. These applicants must however document completion of approved tuition or demonstrate sufficient knowledge of Norwegian or Sami.
They are not required to document tution in social studies.
Are you an EEA/EU/EFTA national?
Applicants who are covered by the EEA-agreement or the EFTA-convention must document that they have completed 300 hours of approved tuition in the Norwegian or Sami language, or document that they have sufficient knowledge of Norwegian or Sami.
Are you from a country outside the EEA/EFTA-area?
If you are between the ages of 18 and 55 and are from a country outside the EEA/EFTA-area these rules apply:
Are you a labour immigrant from outside the EEA/EFTA-area?
If you are a labour (work) immigrant from a country outside the EEA/EFTA-area or a family member of such a labour immigrant, you have a duty to take part in Norwegian tuition and you do not have the right to free tuition. You must complete 250 hours of Norwegian tuition and 50 hours tuition in social studies.
Where can you study Norwegian?
The Norwegian tuition must be offered by the municipality (kommunen) or by someone who the municipality have approved or by an approved educational institution.
Read more (in Norwegian) about approved providers.
You must document that you have completed the Norwegian tuition by attaching a certificate with your application.
What is meant by “sufficient knowledge of Norwegian or Sami”?
If you feel that you have sufficient knowledge of Norwegian or Sami, you must document that you fulfill one of these requirements
- You have passed a language test (Norskprøve 2 – Level A2 or Norskprøve 3 – Level B1, which are organised by the municipalities and administered by Norsk språktest in cooperation with Folkeuniversitetet).
- You have completed tuition in Norwegian or Sami in accordance with the curriculum for the subject in primary/lower secondary or upper secondary school and you have been given a grade in the subject.
- You have completed tuition in Norwegian or Sami at a university or university college in Norway or abroad corresponding to 30 credits.
- You have met the admission requirement for studying Norwegian or Sami at a university or university college in Norway.
Exemption for special health-related or other weighty reasons
You can be exempted from the requirement of Norwegian tuition or sufficient knowledge of Norwegian or Sami if you are completely unable to participate in Norwegian tuition and if you will not be able to complete Norwegian tuition within three years.
If you have been exempted previously, you must submit a copy of the decision you received from the municipality (kommunen).
If you have not been exempted previously by the municipality, the UDI will consider whether there is a basis for granting you an exemption.
Exemption for special health-related reasons
It is possible to be exempted from the requirement of Norwegian tuition or sufficient knowledge of Norwegian or Sami if you are suffering from a serious or chronic illness. We will among other factors consider what kind of illness/disability you have, how long you have had it and how serious the illness/disability is.
If you believe that you meet the requirements for exemption, you must submit a medical certificate together with your application.
Exemption for other weighty reasons
In special cases, it is possible to be exempted for ‘other weighty reasons’.
We will only do this if it is clearly unreasonable for the person not to be granted an exemption from the requirement.
We will do a concrete overall assessment to decide whether we will grant you an exemption.
If you wish to be granted an exemption due to ‘other weighty reasons’, you must provide the UDI with information about the circumstances you believe make it clearly unreasonable for you not to be granted an exemption.
Such an exemption is only given in very rare cases
