Azernews.Az

The Norwegian government is considering a series of amendments to the country's citizenship legislation that would tighten eligibility requirements for applicants seeking Norwegian citizenship, AzerNEWS reports.

According to the Norwegian Ministry of Labour and Social Inclusion, proposed changes to the Citizenship Act include increasing the minimum residency requirement for obtaining citizenship from three years to seven years.

The planned reforms would also introduce stricter language requirements for stateless persons applying for citizenship. Under the proposal, stateless individuals aged between 18 and 67 would be required to demonstrate Norwegian language proficiency at level B1, up from the current A2 requirement.

In addition, stateless persons born in Norway or those who arrived in the country as children would be required to reside in Norway for at least five years before becoming eligible for citizenship.

The government is also considering extending residency requirements for applicants who are married to or cohabiting with Norwegian citizens.

Officials said the proposed amendments are intended to strengthen integration requirements while ensuring a clearer and more consistent framework for acquiring citizenship.

At the same time, the ministry noted that some aspects of the citizenship process could be simplified, including residency provisions that apply to specific groups of applicants. Authorities indicated that broader efforts to streamline certain administrative procedures are also under consideration.

The proposals remain under review and would need to go through the legislative process before any changes to Norway's citizenship rules take effect.