Acquisition of Norwegian citizenship 1977-2011

The number of acquisitions of Norwegian citizenship has increased in the period 1977-2011, with several peaks in the period. In 1977 there were 2 200 acquisitions, while there were 14 300 in 2011. The increase is related to the general rise in immigration to Norway, while the peaks are related to the inflow of refugee groups in certain time periods. In addition, the pattern of acquisitions follows the immigration pattern of those with foreign citizenship 7 to 10 years earlier. This is due to the residence requirement in the Norwegian Nationality Act.

Refugees and family migrants from countries in Asia, Africa and Eastern Europe are among the largest groups acquiring Norwegian citizenship, in addition to labour migrants who have lived in Norway for a long time, such as those from Pakistan and Turkey.

Among immigrant residents who have lived in Norway for at least 7 years in 2011, a total of 63 per cent have Norwegian citizenship. Among refugees and immigrants from Africa and Asia including Turkey, the share is 80 per cent, while 69 per cent of those from Eastern Europe have Norwegian citizenship. The lowest share is found among immigrants from Western Europe, North-America, Oceania and the Nordic countries (19-25 per cent), and labour migrants who have arrived after 1989 (13 per cent).

Immigrants who arrived in Norway in the period 1994-2002, particularly from Asia and Eastern-Europe, are found to be less inclined to acquire Norwegian citizenship than those who arrived in the preceding decade. However, immigrants arriving from the unrest in the Balkans in the beginning on the 1990’s and in 1999 are the exception as very many of these have acquired Norwegian citizenship.

On average, time from immigration to acquisition of Norwegian citizenship is 7,6 years. The stateless and immigrants from Africa on average acquire Norwegian citizenship after 4 and 7 years respectively. Immigrants from Asia and Easter- Europe acquire Norwegian citizenship on average after a little more than 7 years, while those from North-America and Oceania wait on average 12 and 10 years for women and men respectively.

In this report, the naturalization rate is defined as the annual number of acquisitions per 100 immigrants who have resided in Norway for at least 7 years with a foreign citizenship. In 2011, the naturalization rate was 7 per cent. The naturalization rate gives an indication of the acquisition of Norwegian citizenship among those who are eligible a given year. We find relatively large variations related to the immigration pattern 7 to 10 year earlier, but in general the rate increased from a low in the 1980’s to a high in the mid 1990’s (13 per cent in 1996). It then declined to today’s rate. The low rate in 2008 compared to the previous years is likely due to the new language requirements in the Norwegian Nationality Act. Since 2008, the rate has only increased by one percentage point.

Immigrants from Africa who have resided in Norway for 7 years, and women in particular, are among those with the highest naturalization rate. The second highest rate is found among those from Asia including Turkey, followed by former Eastern Europeans and those from South- and Central-America. Immigrants from Western- Europe, the Nordic countries, North-America and Oceania have the lowest naturalization rates throughout the period 1977-2011. The rate also varies by reason for immigration in the period 1990-2011, as refugees have the highest rate and non- Nordic labour migrants the lowest.