Gordon Barlow

There's an interesting little thread on the Germany forum about dual citizenship. The question has been asked whether someone with one EU nationality can get a second one. The provisional answer was that it all depends on the law of each country. Sweden, Denmark and Finland may or may not allow it. Norway - which is outside the EU - does not allow dual citizenship. My son has PR in Norway, but would have to renounce his UK citizenship to become a Norwegian.

(I don't know how one renounces UK citizenship. Maybe Norway would settle for an applicant giving up his non-Norwegian passport.)

JAJ

By application to the Home Office. Any valid British passport must be surrendered or cancelled as part of the process.


Some countries settle for that, and/or a statement under local law. But some countries do want to see some formal evidence that any foreign citizenship has been renounced (under the law of the other country), or will automatically be revoked.

Perhaps undertake further investigations in Norway as to what is actually required. Forsiden - UDI has further information.

Gordon Barlow

It's an interesting line of enquiry, JAJ, but I think my son would be crazy to give up his UK citizenship and passport - or his Australian ones. Norway is his home, and he has three young Norwegian children. He has never lived in England since University, or Australia since a few years afterwards, so he has no reason to feel loyalty towards those countries. And not a heck of a lot towards Cayman, where he was brought up and where he is also a citizen (of sorts; it's still a colony). He's spoilt for choice, really!

BritInParis

Your son could be exempt from renouncing his British citizenship depending on his salary.

Release from previous citizenship - UDI

Since your son has three children and the current fee for the Home Office to process a renunciation application is £823 then providing he earns less than £41,150 pa (~447,616 NOK) then he would be exempt. If the renunciation fee for his Australian citizenship is included as well (235 AUD) that brings the bar up to approximately £48,850 pa (~531,261 NOK).

Gordon Barlow

Thanks very much, Brit. I'll bring it up with him when he comes over in February. But off-hand I can't see any advantage in giving up his existing citizenships. I'll keep this thread posted on any developments.

BritInParis

Presuming that he earns more than that then I would agree with you. However if that's not the case then he intend to makes his life in Norway with his Norwegian family then the security of having citizenship would give peace of mind as well as the other associated benefits such as voting rights, consular protection, etc.. would be worthwhile if he was able to retain his other citizenships.

Gordon Barlow

Fair enough, Brit. Good point, which I shall bear in mind. I don't know exactly what he earns, but it's something close to the NOK440,000 mark. (That's a pretty modest wage in Norway, but he's a semi-reformed hippy who works in the stage crew of a theatre company.) According to Page 7 of this information-sheet (link), he can vote in all elections except the national ones. Does that sound right to you?
http://www.forum.nl/Portals/Internat...-in-Europe.pdf

BritInParis

If that's true then the fees associated with renouncing both his British and Australian citizenships would be enough to exempt him and he would potentially be able to join a very small and privileged group of naturalised Norwegian triple nationals.

As for voting rights that sounds correct as similar legislation applies in the UK. As a resident of Norway he can vote in his local elections and as an EU citizen he can vote in European elections but he cannot vote in national elections as he does not hold Norwegian citizenship.

One caveat would be that upon becoming a Norwegian citizen your son would become liable for compulsory military service. I would suggest to your son to ask around for advice as to how 'compulsory' it is, i.e. how likely it would be for someone of your son's age to be called up and how easy it is to be dismissed on medical grounds or deferred for other reasons.

Unless of course he likes the idea, although as only a semi-reformed hippy, that seems unlikely

Gordon Barlow

Highly unlikely - and not just because of the hippy-ness. When he was little, my friends used to tease me that God would punish me by making him become an army chaplain when he grew up - the two things I detested beyond all else!

I had thought of the danger of his being called up (aged 39). I guess it depends which NATO member would be more likely to draft him for the next war against Russia - Britain or Norway. I think Norway - but who knows? It's a gamble, isn't it?