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NORWEGIAN CITIZENSHIP

Quiz: Would you pass the Norwegian social studies test?

Looking to apply for Norwegian citizenship? Then will likely need to pass the social studies test. Can you pass our quiz version?

Published: 7 March 2023 15:37 CET

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We've compiled 17 questions for you to try answering – based on the official examples provided by the Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills. Photo by Shubham Singh on Unsplash

The social studies test is a required part of the application for permanent residence or Norwegian citizenship.

The test itself lasts up to 60 minutes and has to be taken in Norwegian if you’re applying for citizenship. However, you’ll be free to choose either the Bokmål or the Nynorsk form of the Norwegian language.

READ MORE: What you need to know about Norway’s citizenship test

Depending on when you were granted a residence permit, and when you came to Norway, you may be subject to the right and duty, or just the duty, to take 50 hours or 75 hours of instruction in social studies.

When it comes to the test related to the 50-hour program in social studies, expect to find 38 questions. Each question will offer three options, only one of which will be correct. You will have to get at least 29 correct answers to pass the test.

On the other hand, the test for the 75-hour program in social studies also has 38 questions, and most of them will be multiple choice, but there will also be different questions.

Four questions will not count towards your end result. You will need to have at least 26 correct answers to pass the 75-hour program test.

The Local’s mock quiz

While there are 38 questions in the real test, we’ve compiled 17 questions for you to try answering – based on the official examples provided by the Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills.

The real social studies test covers a broader range of topics than those covered here, so please don’t take our quiz as any certain measure of your ability to pass the real test and prepare diligently for the real thing.

Quiz Maker – powered by Riddle

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Why do some Norwegian citizenship applications take much longer than others?

Language tests, citizenship and social studies tests, residency requirements and a good conduct certificate are just some of the key criteria you will need to meet to be granted Norwegian citizenship.

Meeting these requirements and being granted citizenship means such benefits as having the same rights as Norwegian and EEA citizens, being able to vote in general elections and staying in Norway for as long as you like or returning after a lengthy absence with virtually no paperwork.

Once you’ve checked all the boxes that apply to you and handed your documents to the police, your paperwork will be forwarded to the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI).

Per-Jan Brekke, a senior press advisor for the UDI, has told The Local that citizenship applications can take up to two years to process.

However, some cases receive a decision in a much shorter time, while others can take longer than two years to process.

One factor which affects how long an application will take is the applicant’s existing citizenship. Brekke used the example of applications from Syrian nationals taking longer to process.

“One of the reasons for long waiting times is that it is a challenge for Norwegian authorities to confirm the identity of persons from Syria. It has been difficult to determine the authenticity of Syrian passports since the civil war began in 2012. Consequently, the UDI has to confirm identities in other ways. Carrying out these alternative activities requires a case officer to evaluate your application,” he said.

Currently, the UDI website says that applications for citizens from (as an example) the UK, the US and Italy take 22 months to process. Meanwhile, applications for a national from Syria take 26 months.

One of the reasons citizenship cases take so long to process in the first place is that the UDI has received a large volume of applications.

“The main reason for the current long waiting times in citizenship cases is the large volume of cases that we have been unable to process quicker,” Thomas Theis-Haugan, a senior advisor to the press at the UDI, told The Local.

However, The Local has heard of citizenship cases processed in just a few months rather than up to 22 months. This is because the UDI can automatically process some applications, meaning a decision is made much quicker.

“Although some citizenship cases have much shorter waiting times since they can be automated (approximately one-third of all citizenship cases),” Theis-Haugan said.

Essentially, those who have their case processed can expect a significantly shorter wait for a decision.

On its website, the UDI states that those who do not receive an answer to their application within two months are probably not having their cases processed automatically. Applications that aren’t processed automatically are handled by a caseworker.

Those having a caseworker look over their application typically have nothing to fear or worry about, but it does mean it will take longer to receive a decision.

Unfortunately, the UDI or the police cannot tell you whether your application will be processed automatically. Additionally, you won’t receive any heads-up as to whether your case is or isn’t being processed automatically. If your request to become a Norwegian citizen is handled by a caseworker, the immigration directorate won’t be able to tell you why either.

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