Austria Citizenship: Rules And Regulations Explained

Austria offers multiple pathways to citizenship, including by descent, marriage, naturalisation, and investment. Austrian citizenship is highly sought-after, as it provides visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to over 180 countries, including the EU and the European Economic Area (EEA). It also offers the right to live, work, and study in any EU country, as well as high-quality healthcare and education. However, Austria generally does not allow dual citizenship, and new citizens are typically expected to relinquish their previous nationality.

Citizenship by descent

Austrian citizenship by descent is based on the principle of descent from an Austrian parent. Children can automatically become Austrian citizens at the time of their birth if:

• The mother is an Austrian citizen.
• The parents are married and the father is an Austrian citizen.
• The parents are not married, but the father is an Austrian citizen and acknowledges paternity before the birth or within eight weeks of the birth.
• The parents were not married at the time of birth but got married when the child was a minor, and the father has Austrian citizenship.

In cases where paternity is acknowledged later than eight weeks after birth or is established by a court, children can acquire Austrian citizenship by conferral under simplified conditions.

If the child of Austrian parents is born outside of Austria, this does not affect their citizenship status.

Austrian citizenship can also be obtained by descendants of victims of the Nazi regime. Beginning on 1 September 2020, Austrian Jews and any other Austrian citizens, as well as stateless people and citizens of successor states of Austria-Hungary resident in Austria, who left Austria before 15 May 1955 because they had suffered or feared persecution by the Nazi regime, were able to have their citizenship restored. In addition, any direct descendants of those people, including those adopted as minors, are able to claim Austrian citizenship, without giving up any existing citizenship, and whether or not their ancestors have claimed Austrian citizenship.

Citizenship by award/naturalisation

Austrian citizenship can be acquired by naturalisation. The general requirements for naturalisation are as follows:

• 10 years of legal and continuous residence in Austria, with a minimum of 5 years with a residence permit
• No criminal record
• No pending criminal action (both in Austria and abroad)
• No severe administrative offences with a special degree of unlawfulness
• Sufficiently secured maintenance
• Proof of fixed and regular earnings over a period of 36 months on average within the last 6 years before the time of application. The last claimed 6 months must be immediately before the time of application
• German language skills and basic knowledge of the democratic system, the fundamental principles deriving therefrom, as well as the history of Austria and of each province
• Positive attitude towards the Republic of Austria and warranty that there is no danger to public peace, order and security
• No pending proceeding regarding the termination of residence
• No current prohibition of residence or enforceable return decision
• No return decision of another EEA country or Switzerland
• No eviction order within the last 12 months and no upright entry prohibition
• No close relationship to any extremist or terrorist group
• Principally, loss of previous citizenship

There are some exceptions to the above requirements:

• No proof of fixed and regular earnings is required if one’s livelihood cannot be durably secured without one’s fault (e.g. disability, permanent serious illness)
• Exceptions for minors under 14 years of age and persons who claim bad mental or physical health conditions (in particular speech and hearing impairment)
• The requirement to renounce foreign citizenship can be waived in exceptional cases

Naturalisation as an Austrian citizen based on 10 years of continuous residence is discretionary.

The residence requirement may be reduced or waived in the following cases:

• Recognised refugees (10 years)
• Citizens of other European Economic Area nations (6 years)
• Persons born in Austria
• Former citizens of Austria
• Persons with knowledge of the German language at level B2 or with proof of substantial personal integration (after 6 years of uninterrupted residence)

Some persons are entitled to Austrian citizenship by a simpler process than naturalisation. This includes:

• Minor children of a person granted Austrian citizenship
• Spouses of Austrian citizens, provided the marriage has lasted for a minimum of 5 years and the spouse has lived in Austria with a settlement permit for a minimum of 6 years
• Persons who have lived in Austria for 30 years, or 15+ years in cases of 'sustained personal and occupational integration'
• Former Austrian citizens who lost citizenship other than by renunciation or deprivation may be granted Austrian citizenship after 1 year's residence in Austria, provided Austrian citizenship must have been possessed for 10 years before it was lost
• A person who lost Austrian nationality as a child (other than by deprivation) may re-acquire it by declaration within 2 years of turning 18
• Stateless persons born in Austria may be granted Austrian citizenship within two years of turning 18 if they have lived in Austria for a total of 10 years, including 5 years continuously before application
• Restoration of lost Austrian citizenship to victims of National Socialism and their descendants
• Appointment to a professorship at an Austrian university

Citizenship by investment

Austria is the only Western European country that offers the possibility to obtain citizenship by investment and an EU passport without prior residence requirements. Under the citizenship by investment provisions, an applicant is required to invest actively in the Austrian economy, for example, in the form of a joint venture or direct investment in a business that creates jobs or generates new export sales. Significant direct investment is generally required. Passive investments in government bonds or real estate, for example, do not qualify.

Citizenship by marriage

To obtain Austrian citizenship through marriage, an individual must meet the following requirements:

• The applicant must be the spouse of an Austrian national.
• The applicant must have been legally and continuously resident in Austria for at least six years.
• The applicant must have been married and living in a joint household with their Austrian spouse for at least five years.
• The applicant must renounce their present citizenship.

In addition to the above criteria, individuals applying for Austrian citizenship by marriage must also meet the general requirements for naturalization, which include:

• No criminal record or pending criminal action in Austria or abroad.
• Sufficiently secured maintenance and regular earnings.
• Proficiency in the German language and basic knowledge of the democratic system, history, and fundamental principles of Austria.
• A positive attitude towards the Republic of Austria and no close relationship to extremist or terrorist groups.
• No pending proceedings regarding the termination of residence or current prohibition of residence in Austria.

Citizenship by investment

Austria is one of the few European countries that allow citizenship by investment. This means that investors and their families can obtain Austrian citizenship by making a substantial contribution to the country's economy. This is a highly sought-after opportunity, as Austrian citizenship comes with the right to live and work in Austria and other EU countries, as well as visa-free access to numerous countries worldwide.

To be eligible for Austrian citizenship by investment, applicants are required to actively invest in the Austrian economy. This could take the form of a joint venture or direct investment in a business that creates jobs, introduces innovation, or generates new export sales. It is important to note that passive investments, such as government bonds or real estate, do not qualify for this route to citizenship. The investment amount typically ranges from €800,000 to €10 million, and there is no minimum investment amount specified. However, applicants need to make a substantial contribution to the economy.

In addition to the investment, applicants must also provide various documents and meet certain requirements. These include a valid passport, proof of contribution, health insurance, a clean criminal record, a comprehensive CV, business background information, and impeccable references. Applicants may also need to demonstrate a connection to Austria and spend some time in the country, although there are no specific residence requirements. It is also beneficial to have a basic knowledge of German.

The process for obtaining Austrian citizenship by investment can be complex and may take between 12 and 36 months. The grant of citizenship is at the sole discretion of the Austrian government, and applicants should be properly advised and carefully prepare their application to increase their chances of success. Obtaining citizenship through this route offers many advantages, including the opportunity to live and work in the EU, visa-free travel to a large number of countries, and access to high-quality healthcare and education.

Dual citizenship

Austria's general principle is to avoid multiple nationalities, and the Austrian Nationality Act does not allow dual citizenship. If an Austrian citizen acquires a foreign citizenship, they will automatically lose their Austrian citizenship.

However, there are some exceptions to this rule.

If you receive Austrian citizenship and a foreign citizenship through your parents, you can keep both. When the child turns 18, they do not have to actively choose Austrian citizenship to keep it.

Retaining Austrian Citizenship when Applying for Foreign Citizenship

If you want to keep your Austrian citizenship and gain another, you must submit a written application to the Austrian authorities before applying for foreign citizenship. This must be approved in writing. Retention will be granted:

• Due to services already rendered and still to be expected (e.g. in sports, film, etc.) or for a particularly important reason in the interest of the Republic of Austria.
• If it is justified by a reason in the applicant's private and family life that is particularly worthy of consideration.
• In the case of minors, if it is beneficial to the child's welfare.

Granting of Austrian Citizenship

If you are a foreigner applying for Austrian citizenship, you are expected to renounce your original citizenship. However, if the law of your previous home country does not provide for an automatic loss of citizenship, you will be granted Austrian citizenship. From this point, you will have two years to renounce your original citizenship and provide proof to the authorities. Exceptions are provided for:

• Renunciation of citizenship is not possible or reasonable (e.g. war in the home country).
• Due to services already rendered and/or still to be provided, extraordinary achievements in the special interest of the Republic of Austria.

Frequently asked questions