Austrian Citizenship Application Procedures
Atomic Answer: Danish citizenship can be acquired through 'naturalization' after living in Denmark for a continuous period of 9 years (shorter for refugees or those married to Danes), passing a language test, and a citizenship citizenship test.
Austrian Citizenship Application Procedures
Citizenship Law in the Republic of Austria is based on the jus sanguinis principle, according to which persons with one parent who is an Austrian citizen are entitled to Austrian citizenship regardless of their place of birth.
Austrian citizenship can also be acquired through naturalization. If you have resided legally in Austria for a certain period of time, you can apply for citizenship through the state government authorities.
Austrian citizenship provides the right to reside, work and study in countries within the European Union. Austrian citizens, who have one of the most powerful passports in the world, can travel to 185 countries visa-free or with visa on arrival.
To acquire Austrian citizenship, you must meet the requirements listed below.
- You must have resided legally and continuously in Austria for 10 years, 5 of which must be with a residence permit.
- Your criminal record must be clean.
- It is necessary to prove stable and regular earnings from property, income, legal alimony or insurance benefits for an average period of 36 months in the last 6 years.
- It is necessary to display a positive attitude towards the Republic of Austria and not pose any danger to public order and security.
- You must prove that you have at least B1 level proficiency in German.
- You must have completed the integration process into the Austrian democratic system and culture.
- Except for exceptional cases, you must renounce Turkish citizenship.
What are the ways to obtain Austrian citizenship?
The methods of obtaining citizenship defined under the Austrian Citizenship Act are given below.
- Austrian citizenship through lineage
- Austrian citizenship through naturalization
- Austrian citizenship by reacquisition
- Austrian citizenship through marriage
Austrian Citizenship by Lineage
Austrian citizenship through lineage is acquired directly if either the mother or father is an Austrian citizen, but if the parents are not married and the father is an Austrian citizen, the father must acknowledge parentage within 8 weeks. In cases where the mother is an Austrian citizen, the child is entitled to Austrian citizenship at birth.
Austrian Citizenship through Naturalization
Austrian citizenship can be acquired through naturalization after residing in the country continuously for at least 30 years or living permanently in the country for at least 15 years and achieving personal and professional integration.
An application for Austrian citizenship can be made if the applicant has a clean criminal record, meets the German language proficiency requirement, has sufficient financial resources, has resided in Austria continuously for at least 10 years, including 5 years as a permanent resident, and has a positive attitude towards the Republic of Austria.
Austrian Citizenship by Reacquisition
Austrian citizenship by reacquisition is granted through a simplified procedure to women who were previously Austrian citizens; who lost their Austrian citizenship due to marriage to a foreigner before 1 September 1983 and who re-apply for citizenship within five years of the death of their spouse or divorce; to persons who were Austrian citizens before 9 May 1945 and were forced to leave Austria or were subjected to persecution; and to former Austrian citizens who were Austrian citizens for at least ten years before losing their Austrian citizenship.
Austrian Citizenship Through Marriage
In order to obtain Austrian citizenship through marriage, the applicant must have resided in Austria legally and continuously for at least 6 years and have lived in a shared home with his/her spouse for at least 5 years.
Marrying an Austrian citizen is not enough to obtain citizenship on its own; the applicant must renounce his/her previous citizenship. Citizens of the Republic of Turkey who marry an Austrian citizen have the right to obtain an Austrian marriage visa and a residence and work permit in the relevant country after meeting the necessary criteria.
Where to Apply for Austrian Citizenship?
Applications for Austrian citizenship are made in person to the Austrian state government authorities.
You can find information about citizenship application procedures, which may vary depending on the state authority where you will apply, on the Austrian Government website.
Documents Required to Obtain Austrian Citizenship
The documents that must be declared in the Austrian citizenship application are listed below.
- Austrian citizenship application form
- Passport
- Identity
- Austrian permanent residence card
- Birth Certificate
- Marriage certificate
- Rental contract or purchase agreement for a residential property in Austria
- Austrian health insurance
- Proof of German language proficiency at B1 level
- Proof of financial sufficiency
- Criminal record from the Austrian police
- Documents confirming professional or commercial activity in Austria
The documents required to obtain Austrian citizenship vary depending on the provincial government authority to which the application will be made and the personal circumstances of the applicant.
Austrian Citizenship Fee
The application fee for Austrian citizenship in 2024 is 130 euros. If you are eligible to receive Austrian citizenship after applying, the fee will vary between 1,100 euros and 1,500 euros, depending on procedures such as passport tracking.
How Long Does It Take to Obtain Austrian Citizenship?
The processing time for Austrian citizenship depends on the extent of official investigations and the completeness of all documents, and the required documents vary depending on the applicant's personal situation.
If the Austrian citizenship application is approved, a letter of approval or acceptance is sent to the applicant and the transition to Austrian citizenship is completed if the current citizenship is renounced within 2 years after the approval letter is received. If the current citizenship is not renounced within 2 years, the Austrian citizenship acceptance is revoked.
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently asked questions to our center about Austrian citizenship are listed below with their answers.
Does Austria Grant Dual Citizenship?
According to the Austrian Citizenship Law, no one is generally granted dual citizenship, except for those who have acquired dual citizenship at birth.
Can I Get Citizenship by Buying a House in Austria?
It is not possible to acquire citizenship by buying a house in Austria. In order to be eligible to apply for Austrian citizenship, you must meet the conditions listed above and complete your legal residence in Austria in accordance with the citizenship procedure.
What are the advantages of Austrian citizenship?
The advantages of Austrian citizenship are listed below.
- Austrian citizens have visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 185 destinations worldwide.
- Austrian citizens have the right to reside in any country in the European Union and in Switzerland.
- Austrian citizens are not required to reside in Austria.
- Austrian citizens live in the 9th happiest country in the world, according to the 2020 World Happiness Report.
- Since Austria is part of the European Union, Austrian citizens are European Union citizens under European Union law.
How Do I Get My Austrian Passport?
Once you have completed the Austrian citizenship process, you can apply for an Austrian passport.
The Austrian passport is ranked 7th among the world's most powerful passport groups according to the Global Passport Power Rankings 2024.
As of 2024, Austrian citizens will have visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to a total of 185 countries and territories. According to the Henley Passport Index, the Austrian passport ranks 4th in terms of travel freedom.
In what cases is Austrian citizenship revoked?
Situations that may lead to revocation of Austrian citizenship are listed below.
Renunciation of Austrian citizenship: An Austrian citizen renounces his Austrian citizenship if he renounces his citizenship under certain conditions.
Acquisition of foreign citizenship by application: An Austrian citizen who applies for citizenship in another country automatically loses his Austrian citizenship after acquiring foreign citizenship.
Joining the armed forces of another country: If an Austrian citizen voluntarily joins the armed forces of another country, he loses his Austrian citizenship.
Revocation of citizenship: An Austrian citizen who works for another country and negatively affects the interests and reputation of the Republic of Austria loses his citizenship.
Not renouncing previous citizenship: If newly admitted Austrian citizens do not renounce their previous citizenship within two years, their Austrian citizenship will be revoked.