Austrian Citizenship Through Ancestry
Do you have an Austrian ancestor who left Austria or lost their Austrian citizenship due to Nazi persecution? If so, you may be eligible to apply for Austrian citizenship through ancestry.
Are you ready to check your eligibility to apply?
Austria Eligibility Guidelines
Eligible Generations
Up to your great-grandparents
Travel Required?
No (apply via consulate)
Eligibility Pathways
2 pathways
Language Requirement?
No
Do you think you might qualify for Austrian citizenship thorugh ancestry?
Receive a no-commitment preliminary eligibility analysis from us to learn if you are eligible to apply. If eligible, our team can connect you to industry experts who can help file your application.
Eligibility Requirement Breakdown
Eligible Generations
Up to your great grandparents
Austria does not have a strict limit on how many generations can pass when applying for citizenship through ancestry. Eligibility depends on specific legal and historical rules. In practice, most people who qualify have an Austrian parent, grandparent, or great-grandparent.
Travel Required?
No (apply via consulate)
You are not required to travel to Austria at any point to obtain documentation or to present your application in person. The only trip that must be made is to your nearest Austrian consulate where you make your final declaration for citizenship.
Eligibility Pathways
2 Pathways
Austria allows citizenship through ancestry to be obtained for interested applicants whose connection back to Austria meets one of two different sets of requirements:
- Related to an ancestor who fled Austria (or did not return to the country) due to Nazi persecution, fear of Nazi persecution, or whose Austrian citizenship was taken from them.
- Related to a female ancestor who lost their citizenship by marrying a foreigner.
Travel Required?
No (apply via consulate)
While other application criteria must be met to apply, you are not required to learn German to successfully file your Austrian citizenship application.
I May Be Eligible, What Are Next Steps?
Confirm your Eligibility and Begin Your Application Today!
Citizenship.EU is the only citizenship by ancestry-focused provider where you can confirm eligibility and connect with vetted providers all in the same place.
Step 1: Confirm Eligibility
Use our free eligibility assessment tool to learn if your EU lineage is potentially qualifying. For more complex lineages, subscribe for access to our Eligibility Report where we will verify your eligibility to apply.
Step 2: Complete Citizenship Application Your Way
Whether you are looking for DIY-application instructions, additional genealogy research, or a vetted citizenship expert to help you file your citizenship application, our network of providers and tailored packages are ready to assist you.
Step 3: Post-Citizenship Advisory
Do you have questions about your recently obtained citizenship? Our network of country-specific experts can advise you about next steps related to your dual citizenship.
Add-On Services
Create your personalized citizenship application package. Access our wide variety of add-on services to apply for citizenship with just the right amount of help that you need.
Citizenship Advisory
- One-Time Consultations
- Application Checklists
- Document Advisory
- Birth / Baptism Record Obtention
- All-Included Application Assisstance
Genealogy Research
- Family Tree Transcription
- Custom Family Tree Build
- Advanced Document Review
Eligibility Review
- Preliminary Eligibility Assessment
- Detailed Eligibility Report
- Law Change Tracking
* Please note that add-on services are available to Citizenship.EU subscribers only. Review our subscription pages here.
Read More About Austrian Citizenship
In our blog, we cover essential information regarding applying for and achieving EU nationality through ancestry. This blog also explores relocation resources, citizenship programs outside of the EU, and more.
Frequently asked questions
Who is eligible for citizenship by descent?
You may be eligible for Austrian citizenship by descent if at least one of your parents was an Austrian citizen at the time of your birth. In most cases, citizenship is passed automatically from parent to child, regardless of where the child is born. However, specific rules may apply depending on the parent’s gender and whether the parents were married at the time of birth (especially for births before 1983).
Can I apply if my grandparent was Austrian?
If your grandparent was an Austrian citizen, you might be eligible, especially if your parent (their child) also retained or was eligible for citizenship. For those applying under the Nazi persecution exemption, grandparent lineage is sufficient. Each case is evaluated based on the exact family history and legal context.
How difficult is it to obtain Austrian citizenship?
Austrian citizenship by descent or restitution is relatively straightforward if you meet the eligibility criteria and can provide the required documentation. However, Austrian citizenship through naturalization (e.g. residency) is known to be one of the more difficult in Europe, requiring 10 years of residence, language proficiency, and renunciation of your previous citizenship (with limited exceptions).
Can I claim Austrian citizenship through my great-grandparents?
Generally, Austrian citizenship by descent only extends to children and sometimes grandchildren. Great-grandparent links are not sufficient under regular descent laws. However, if your great-grandparent was persecuted by the Nazi regime, you might be eligible under the restitution path, especially if you can prove direct lineage and persecution.
What is the easiest way to get Austrian citizenship?
Austria generally does not allow dual citizenship. However, there are notable exemptions, such as: Individuals obtaining citizenship under the restitution law for Nazi persecution victims and their descendants, children born with dual citizenship and pecial permissions granted in rare cases by the Austrian government.
Can I hold dual citizenship with Austria?
For those with Austrian ancestry, the descent or restitution pathways are the most accessible. The restitution route, in particular, waives many standard requirements such as residency, language tests, and renunciation of current citizenship.
Can descendants of persecuted individuals apply for Austrian citizenship?
Yes. Austria allows descendants of individuals who were persecuted by the Nazi regime (between 1933 and 1945) to apply for citizenship under a special restitution law. This includes children, grandchildren, and in some cases, great-grandchildren of those who lost or had to flee Austria due to persecution. There are no language or residency requirements under this exemption.
How can Citizenship.EU help me obtain Austrian citizenship by descent?
Citizenship.EU specializes in researching family ancestry, verifying eligibility, and managing the complex documentation and legal requirements for citizenship applications. For Austria, we can help to determine if you’re eligible under descent or restitution laws and more.
Still have questions? Let’s talk
Have a specific question about your case, documents, or eligibility? We’d love to hear it and it might even help us shape new resources.
