There are two paths to Austrian dual citizenship and we’ll help you find yours.

Austria is one of the few European nations that has taken active legislative steps to extend citizenship both to those who can trace direct Austrian parentage and to the descendants of those who were driven from Austrian soil by Nazi persecution. If you have Austrian ancestry (or a persecuted ancestor who held Austrian citizenship or lived in Austria and was persecuted by the Nazis) there may be a path to an Austrian passport waiting for you.

Citizenship by Direct Descent

Austrian citizenship follows the person, not the place. Being born outside Austria has no bearing on whether you inherited citizenship. What matters is who your parents were and when you were born. If you were born to at least one Austrian parent, you may qualify for what we call “direct descent” citizenship.

How citizenship by direct descent works

The rules that apply to your case depend on the law in effect at the time of your birth and whether your parents were married at the time.

If your parents were married at the time of your birth and you were born on or after September 1, 1983

If your parents were married and you were born on or after September 1, 1983, you acquired Austrian citizenship at birth if at least one parent was an Austrian citizen. It did not matter if your mother or father was Austrian.

If your parents were married at the time of your birth and you were born before September 1, 1983

If you were born before that date, citizenship passed through the father only.

If you were born to unmarried parents

• If your parents were not married at the time of your birth, citizenship passes through the mother in most cases.
• If your mother was not Austrian but your father was, and you were born on or after August 1, 2013, you may still qualify, provided paternity was acknowledged or established by a court within eight weeks of your birth. Later acknowledgment may still open a path to citizenship under simplified conferral conditions.

If you were born to unmarried parents who later married

If your parents were unmarried at the time of your birth but later married while you were under age 14, and your father held Austrian citizenship at the time of the marriage, you may have acquired citizenship through legitimation. Children who were 14 or older at the time of the marriage must have consented within three years of it.

Dual citizenship

If you acquired another citizenship at birth, whether through your other parent, or by being born in a country like the United States that grants citizenship by birthplace, you do not lose your Austrian citizenship. Austria permits dual citizenship in these circumstances, and you are not required to choose between nationalities upon reaching adulthood. Note that your other country of citizenship may have its own rules on this, which we can help you navigate.

Citizenship for Descendants of Persecuted Persons

In 2019, Austria unanimously amended its Citizenship Act to extend citizenship to persons persecuted under National Socialism and their descendants. A 2022 expansion broadened eligibility significantly. If your ancestor fled Austria, was prevented from returning, or was deported or killed before May 9, 1945, you may qualify, regardless of how many generations have passed.

Who qualifies?

Eligible ancestors include Austrian citizens or stateless persons residing within Austria’s current federal borders, who left, were prevented from returning, or were deported or killed before May 9, 1945 due to persecution by the Nazi regime or in defense of democratic Austria. Descendants of these individuals may claim citizenship by declaration, with no limit on the number of generations removed.

What does the process look like?

Austrian citizenship in this category is acquired by filing a formal declaration (Anzeige) with your local Austrian Embassy or Consulate General. No renunciation of your existing citizenship is required. We guide you through every step by identifying your qualifying ancestor, assembling the required documentation, and preparing your declaration for submission.

A few important notes

Eligibility applies to ancestors whose primary residence was within Austria’s current federal borders at the relevant time. Certain prior circumstances including a previous renunciation or revocation of Austrian citizenship may affect eligibility, which we assess individually during your consultation.

Application Process

1. Eligibility Assessment

Comprehensive review of your Austrian ancestry and qualification path

2. Document Retrieval

Obtain vital records from Austrian and local archives

3. Application Assembly

Professional preparation of your citizenship application or declaration package

4. Submission & Processing

File with Austrian authorities and manage throughout processing