# Austria Citizenship Requirements

Austria's ordinary residence route separates ten years of lawful residence from five years of settlement, with language, support and nationality conditions.

Scope: Ordinary adult residence-based grant, with selected shorter-route distinctions. Not a determination of personal eligibility or every statutory exception.

Jurisdiction: Austrian citizenship. Sources reviewed 2026-09-17; review due 2026-12-16.

General information, not legal advice or a finding of eligibility. Requirements depend on the route, applicant and filing date. Verify the official instructions before applying.

## Ten years, including five settled

The ordinary route requires ten lawful, uninterrupted years, including five with qualifying settlement status. Settlement is not identical to any residence permission or to permanent-residence status alone; the authority lists several qualifying permits.

Evidence: conditional. [Federal Ministry of the Interior, Austria: Verleihung der Staatsbürgerschaft nach zehn Jahren](https://www.oesterreich.gv.at/de/themen/menschen_aus_anderen_staaten/staatsbuergerschaft/1/Verleihung-nach-zehn-Jahren). Source location: Voraussetzungen; meanings of rechtmäßiger Aufenthalt and niedergelassen.

## Absences and the decision date

The guidance permits at most 20% of the relevant period outside Austria. Actual residence must be evidenced, and the period is assessed through the decision date, not frozen at application.

Evidence: conditional. [Federal Ministry of the Interior, Austria: Verleihung der Staatsbürgerschaft nach zehn Jahren](https://www.oesterreich.gv.at/de/themen/menschen_aus_anderen_staaten/staatsbuergerschaft/1/Verleihung-nach-zehn-Jahren). Source location: Ununterbrochener Aufenthalt.

## Six years for defined cohorts

Six qualifying years can suffice for EEA nationals, Austrian-born applicants, specified Austrian-spouse or registered-partner cases, B2 German, or demonstrated sustained integration. General naturalisation conditions still apply; none is an unconditional shortcut.

Evidence: conditional. [Federal Ministry of the Interior, Austria: Vorzeitige Verleihung der Staatsbürgerschaft nach sechs Jahren](https://www.oesterreich.gv.at/de/themen/menschen_aus_anderen_staaten/staatsbuergerschaft/1/Vorzeitige-Verleihung-nach-sechs-Jahren). Source location: Voraussetzungen: six-year period and alternatives.

## German and civic knowledge

The ordinary language baseline is CEFR B1 through Module 2 or accepted equivalent evidence. A separate citizenship test covers democratic principles and Austrian and provincial history. Educational evidence and statutory exemptions require individual checking; B2 belongs to a shorter-route alternative.

Evidence: conditional. [Federal Chancellery and oesterreich.gv.at: Integrationsvereinbarung: Modul 2](https://www.oesterreich.gv.at/de/themen/menschen_aus_anderen_staaten/aufenthalt/3/Seite.120500); [Federal Ministry of the Interior, Austria: Allgemeine Einbürgerungsvoraussetzungen](https://www.oesterreich.gv.at/de/themen/menschen_aus_anderen_staaten/staatsbuergerschaft/1/Seite.260421); [Federal Ministry of the Interior, Austria: Vorzeitige Verleihung der Staatsbürgerschaft nach sechs Jahren](https://www.oesterreich.gv.at/de/themen/menschen_aus_anderen_staaten/staatsbuergerschaft/1/Vorzeitige-Verleihung-nach-sechs-Jahren). Source location: Integrationsvereinbarung: Module and Modul 2; general knowledge requirements; six-year B2 alternative.

## Support, conduct and application

The ordinary support test uses qualifying regular income for 36 months within the preceding six years, including the final six months before application. Criminal, immigration and security conditions also apply. Apply personally to the competent provincial authority, which determines required documents.

Evidence: conditional. [Federal Ministry of the Interior, Austria: Allgemeine Einbürgerungsvoraussetzungen](https://www.oesterreich.gv.at/de/themen/menschen_aus_anderen_staaten/staatsbuergerschaft/1/Seite.260421). Source location: Hinreichend gesicherter Lebensunterhalt; other prerequisites; Verfahrensablauf.

## Previous nationality usually relinquished

Applicants normally give up their prior nationality. Where it is not lost automatically, Austria generally first issues an assurance, followed by release within two years if possible and reasonable. Only the competent authority decides exceptions; do not renounce without checking the sequence.

Evidence: conditional. [Federal Ministry of the Interior, Austria: Doppelstaatsbürgerschaft](https://www.oesterreich.gv.at/de/themen/menschen_aus_anderen_staaten/staatsbuergerschaft/Seite.260430). Source location: Erwerb der österreichischen Staatsbürgerschaft durch ausländische Staatsangehörige.

## Scope and limitations

- This baseline does not exhaust disability, refugee, family, restitution, exceptional-merit or other statutory exceptions. Income sufficiency and acceptable evidence need authority assessment.
- Austrian rules on voluntary acquisition of another nationality by an existing citizen are separate from this inbound naturalisation route. Check both nationality laws before taking action.

## Explore this passport

- [Passport rank and travel access](https://multipassrank.com/passport/austria)
- [Tax residence & income](https://multipassrank.com/passport/austria/taxes)
- [Country-profile JSON, including sources and scoped requirements](https://multipassrank.com/api/v1/country-profiles/AT)
- [Multiple-citizenship policy guide](https://multipassrank.com/dual-citizenship-countries)

[Canonical page](https://multipassrank.com/passport/austria/citizenship)