Naturalizations in Austria: Number Continues to Rise

This represents an 11.5 percent increase compared to the same period last year (15,824). Of these, 10,885 people (61.7 percent) live in Austria, while 6,764 people (38.3 percent) reside abroad.

Naturalizations: Nazi Victims and Descendants Again Largest Group

Almost all of the naturalized individuals living abroad were Nazi victims and their descendants: 99.7 percent of this group do not live in Austria. With a share of 38.2 percent (6,745 people), they once again formed the largest group of newly naturalized citizens.

For several years, descendants of Nazi victims have been able to apply for dual citizenship - this possibility has led to a significant increase in naturalizations. After a slight decline in 2023, the numbers have been rising again since the middle of last year, increasing by 10.5 percent in the third quarter of 2025 compared to the same period last year.

Almost a Third in Austria for Over Six Years

The second largest group of naturalized citizens, at 31.2 percent, were people who had been residing in Austria for at least six years. The largest share of naturalized citizens living in Austria previously held citizenship from Syria (19.1 percent), followed by Turkey (10.8 percent), Afghanistan (8.0 percent), Bosnia and Herzegovina (4.8 percent), and Iran (4.7 percent).

One fifth (20.2 percent) of the newly naturalized citizens were born in Austria, and 32.3 percent were under 18 years old. The proportion of women was 50 percent.

Legal Entitlement in Three Quarters of Naturalizations

More than three quarters of all naturalizations (76.7 percent or 13,536 people) were based on a legal entitlement. Among them were 5,511 people with at least six years of residence in Austria and particularly noteworthy reasons such as proven German language skills, sustainable integration, birth in Austria, EEA citizenship, or asylum status. An additional 560 people were naturalized due to marriage to an Austrian citizen.

(APA/Red)

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