Austria citizenship by investment

Legal framework

Austrian citizenship law (Staatsbürgerschaftsgesetz 1985, Article 10(6)) allows the government to grant citizenship to individuals who made exceptional contributions to the Republic. This is an individual government decision, not an open public program, reserved for investors making a major economic impact.

What qualifies

The law sets no amount. In practice we are talking about investments from $4.5 million. The Austrian Interior Ministry looks at investments or company projects already made in the country and at the jobs created. A mere money transfer does not count, nor does buying property or bonds.

Ordinary naturalisation

Without special merit, the route to an Austrian passport is naturalisation under the general rules:

• 10 years of lawful, continuous residence, at least 5 of them with a residence permit;
• 6 years with good German or proven integration, and for European Economic Area citizens;
• your own stable income averaged over 36 months within the last 6 years;
• knowledge of German and a test on the state;
• renunciation of your previous citizenship, with some exceptions.

Only lawful residence counts: time on a tourist visa does not.

People usually start with a residence permit: for the financially independent it is available with income from €2,616.78 a month per person; more on the Austrian residence for the financially independent page.

Citizenship for descendants of Nazi victims

Since 2019 direct descendants of people persecuted by the Nazi regime, or who suffered defending democratic Austria, can obtain citizenship by simple declaration. There is no need to give up previous citizenship and no limit on generations: children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and beyond. No federal fees are charged for such a declaration; only translations, apostilles and documents are paid for. It is one of the few routes to an Austrian passport that keeps a second citizenship. The Vienna state government handles the declaration, and it can also be filed through an Austrian embassy.

How much citizenship costs

• application fee - €163, about $183;
• federal fee for granting citizenship to an adult - usually €1,448, about $1,623;
• the federal state's fee - from a few hundred to over a thousand euros, linked to income in some states;
• translations, apostilles and certificates.

No federal fees are charged to descendants of Nazi victims. The application fee is paid on filing, and the federal fee for granting citizenship only on a positive decision. Our manager will calculate the cost of our support in the chat; the first consultation is free.

What is checked for citizenship by special merit

• real investments or projects in Austria and jobs created, not a transfer of money to an account;
• the interest of the Republic: the government must confirm that the applicant's merits matter to Austria;
• source of funds and good character;
• no links to banned organisations.

Applications are refused if the investment is not tied to Austria's economy, information is concealed or the source of funds is not proven.

Comparison with other routes to an EU passport

Steps for citizenship by special merit

1. A project and investment in Austria: a company, production, research or a cultural project with jobs.
2. A residence permit to live in the country lawfully, for example for the financially independent: the 2026 quota is about 285 places.
3. An application to the federal state government, which prepares the case.
4. The federal government's confirmation that naturalisation serves the Republic's interest.
5. The decision, the oath and passports for the family.

What changes in 2026

The government is preparing a naturalisation reform: the German requirement is planned to rise from the threshold level to upper-intermediate, with a mandatory integration course. Meanwhile federal states are revising their fees, some sharply upwards. So we check the requirements and costs on the filing date.

Benefits of Austria citizenship by investment

How to get citizenship by investment: step by step

FAQ

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