Austria Grants Citizenship to Over 5,000 People in Early 2025 — Nearly 40% Reside Abroad

In the first quarter of 2025, Austria granted citizenship to 5,479 individuals, representing a 1.9% increase compared to the same period in 2024. Among them, 2,176 people acquired Austrian citizenship under §58c of the Citizenship Act, which allows descendants of individuals persecuted by the Nazi regime to obtain Austrian citizenship without renouncing their current nationality. Notably, 2,173 of these individuals (39.3%) reside outside of Austria.

Key Facts

Descendants of Nazi victims:
A total of 2,176 individuals received Austrian citizenship under §58c of the Austrian Citizenship Act (StbG), a provision enabling descendants of persons persecuted by the Nazi regime to acquire Austrian nationality without relinquishing their existing citizenship. Of these, 2,173 live abroad.

Countries of origin

Among the newly naturalized citizens residing abroad, most originated from:

Israel: 1,325 people

United States: 472 people

United Kingdom: 191 people

Other naturalizations

Among individuals naturalized through other procedures, former citizens of the following countries dominated:

Syria: 529

Turkey: 354

Afghanistan: 263

Residents of Austria:
3,291 of the new citizens reside in Austria, marking a 1.1% decrease compared to 2024.

Regional differences

The highest increases in naturalizations were recorded in:

Vorarlberg: +39.3%

Burgenland: +31.7%

Lower Austria: +10.2%

Decreases were observed in:

Carinthia: −22.6%

Upper Austria: −14.2%

Styria: −11.4%

Vienna is home to 945 new citizens, representing 17.2% of the total.

Since 2020, Austria has allowed descendants of Nazi victims to acquire Austrian citizenship without having to renounce their existing nationality—a measure widely seen as an act of historical justice. Public figures such as Stephen Fry have taken advantage of this opportunity, highlighting the importance of acknowledging past injustices.