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VIENNA — Austria has recorded a significant rise in citizenship applications granted this year, with around 13,700 people becoming Austrian citizens in the first half of 2026. According to Statistics Austria, the figure is 17 percent higher than during the same period in 2025.
The largest increase was recorded among spouses and children of Austrian citizens, with citizenship grants in this category rising by 55 percent.
According to Manuela Lenk, Director General of Statistics Austria’s specialist statistics division, many of the new Austrian citizens qualified through long-term residence in Austria, proven German-language skills and sustained integration.
Syrians make up the largest group
Of the 13,700 people who received Austrian citizenship between January and June, 9,750 were living in Austria at the time of naturalisation.
People originally from Syria represented the largest group, with 2,319 new citizens. They were followed by:
- Turkey: 1,058
- Afghanistan: 968
- Iran: 433
- Bosnia and Herzegovina: 407
Women accounted for 49 percent of all people naturalised during the first half of the year. Nearly one-third, or 32 percent, were under the age of 18, while 22 percent were born in Austria.
Significant differences between Austria’s provinces
The rise in citizenship grants was not uniform across the country.
Upper Austria was the only province to record a decline, with naturalisations falling by 16 percent compared with the first half of 2025.
The strongest relative increase was recorded in Carinthia, where citizenship grants rose by 93 percent. Vienna followed with an increase of 60 percent, ahead of Lower Austria at 45 percent and Vorarlberg at 36 percent.
In absolute numbers, Vienna recorded the most naturalisations, with 3,333 people receiving Austrian citizenship. It was followed by Lower Austria with 1,871 and Styria with 1,193.
The figures for the individual provinces were:
- Vienna: 3,333
- Lower Austria: 1,871
- Styria: 1,193
- Upper Austria: 1,028
- Tyrol: 725
- Vorarlberg: 648
- Carinthia: 418
- Salzburg: 353
- Burgenland: 181
Citizenship for descendants of Nazi victims
The statistics also include people who received Austrian citizenship under provisions for victims of Nazi persecution and their descendants.
Between January and June 2026, four people persecuted by the Nazi regime and 3,923 descendants of Nazi victims received Austrian citizenship.
Almost all of these new citizens — all but 12 — live abroad. Unlike the overall trend, citizenship grants in this category fell by 10 percent compared with the first half of 2025.
Among descendants of Nazi victims, the largest groups came from Israel, with 1,880 people, followed by the United States with 1,233 and the United Kingdom with 425.
Several pathways to Austrian citizenship
Austrian citizenship was granted on several legal grounds, including marriage to an Austrian citizen, long-term residence in Austria and exceptional achievements in the national interest.
The latest figures highlight the diverse backgrounds of those becoming Austrian citizens, while also showing a notable increase in naturalisations compared with the previous year.
- Source: heute.at/ picture: canva.com
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