Austria has seen a substantial increase in naturalizations during the first half of 2024, with a rise of 66 percent compared to the previous year. This increase is largely driven by the descendants of victims of the Nazi regime, who make up approximately 37 percent of all new citizens, according to recent data from “Statistik Austria.”
From January to June 2024, a total of 11,050 individuals were granted Austrian citizenship, a significant jump from the 6,658 naturalizations recorded during the same period in 2023. Notably, 4,151 of those who received citizenship this year are currently residing abroad.
Since September 2020, descendants of those politically persecuted during the Nazi era have been eligible for Austrian citizenship. The largest groups among these new citizens hail from Israel, the United States, and the United Kingdom. Meanwhile, among those naturalized for other reasons, the most common countries of origin are Syria, Turkey, and Afghanistan. Additionally, one in five of the new citizens was born in Austria.
The data also shows that 3,244 individuals were naturalized after living in Austria for at least six years and meeting specific criteria, such as demonstrating sustainable integration and proven German language proficiency.
Almost all federal states reported an increase in naturalizations, with the exception of Burgenland and Vienna, where slightly fewer naturalizations were recorded compared to the first half of 2023.
