IN NUMBERS: How many people become Austrian each year – and where do they come from?
Despite the difficult process, thousands of people become Austrian each year. Here's what you need to know.
Becoming a citizen of another country is a big decision. Even more so in a country that is known for having tough citizenship rules – like Austria.
In fact, Austrian citizenship, or naturalisation, is one of the least applied for in the EU. This is put down to strict eligibility requirements on the length of time spent in the country and, in most cases, renouncing original citizenship.
How many people became Austrian last year?
Despite the difficulties, it doesn’t mean becoming an Austrian citizen is impossible though and in 2019 - the most recent year available on record - more than 10,000 people went through the process of naturalisation in Austria.
The number of people becoming an Austrian citizen increased by 12.2 per cent in 2019 from 2018.
Who is applying for Austrian citizenship? And where do they originally come from?
Figures from Statistics Austria show that former citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina make up the largest group of people, with 1,183 naturalisations last year. This was closely followed by former citizens of Serbia and Turkey.
Other figures show there is a gender difference in the number of EU citizens becoming Austrian. Data from 2014 to 2018 shows almost two thirds of EU naturalisations were by female applicants. But for third-country nationals, the gender division is almost equal.
The number of British people becoming Austrian has increased in recent years, particularly following the 2016 referendum vote for the UK to leave the EU. In 2018, 44 former British citizens became Austrian and in 2019, the figure rose to 96.
This figure is minimal compared to neighbouring Germany though, where 14,600 Britons naturalised in 2019.
What do I need to know about becoming Austrian?
Becoming an Austrian citizen is not cheap or easy, but it is possible and results in becoming a citizen of an EU country with a high standard of living.
Please check out our guide, which looks at the process, requirements and costs of becoming an Austrian citizen.
READ MORE: What you need to know about applying for Austrian citizenship
For more information about applying for Austrian citizenship, the following websites are useful resources.
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In fact, Austrian citizenship, or naturalisation, is one of the least applied for in the EU. This is put down to strict eligibility requirements on the length of time spent in the country and, in most cases, renouncing original citizenship.
How many people became Austrian last year?
Despite the difficulties, it doesn’t mean becoming an Austrian citizen is impossible though and in 2019 - the most recent year available on record - more than 10,000 people went through the process of naturalisation in Austria.
The number of people becoming an Austrian citizen increased by 12.2 per cent in 2019 from 2018.
Who is applying for Austrian citizenship? And where do they originally come from?
Figures from Statistics Austria show that former citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina make up the largest group of people, with 1,183 naturalisations last year. This was closely followed by former citizens of Serbia and Turkey.
Other figures show there is a gender difference in the number of EU citizens becoming Austrian. Data from 2014 to 2018 shows almost two thirds of EU naturalisations were by female applicants. But for third-country nationals, the gender division is almost equal.
The number of British people becoming Austrian has increased in recent years, particularly following the 2016 referendum vote for the UK to leave the EU. In 2018, 44 former British citizens became Austrian and in 2019, the figure rose to 96.
This figure is minimal compared to neighbouring Germany though, where 14,600 Britons naturalised in 2019.
What do I need to know about becoming Austrian?
Becoming an Austrian citizen is not cheap or easy, but it is possible and results in becoming a citizen of an EU country with a high standard of living.
Please check out our guide, which looks at the process, requirements and costs of becoming an Austrian citizen.
READ MORE: What you need to know about applying for Austrian citizenship
For more information about applying for Austrian citizenship, the following websites are useful resources.
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