Although you don't legally need to apply for Austrian ID or a passport once you become a citizen, if you're going to go through the trouble of the country's restrictive and tough citizenship process - especially by having to give up your previous passport in most cases, there's plenty of good reasons to apply.
Here's what to keep in mind once your Austrian citizenship application is successful.
EXPLAINED: When is dual citizenship allowed in Austria?
Your citizenship certificate
The first and most important document you'll get proving your Austrian citizenship is your Staatsbürgerschaftsnachweis - or citizenship certificate. You'll need this to apply for your Austrian ID card - or Personalausweis, as well as your Reisepass - or passport.
At the end of the naturalisation process you get the formal decision (the Verleihungsbescheid) granting you citizenship. That is not the same as the citizenship certificate. In Vienna you can apply for your Staatsbürgerschaftsnachweis on the very day that citizenship is granted.
If you've misplaced your certificate or need a copy then you can apply for one at an Austrian registry office or if you're abroad then via the relevant Austrian embassy or consulate.
The federal application fee is €21 (reduced to €13 if you apply electronically via ID Austria where that service is available). There is also a €21 issuing fee and a provincial administrative charge. Vienna currently lists the total cost at €60 and the consular fee for applications made abroad is €71.
Once citizenship has been conferred the competent authority will enter your Austrian nationality in the official registers.
Austrian citizens aged 16 and over who have their main residence in Austria are normally entered on the electoral register automatically. Whether or not you're able to vote in a particular election will of course depend on you meeting the relevant conditions by that election's qualifying date.
You don't need to re-register your address just because you've become an Austrian citizen. If you believe your citizenship status has not been correctly recorded you can of course get in touch with your local registration authority to have it checked.
You no longer need a residence permit at this point. If you've got any appointments scheduled with the immigration offices then you can go ahead and cancel those.
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Why it's a good idea to get an Austrian passport
Austria's European Union (EU) membership and diplomatic engagement worldwide means the Alpine republic boasts one of the world's most powerful passports.
Obviously, you can travel to and even move to and work in other EU countries using your Austrian passport - and never give up your ability to come back to Austria.
An Austrian passport also offers considerable travel freedom outside Europe, with many countries allowing Austrian citizens to visit without applying for a conventional visa in advance.
However some destinations will require an electronic travel authorisation, a visa on arrival or an online visa application. Entry requirements can change so it's always worth checking the requirements for your destination prior to travel.
An Austrian passport - or ID card - will also highlight to border control that you are exempt from any restrictions or requirements when setting foot back on Austrian soil. It also gives you extra proof of your Austrian nationality beyond your citizenship certificate.
If you run into trouble abroad, you can also obviously access Austrian consular assistance. You can find a full database of Austrian missions abroad here.
Applying for a standard Austrian passport costs €112. An express passport costs €148, while a one-day express passport costs €326.
EXPLAINED: Who is eligible for a shorter wait for Austrian citizenship?
Your Austrian ID Card
This one is perhaps a good first step even before applying for your passport, as it's a way to prove your identity and nationality within Austria and the EU, including for things like getting the government's digital ID. If you start a new job, you may be asked for evidence of your right to work in Austria. Since only Austrian citizens can have an Austrian Personalausweis, showing your card automatically puts this question to rest for you and your respective employer.
Your Austrian passport can also take you to destinations that don't accept a national ID card. However, the Personalausweis is valid for travel beyond the Schengen area in certain countries, including Serbia. You should always check the entry requirements of your destination.
The Personalausweis also has the obvious benefit of fitting easily into your wallet.
Getting an Austrian ID card costs €91.
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