Graphic designer and marketing professional Mayara Fujii came to Austria eight years ago for work.
After falling in love with Innsbruck, the 34-year-old, who's originally from Brazil, decided to make the move permanent – and applied for citizenship in October 2024.
A year later in October 2025, she received her naturalisation certificate in a ceremony in Innsbruck where new citizens sang the Austrian and Tyrol national anthems. It was a special moment for Mayara who says she felt "welcomed". But it came after a long, expensive journey with mixed feelings: she now has to renounce her Brazilian citizenship.
The Local asked Mayara to share her experience of applying for Austrian citizenship and to share advice for others.
The Local: What made you decide to get Austrian citizenship?
Mayara Fujii: I moved to Austria alone in 2018 because I received a job opportunity, and at that time, I was planning to stay for only two years. However, after my fourth year here, I realised that I wanted to stay permanently.
I fell in love with the country, and I was able to afford a quality of life that I would not have been able to achieve in my home country. Additionally, I could financially support my family. In short, I decided to stay to give both myself and my family a better life.
At the same time, living here alone also brought a sense of insecurity. In 2020, during the pandemic, I lost my job, and my Red-White-Red Plus visa was very sensitive to unemployment. There was a lot of uncertainty – no one knew exactly how long foreign residents would be able to stay or what would happen next. I constantly felt that I could lose everything at any moment.
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That was when I decided to take this step. I wanted to secure my future in the European Union, and I wanted to truly be part of the society that I admire and feel connected to.
What were the challenges or obstacles?
The first major challenge was that I decided to start the citizenship process after only five years of residence. This meant that I had to prove a B2 level of German. At that time, the law stated that after 10 years of residence, only a B1 level was required.
But less than that (from five to nine years) should provide B2 level. I felt that waiting longer might not be the best option for me.
I wanted to be prepared and apply as soon as I was eligible. The most demanding part of the process was raising my German level from B1 to B2 within six months, taking the official language exam, and completing the integration test.
This required a significant investment of time, effort and money.
Preparing all the documents and studying for the history and geography exam was also very stressful.
The list of required documents is long, and many of them take time and money to obtain. For example, birth certificates must be originals, officially translated, and issued within the last six months.
Some documents have very short validity periods, such as proof of income covering the 12 months prior to submitting the application.
Applicants must provide a detailed account of their life over the past three years, including income tax statements, rental contracts, gas and electricity, and other official records. If you have a partner or children, the number of required documents increases significantly.
The study material for the exam is very extensive, with over 100 pages and the exam itself was not that easy. Just memorising a few important points was not enough – you must understand historical contexts and be able to interpret complex texts.
Were you surprised by anything in the process?
I was particularly surprised by the history and geography exam. I had heard from someone who took the exam in Salzburg that it was very easy, but that was not my experience. The difficulty seems to depend on when and where you take the exam, which makes it somewhat unpredictable.
I was also surprised that the online material they provided, and the multiple questions on the official website, almost none of which appeared exactly as they did on the exam.
I made the mistake of memorising the questions and answers instead of focusing on understanding the content. As a result, I struggled when I had to interpret the questions.
Did you have to give up your citizenship, or were you able to get dual citizenship?
I received my Austrian citizenship in October last year, and I now have two years to renounce my former citizenship.
Of course, this makes me feel a little sad. I was born in one country, spent my childhood in another, and now live in Austria. Because of this, I have never felt that I fully belong to just one place. I know where I come from, and I am proud to carry multiple cultures within me. I will never deny or renounce my roots.
I believe I am creating a new chapter in my family's history and contributing to the country that I have chosen to call home.
I deeply respect and understand people who choose not to renounce their original nationality. I also believe that the Austrian citizenship process is long for a reason – it gives people the opportunity to reflect carefully on whether this is truly what they want.
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Citizenship is not just a residence permit; it comes with responsibility. It means respecting, caring for and contributing to the society and country you have chosen. It is a serious commitment that changes how you live in your new country.
Becoming an Austrian citizen also means accepting the duties that come with citizenship and respecting Austrian laws and values.
Do you have advice for anyone who wants to apply?
My first recommendation is to visit the government authority responsible for citizenship applications in your region. Each region has its own office, and the requirements may vary slightly.
From there, make a detailed list of all the required documents. Some documents take a long time to obtain, while others are quick acquire but have very short expiration periods. Good planning can save both time and money.
It is also important to be financially prepared. Not only is the final citizenship fee expensive, but many documents must be officially translated. Additionally, the B2 German exam and the Integration Exam are also costly.
Overall, the whole citizenship process probably cost me around €2,000.
Another important piece of advice is to ask questions, even if they seem small. The process is long, and submitting a document incorrectly can delay everything. I cannot speak for all regions, but in Tyrol, where I applied, citizenship is not granted frequently.
Appointments are not scheduled quickly, and history and geography exams are held only once a month.
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Finally, I would like to emphasise that this was my personal experience. Although the process was long and stressful, it was also very well organised, and I encountered kind and helpful staff throughout. I truly felt the humanity and warmth of the Austrian people.
Receiving my citizenship was an emotional moment for me. The officials also seemed genuinely happy to share this important step and to welcome new citizens into this beautiful country.
As I mentioned before, this is a serious decision. If you are unsure about applying for citizenship, I recommend seeking information from different regions and taking the time to reflect.
Everyone has their own story, circumstances, and dreams, and a decision like this should never be taken lightly.
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