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AUSTRIAN CITIZENSHIP

What documents should I get after obtaining Austrian citizenship?

Austrian citizens aren't legally required to be in possession of ID in Austria. But there's plenty of good reasons to apply for your passport if you do take citizenship.

Published: 2 January 2024 15:02 CET
Updated: 11 May 2024 08:27 CEST
austria passport
An Austrian passport (© Amanda Previdelli / The Local)

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.

This document should come to you at the end of your citizenship application. If you lose it or need it again, you can apply for a new one at your local authority or responsible Austrian mission abroad for a cost €14.30 or €8.60 if you have ID Austria. Your state may collect an additional fee on top of this though.

When your citizenship application is successful, your local authority should automatically register your Austrian nationality – meaning you should be registered to vote right away in Austrian federal and state elections and be able to use the full offering of ID Austria – the country’s digital ID. If you’re not sure whether your local authority registered you properly though, you can always book a registration – or Anmeldung – appointment and bring your citizenship certificate with you.

Obviously at this point, you no longer need a residence permit. So if you have any appointments at immigration offices coming up, you can go ahead and cancel them.

READ ALSO: Five surprising Austrian citizenship rules you should know about

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.

The Austrian passport is one of the most powerful in the world for travel. Photo by Weiqi Xiong on Unsplash

Austrian passport holders also enjoy visa-free travel to 148 countries worldwide and can obtain a visa on arrival in another 30. Twelve countries – including the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand – ask Austrian passport holders to fill out an electronic travel authorisation (eTA) online just a few days before travelling. Another 20 countries allow Austrians to apply online for a visa. Just 19 require you to head to a mission abroad beforehand to apply for a visa.

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 an Austrian passport typically costs €75.90 for a standard option – although certain express options can be €100 or even €220 for a one-day rush delivery.

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 would do all the same things, plus allow you to travel outside the EU’s Schengen zone. However, your Personalausweis has the obvious benefit of being able to easily fit into your wallet.

Getting one will cost you €61.50.

INTERVIEW: By becoming Austrian, I’ve reclaimed my family’s terrible story

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AUSTRIAN CITIZENSHIP

Can I get Austrian citizenship and immediately move abroad?

Austrian citizenship comes with perks, including freedom of movement in the EU. But some foreign residents are wondering if newly naturalised Austrians get to enjoy these rights immediately or if they have to wait for a period of time before moving abroad.

Published: 13 May 2024 10:49 CEST
Can I get Austrian citizenship and immediately move abroad?

Freedom of movement and the ability to live and work in other member countries can be among the best perks of European Union (EU) citizenship for those whose work and family lives allow it.

For example, Austrian citizens who can work remotely may choose to spend the coldest months of the year near a sunny beach in Spain. Likewise, when summer heatwaves start, they can move to the Nordics without applying for any visas or work permits.

READ ALSO: Five surprising Austrian citizenship rules you should know about

But if you are a newly naturalised Austrian citizen, can you get your Austrian documents and then immediately move to another European country – or even further afield?

Can I leave Austria as soon as I get citizenship?

The basic answer is yes, once citizenship is granted you can legally move to another European country indefinitely if you want to.

Asked how EU rules apply to foreigners who naturalise, immigration lawyer Sven Hasse told The Local, “With their naturalisation, third-country nationals also acquire EU citizenship.” He added, “And the freedom of movement rights within the EU by the Freedom of Movement Directive.”

READ ALSO: What documents should I get after obtaining Austrian citizenship?

No unique terms and conditions apply to foreigners or dual citizens, and there is no probation period for citizenship once it is granted.

In fact, once citizenship is granted, it can only be repealed for a few very specific reasons, such as joining a foreign military or discovering that you lied on your citizenship application.

So, theoretically, if you gained Austrian citizenship today, you could move to Italy tomorrow, and there would be no reason, at least from a legal perspective, that you would need to return.

What are EU citizens rights?

EU citizens can move to any EU country to live, work, study, look for a job or retire.

According to the European Union’s official website, “You can stay in another EU country for up to three months without registering there”.

Depending on where you are staying, you may need to register your residence after three months. However, provided you register according to the local regulations, you can then continue to reside there for longer.

READ ALSO: Do foreigners in Austria have to carry their residence cards?

You may need to carry your Austrian identity card or passport in many EU countries. If you’re without your identity documents, you could be fined or temporarily detained, but this is not reason enough to make you return to your home country.

Additionally, in most cases, if you live legally in another EU country for a continuous period of five years, you will eventually acquire permanent residence there.

Indeed, freedom of movement is a huge benefit to millions of EU citizens, who are, therefore, free to travel much more easily and seek work internationally within the EU region.

The popularity of benefits such as this could be one reason why far-right parties have stopped talking so much about leaving the EU in the current election cycle.

Perks of the Austrian passport

Along with the ability to live and work across the EU, Austrian citizenship comes with a sought-after passport.

Passports are ranked by the number of countries they allow you to travel to without a visa.

In 2024, the Austrian passport is the second most powerful in the world after the United Arab Emirates passport; according to the Passport Index – Austria shares its 2nd place status with France, Italy, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Spain, Germany and Switzerland.

Currently, Austrian citizens get visa-free access to 143 countries, and another 43 countries offer a visa-on-arrival for them.

In comparison, the UK passport has the 5th most powerful ranking – along with Singapore, the Czech Republic and South Korea – granting entry to 174 countries. The US, Canada and Australia all share the 7th most powerful passport ranking, with access to 172 countries.

READ ALSO: EXPLAINED: When is dual citizenship allowed in Austria?

Lower down on the list, Kenyan passport holders have access to 100 fewer countries than Austrian passport holders, for example. Similarly, India’s passport has the 66th ranking and allows entry to 73 countries.

On a practical level, having a powerful passport ranking simply means that you can travel to more places with relative ease. So, even if you don’t plan to move elsewhere with your citizenship, the Austrian passport is not a bad one to have.

Coming from countries with weak passports can make moving abroad, or even travelling, difficult. For some citizenship applicants, being granted an Austrian passport could significantly improve their mobility and access to certain countries.

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