⌛ Periods
Which route fits you?
All periods mean lawful and uninterrupted residence (rechtmäßig und ununterbrochen), counted back from the day of the decision. Short trips are fine as long as your time abroad adds up to no more than about 20% of the period.
| Period | For whom | Max. time abroad | Legal basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 years | German proven at B2 | 1 y 2 m 12 d | § 11a(6)(1) |
| 6 years | B1 plus lasting personal integration: at least 3 years volunteering for a non-profit, or 3 years working in education, social care or health above the marginal-earnings threshold, or 3 years holding office in an interest group (e.g. a trade union) | 1 y 2 m 12 d | § 11a(6)(2) |
| 6 years | Married (or in a registered partnership) to an Austrian citizen for 5 years, living together | 1 y 2 m 12 d | § 11a(1) |
| 6 years | EEA nationals, people born in Austria, outstanding achievements in science, business, arts or sport | 1 y 2 m 12 d | § 11a(4) |
| 10 years | Standard route: at least 5 of them settled (e.g. Red-White-Red Card, EU long-term residence, registration certificate) | 2 years | § 10(1) |
| 10 years | Recognised refugees, if no withdrawal procedure is under way | 2 years | § 11a(7) |
| 15 years | with lasting personal and professional integration | 3 years | § 12 |
| 30 years | uninterrupted main residence in Austria | 6 years | § 12 |
With a temporary residence permit (Aufenthaltsbewilligung, e.g. as a student) you live here lawfully but are not settled. Those years count towards the 10 years, but not towards the 5 years of settlement. Settlement titles include the Red-White-Red Card (plus), EU Blue Card, settlement permit, EU long-term residence and, for EEA citizens, the registration certificate (Anmeldebescheinigung).
Special routes without a long wait
Descendants of Nazi persecution victims
§ 58c StbG: if you or your ancestors left Austria before 15 May 1955 because of persecution by the Nazi regime, you acquire citizenship by notification (Anzeige). No residence, no test, no renunciation.
Special interest of the Republic
§ 10(6) StbG: for extraordinary achievements the federal government can confirm a special interest. Then the period, income and renunciation requirements fall away. Very rare in practice.
Spouses and children
The grant can be extended (Erstreckung) to a spouse (6 years of residence, 5 years of marriage) and to minor children (no minimum period). Best to apply at the same time.
✔ For everyone
General requirements
These apply on top of the period, whichever route you take (§ 10(1)–(3) and § 10a StbG).
- No prison sentence for an intentional offence, in Austria or abroad, not even suspended. Youth offences count too. Expunged convictions that no longer appear in the register do not.
- No pending criminal case for an offence punishable by imprisonment.
- Not more than one penalty for a serious administrative offence, e.g. driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, driving without a licence, serious breaches of immigration or foreign employment law.
- Secure means of subsistence from your own fixed and regular income, without social assistance (see the calculator below).
- A positive attitude to the Republic, no danger to public order and security, no ties to extremist or terrorist groups.
- No residence ban, no return decision, no pending removal procedure, no expulsion in the last 18 months.
- German at least at B1 and basic knowledge of the democratic order and history (citizenship test).
- Renunciation of your previous citizenship, where this is possible and reasonable.
The authority also checks administrative penalties. Several traffic offences or a report for undeclared work can lead to rejection, even after decades in Austria. Get your criminal record certificate (Strafregisterbescheinigung) before applying and ask if in doubt.
A Language
German: B1 or B2
Every grant requires German at least at level B1 (§ 10a(1) StbG together with the Integration Act). B2 shortens the period to 6 years.
Proof of B1
Usually the Integration Exam B1 of the Austrian Integration Fund (ÖIF), with a language part and a values part (module 2 of the integration agreement). Ask the authority before the exam whether other certificates are accepted.
Proof of B2
A recognised B2 certificate (e.g. ÖSD, Goethe, telc). Ask the authority in advance which providers are accepted and how old the certificate may be.
No certificate needed
If German is your mother tongue, for children under 14, for minors at school with a pass grade in German, or with a medical officer’s report of a lasting illness or disability.
The federal government (ÖVP, SPÖ, NEOS) has announced plans to make B2 the standard and to introduce a mandatory ÖIF citizenship course. The legal text as of 26 September 2026 still requires B1. Keep an eye on the news: transitional rules for pending applications are common but not guaranteed. If you already meet the requirements, don’t wait.
€ Subsistence
Is my income enough?
§ 10(5) StbG: you pick 36 months from the last 6 years before applying, and the last 6 months directly before the application must be included. On average, your net income after rent, loans, garnishments and maintenance paid to others must reach the average ASVG reference rate of the last three years.
| ASVG reference rate (§ 293) | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | 3-year avg. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single person | €1,217.96 | €1,273.99 | €1,308.39 | ≈ €1,266.78 |
| Married couple in one household | €1,921.46 | €2,009.85 | €2,064.12 | ≈ €1,998.48 |
| Supplement per child | €187.93 | €196.57 | €201.88 | ≈ €195.46 |
- The 13th and 14th salaries count pro rata: net × 14 ÷ 12.
- An allowance equal to the value of “free board and lodging” (freie Station, § 292(3) ASVG) is disregarded once from your costs. The value changes every year; enter the current amount if the authority gives it to you. With 0 the calculator errs on the side of caution.
- Social assistance (Sozialhilfe, Mindestsicherung) during the assessment period rules you out. Childcare benefit (Kinderbetreuungsgeld) in the last 6 months counts as sufficient.
- People who cannot earn enough permanently because of a disability or serious illness are exempt with a medical report.