Austria Citizenship by Exceptional Merit

Country

Austria

Program

Austria Citizenship by Exceptional Merit

Local name

Staatsbürgerschaft durch außerordentliche Leistungen

Type

Exceptional Merit

Status

Active

Dual citizenship

Allowed

Visa-free countries

185 destinations

Passport rank

#4 (Henley Index)

Austria can grant citizenship without prior residence in cases of extraordinary merit in the interests of the Republic. The route is discretionary and is not a priced investment citizenship program. Economic contributions may support a merit case, but passive investments and fixed-price donations do not create an entitlement.

No fees listed for this program.

• Police clearance required
• Medical exam not required
• Oath required

Method

In person

Apply from abroad

Yes

Application type

Discretionary

Official website

www.bmi.gv.at

Legal basis

Staatsbürgerschaftsgesetz (StbG) Art. 10(6)

No ordinary residence requirement when citizenship is granted for extraordinary merit under StbG Art. 10(6). This is discretionary and nomination-like, not a fixed-price CBI product. Official materials do not publish investment thresholds, quotas, processing fees, or due diligence fee schedules. Allows retention of existing citizenship(s) when granted under the extraordinary-merit route.

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1. Oct 9, 2026
   • Official page https://www.oesterreich.gv.at/de/themen/menschen_aus_anderen_staaten/staatsbuergerschaft/1… https://www.bmi.gv.at/406/verleihung.html
   • Application fee (USD) 500 none

   migrated from the production database; research reasoning not recorded.