Descent + Nazi-persecution restitution · decided by Provincial government
Austrian citizenship by descent
Austria offers citizenship by descent through a parent, and a fee-free §58c declaration for descendants of Austrians who fled Nazi persecution — open since 2020, with dual citizenship. Check whether you qualify, build your lineage, and get a primary-source-backed document checklist and cost estimate.
Grandparent or great-grandparent claim? Complex chain? Skip the research — talk to a Austria citizenship specialist in 30 minutes.
🇦🇹 A right restored
Descendants of Austrians who fled Nazi persecution can declare citizenship — fee-free, with dual nationality.
Eligibility
Who may qualify
An Austrian-citizen parent at your birth → citizenship by descent.
Or an ancestor persecuted by the Nazi regime who fled Austria (1933–1955) → §58c.
§58c: no fee, no residence/language requirement, dual citizenship allowed.
No deadline for the §58c route.
A general overview — your eligibility depends on the specifics of your line. The free check gives a personalized answer. EasyPassport is not affiliated with Provincial government. We help you organize and verify your documents. You submit your application to Provincial government directly — we do not file, submit, or act on your behalf with any government authority.
Why Austria
What makes Austria different
A fee-free §58c declaration
Descendants of Austrians who fled Nazi persecution can declare citizenship with no fee, no residence, and no language requirement.
Dual citizenship and no deadline
The §58c route (open since 1 Sep 2020) is permanent and lets you keep your current nationality.
A defined persecution window
The ancestor must have been persecuted between 30 Jan 1933 and 9 May 1945 and emigrated before 15 May 1955.
Ordinary descent runs through a parent
Outside §58c, citizenship by descent needs an Austrian-citizen parent at your birth and an unbroken line.
Consulate-to-Vienna routing
Applications are lodged at an Austrian consulate and decided by MA 35 in Vienna.
By ancestor path
Your relationship to the Austrian ancestor determines which rules apply
Descendant of a persecuted Austrian (§58c)
Direct descendants of someone who fled Nazi persecution from Austria can declare citizenship, fee-free.
See requirements 02PARENTThrough your parent
An Austrian-citizen parent at your birth confers citizenship by descent.
See requirements 03GRANDPARENTThrough your grandparent
Requires an unbroken line — your parent must have been Austrian at your birth.
See requirementsProcess
How to apply
- 1
Identify your route
Determine whether you qualify under §58c (persecuted-ancestor) or ordinary descent through an Austrian parent.
- 2
Document the ancestor
For §58c, gather evidence of the ancestor's Austrian citizenship/residence and their flight from persecution in the 1933–1955 window.
- 3
Build the family chain
Collect birth and marriage certificates linking you to that ancestor.
- 4
Translate and legalize
Provide certified German translations and apostille/legalize foreign records.
- 5
File the §58c declaration or descent application
Submit at your Austrian consulate; it is forwarded to MA 35 in Vienna.
- 6
Track to decision
Processing generally takes several months to a year or more; §58c carries no government fee.
Choose your path
Do it yourself, or talk to a specialist?
Do it yourself
Free tool- Parent or grandparent claim with clear documentation
- You know your ancestor held Austria citizenship
- Records are legible and translated where needed
- No broken-chain events (renunciation, timing gaps)
Talk to a specialist
- Great-grandparent or further-back claim
- Unsure whether a naturalization broke the chain
- Mixed ancestry — multiple possible pathways
- Want a professional to verify before gathering 10+ documents
At a glance
What you'll need
- Government fee
- §58c is fee-free; descent determination has modest provincial fees
- Typical timeline
- Several months to ~1+ year
- Where
- Austrian consulate → MA 35, Vienna
Key dates & laws
The rules that decide your case
§58c — open since 1 Sep 2020
Permanent (no deadline) for descendants of persecuted Austrians.
Persecution period
Ancestor persecuted 30 Jan 1933 – 9 May 1945 and emigrated before 15 May 1955.
Where it's processed
A single national authority
🇦🇹 Austrian consulate → Vienna provincial government (MA 35)
Austrian consulate → Vienna provincial government (MA 35)
Austria processes descent applications centrally through one national authority, rather than routing them through consulates.
See mailing instructionsTools & guides
Plan your application
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FAQ
Frequently asked questions
🇦🇹 Not sure where to start?
See if you qualify in about two minutes.
A personalized answer based on your specific line of descent. No passport or ID uploads — ever.