Austria granted citizenship to 13,700 people in the first half of 2026, which is 2,035 more than in the same period last year.

According to data based on final decisions by the Austrian provincial authorities, this represents an increase of 17%. Of the total number, 9,750 new citizens live in Austria, while 3,950 reside abroad.

Among the new Austrian citizens living in the country, the largest group consists of former citizens of Syria, numbering 2,319, or almost one in four. They are followed by citizens of Turkey, numbering 1,058, then Afghanistan with 968 people. Also on the list are Iran with 433 and Bosnia and Herzegovina with 407 new Austrian citizens.

These data were published by the central and official Statistical Office of the Republic of Austria, Statistik Austria.

Why has the number increased so much?

The largest part of the increase comes from people who have already been living in Austria for years. The number of citizenships granted to people residing in that country increased by as much as 34%. In particular, the group of those who have lived in Austria for at least 6 years and meet additional requirements has grown, for example, they speak German, can prove that they have permanently integrated into society, or have recognized asylum status. In that group, 4,829 people obtained citizenship, 32% more than last year.

Another important reason lies in families. The number of spouses and children whose citizenship was extended increased by as much as 55%, to a total of 3,248 people. Among them were 2,775 children and 473 spouses. Therefore, it is not surprising that almost one third of all new citizens are under 18 years old, while 3,080 of them were already born in Austria.

Vienna leads, Carinthia sees the biggest jump

The highest number of new citizenships was granted in Vienna, 3,333, as much as 60 percent more than a year earlier. The largest percentage increase was recorded in Carinthia, where the number almost doubled and reached 418. Growth was also recorded in Lower Austria, Vorarlberg, Styria, and Tyrol, while Upper Austria was the only province with a more noticeable decline.

Not all new citizens are immigrants

It is important to emphasize that the total figure does not represent only people who moved to Austria in recent years. Almost 4,000 citizenships were granted to people living abroad, and in most cases these are descendants of people persecuted by the Nazi regime. Therefore, the increase cannot be explained only by new migration, although the data clearly show that more and more long-term residents of Austria meet the requirements and decide to apply for citizenship.