Naturalizations in Austria, First Half of 2026: Up 17 Percent

For the analysis, Statistics Austria evaluated the naturalization procedures of all Austrian provincial governors' offices and magistrate offices. According to the authorities, Austrian citizenship was issued considerably more frequently in the first six months of the current year than in the same period of the previous year.

A spokesperson for Statistics Austria stated that the increase was an indication that ongoing procedures were being accelerated and new applications were being processed more quickly. At the same time, the agency pointed out that individual quarterly fluctuations were possible and that long-term trends could only be conclusively assessed once data for the full year became available.

Federal States in Comparison

Background

The distribution among the federal states shows considerable differences: While Vienna traditionally records the highest number of naturalizations due to its size and its high share of persons with foreign citizenship, the relative increase in Carinthia is particularly striking. There, the number nearly doubled within one year.

Countries of Origin at a Glance

According to Statistics Austria, applicants from the United States, Turkey, Syria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Afghanistan, and Iran continue to dominate the countries of origin of naturalized persons. More precise shares and rankings are expected in the complete half-year review, which Statistics Austria will publish together with the Ministry of the Interior.

Background to the Increase

Political Assessment

A spokesperson for the Ministry of the Interior spoke of a "significant acceleration of procedures" and pointed to additional personnel resources in the provincial administrations. In recent months, the opposition had repeatedly criticized the fact that the processing time for applications sometimes amounted to several years.

Outlook for the Full Year

Fachleute sehen in den aktuellen Zahlen ein Zusammenspiel mehrerer Faktoren: Zum einen hätten viele Antragstellerinnen und Antragsteller ihre Einbürgerung in den Vorjahren beantragt und erhielten nun den Bescheid, zum anderen seien die Voraussetzungen – darunter Sprachprüfungen und der Nachweis ausreichender Aufenthaltsdauer – in vielen Fällen bereits erfüllt.

Outlook

For the second half of 2026, Statistics Austria expects naturalization figures to remain high, provided the application backlog does not grow again. The agency announced that a complete analysis for the full year would be presented in the autumn, which would also provide information on the average duration of procedures.

In Vienna, Carinthia, and Lower Austria, the capacities of the naturalization offices are to be further expanded, according to state representatives, in order to cope with the increased demand. At the same time, Statistics Austria pointed out that the rate of naturalized persons in relation to the foreign resident population remains below the EU average.