Restoring Austrian Roots

Section 58c may apply to you if you are a direct descendant of a person who was persecuted, or had reason to fear persecution, by the Nazi regime or because of their support for the democratic Republic of Austria.

As a first orientation, ask yourself:

• Was your parent, grandparent, great-grandparent or another direct ancestor persecuted, or threatened with persecution, by the Nazi regime?
• Was that person an Austrian citizen, a citizen of one of the relevant successor states of the former Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, or a stateless person whose main residence was in Austria?
• Did your ancestor leave Austria because of that persecution or threat of persecution? Depending on the individual case, departures before 15 May 1955 may be relevant.
• Are you descended from that person in a direct line?
• Were you adopted as a minor? Persons adopted while minors can also qualify as direct descendants.

Children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and further direct descendants may apply. Your parent or grandparent does not need to acquire Austrian citizenship first.

These questions are only a first orientation. Every case is different, and eligibility ultimately depends on the precise requirements of Section 58c and the individual historical circumstances of the persecuted ancestor. This self-assessment is not legal advice and cannot replace individual legal advice. The competent Austrian authority makes the legal determination.

Yes. Section 58c provides a facilitated route to Austrian citizenship, but certain general requirements of Austrian citizenship law still apply. Serious criminal convictions, security concerns, extremist activity or other circumstances affecting public order and security may prevent the acquisition of Austrian citizenship.

Marriage to a foreign citizen is not in itself a reason for exclusion.

Potentially, yes. Austrian citizenship under Section 58c takes effect from the date on which the declaration reaches the competent Austrian authority.

If you voluntarily acquire another citizenship after that date, you may automatically lose Austrian citizenship unless you obtained permission to retain it beforehand. This can be relevant even while your Section 58c application is still being processed.

If you are planning to acquire another nationality, you should obtain individual legal advice before doing so.

No. Being married to a British or other foreign citizen does not in itself prevent you from acquiring Austrian citizenship under Section 58c.

Historical marriages can, however, be relevant when examining the status of a persecuted ancestor. In the past, Austrian women could lose Austrian citizenship in connection with marriage to a foreign national. Section 58c specifically takes account of certain historical cases of this kind.

Potentially, yes. Each direct descendant has an individual right to file a declaration if the legal requirements are met. Parents or grandparents do not have to apply first. Each person who is already born before citizenship is granted normally needs a separate declaration. Children born after a parent has acquired Austrian citizenship are generally Austrian citizens by descent under the usual rules. A spouse or partner is not eligible under § 58c merely through marriage.

Austria allows people acquiring citizenship under § 58c to keep their existing nationality. According to current information published by the Austrian authorities, acquiring Austrian citizenship under this provision is not expected to result in the loss of British or US citizenship. Rules differ between countries, however, so applicants holding other nationalities should check the position with the competent authority of that country.

There is no fixed official processing time. The Austrian authorities state that the duration depends on factors such as the documents submitted and whether additional archival research is required. A complete and well-structured file can make the procedure more efficient. Once citizenship has been granted, applying for an Austrian passport is a separate procedure.

Filing a declaration under § 58c is exempt from Austrian federal fees. For applicants for whom Vienna is the competent provincial authority, the Province of Vienna currently does not charge an additional fee for the citizenship procedure. Applicants may nevertheless incur costs for obtaining civil-status documents, apostilles, certified translations, historical or genealogical documentation and any professional assistance they choose to use. After citizenship has been granted, passports and other documents are subject to separate fees.

Yes. A central aim is to make Austrian sources, archive structures and terminology understandable enough for descendants to carry out their own research and recognise when specialist help is needed.

No. It is an independent Austrian non-profit initiative.

No. Eligibility and legal consequences are matters for the competent Austrian authorities or qualified Austrian legal professionals.

No. Individual commissioned genealogy is not part of the association's activity. The association may conduct academic research on broader historical questions.

Professional genealogists can nevertheless be extremely helpful in the citizenship process, particularly when Austrian records and archival documents have to be located and obtained or when a structured expert genealogical and historical opinion is required. For applicants without experience in Austrian archives — especially those who do not speak German — carrying out this work independently can in practice be very difficult and, in complex cases, virtually impossible.

No. We reproduce and explain information published by official authorities. We do not provide individual legal advice, legal representation or assessments of the prospects of a particular case.