Travel, study and migration now depend heavily on which passport you hold, and a strong one opens doors that a weak one does not. The Austrian passport is among the most valuable travel documents in the world and carries a set of rights that few others match. If you are considering moving to Austria, this article covers the conditions, the costs, the benefits, the documents and the steps involved in obtaining an Austrian passport.
What the Austrian passport is
The Austrian passport is the official travel document issued by the Republic of Austria to its citizens. It serves as internationally recognised proof of identity and gives visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to more than 188 destinations. Every Austrian citizen is also a citizen of the European Union.
Global ranking and passport strength
The Austrian passport consistently ranks among the strongest in the world, allowing its holders to travel freely to a large number of countries. The exact position depends on which index you consult:
| Ranking index | Rank | Visa-free destinations |
|---|---|---|
| Henley Passport Index | Varies by edition | Revised several times a year; check the current edition |
| Henley Passport Index | Varies by edition | Figures differ between editions and between indexes |
| VisaGuide Passport Index | 8th | 159 countries |
Austria generally sits inside the global top ten, which reflects the country’s diplomatic reach and the benefits of EU membership. That ranking translates into wide freedom of movement for Austrian citizens.
We also recommend our complete guide to the Austrian tourist visa on the Aval Visa site.
Passport versus permanent residence
The comparison below is based on information published by the official Austrian migration portal and the Austrian government services portal:
| Topic | Austrian citizenship (passport) | Red-White-Red Card Plus (fixed-term settlement permit, not permanent residence) |
|---|---|---|
| Red-White-Red Card Plus (fixed-term settlement permit, not permanent residence) | Full (right to vote and to stand for election) | No right to vote in national elections |
| Freedom of movement within the EU | Unrestricted | Limited; a permit is required to reside in another EU country |
| Validity of the residence status | Permanent, no renewal required | Fixed-term: 1 year initially, 3 years after two years of lawful settlement; renewable. Austria permanent residence title is the Daueraufenthalt - EU |
| Right to work | Full and unrestricted | Full and unrestricted |
| Public-sector employment | Possible | Generally not permitted |
| Access to social services | Full access | Limited (some benefits not covered) |
| Consular protection abroad | Yes | No |
| Dual citizenship | Generally not permitted (previous citizenship must be renounced) | Not applicable (a residence status, not a citizenship) |
Documents required for an Austrian passport
An Austrian passport application requires a defined set of documents. The exact list depends on your circumstances, such as whether this is a first application, a renewal or a change of personal details. The general list is:
- Completed and signed application form
- Declaration of personal status
- Two recent passport photographs
- Your current passport, or a police report if it has been lost
- Birth certificate, original and copy
- Certificate of Austrian citizenship
- Proof of your current residence
- Marital status documents, where relevant
- Academic qualifications, if you want a title recorded in the passport
- Documents for any other citizenships you hold
- Documents relating to retention of Austrian citizenship
- A stamped, addressed envelope if you want the passport returned by post
Additional documents for children and minors
- The child’s birth certificate, original and copy
- The child’s certificate of Austrian citizenship
- Identity documents for both parents
- The parents’ marriage certificate or custody documents, where relevant
- A recent passport photograph of the child
Documents issued outside Austria must be translated into German and carry the required legalisation, such as an apostille.
Requirements for an Austrian passport
To hold an Austrian passport you must first be an Austrian citizen. The table below sets out the routes to Austrian citizenship and to the passport:
| Route to citizenship | Main requirements |
|---|---|
| Birth to an Austrian parent | - The mother is an Austrian citizen. - The father is an Austrian citizen. - If the parents are not married, the father must formally acknowledge paternity within 8 weeks of the birth. |
| Long-term residence | - At least 10 years of continuous lawful residence in Austria - At least 5 of those years on a permanent residence title - Stable income and financial self-sufficiency - No criminal record - Adequate level of German - Pass the civics (general knowledge) test - A positive attitude towards Austria and commitment to its laws |
| Marriage to an Austrian citizen | - At least 6 years of continuous lawful residence in Austria - At least 5 years of married life with the Austrian spouse at a shared address - Renunciation of the previous citizenship |
| Stateless persons born in Austria | - Born on Austrian territory - At least 10 years of lawful residence, 5 of them continuous immediately before the application - Application filed between the ages of 18 and 20 |
As a general rule, Austrian nationality law does not permit dual citizenship. An Austrian citizen who voluntarily acquires another nationality loses Austrian citizenship. To keep it, you must obtain a retention permit before you acquire the new nationality.
Passport fees
The fees charged by the Austrian Consulate General in New York, as published in May 2025, are:
- New passport, applicants aged 12 and over: USD 87
- Passport for children aged 2 to 12: USD 35
- Passport for children under 2: free for the first passport
- Emergency passport: USD 251
That consulate accepts payment only in cash, by certified cheque made out to “Austrian Consulate General New York”, or by money order. Personal cheques and credit cards are not accepted. Fees differ from one mission to another and are set in euros for applications made inside Austria, so check the figure with the office handling your application.
Benefits of an Austrian passport
The table below groups the main advantages of holding an Austrian passport:
| Category | Benefits |
|---|---|
| International travel freedom | Ranked 4th worldwide in passport indices |
| EU citizenship rights | Access to the consular services of other EU member states in countries where Austria has no diplomatic representation |
| Social and health services | Access to treatment in leading European clinics without a medical visa |
| Economic and career opportunities | Access to a wide labour market and economic opportunities across member states |
| Education benefits | Study at established European universities at lower tuition rates and without a student visa |
| Security and quality of life | Life in a country with political stability, a low crime rate and high quality of life |
| Specific legal provisions | Victims of the Nazi regime and their descendants may acquire Austrian citizenship without renouncing their previous citizenship |
How long an Austrian passport takes
Processing time depends on where you file and whether your file is complete.
- At an Austrian embassy or consulate abroad:
Processing at an Austrian mission abroad normally takes two to three working weeks from the date the mission receives the complete file. The exact time depends on the mission’s decision and its workload.
- For a biometric passport applied for outside Austria:
Processing can take up to five weeks from the date of a complete application, because biometric passports are produced only in Austria.
To avoid problems, submit your application at least two weeks before any planned travel. Processing times lengthen during peak periods such as school holidays.
Frequently asked questions
- Can Austrian citizens live and work in other EU countries? Yes. As EU citizens, Austrians have the right to move and reside freely in other member states. For stays of more than three months, registration with the host country may be required.
- Can you hold multiple citizenships in Austria? As a rule, Austrian nationality law does not accept dual or multiple citizenship. An Austrian who voluntarily acquires another nationality loses Austrian citizenship, unless a retention permit was granted beforehand.
- How does citizenship by descent work? Citizenship by descent is available to direct descendants of former Austrian citizens who were persecuted and forced to leave, under a specific provision of the nationality act, provided the statutory conditions are met. There is no general route for citizens of the successor states of the former Austro-Hungarian empire.
