Austrian Citizenship

[Euclid]

Due to the information you provided about your ancestor, we would like to point out again the prerequisites for being eligible under the new law:

You must be a descendant of former Austrian citizens or persons who were citizens of successor states of the former Austro-Hungarian Monarchy or stateless at the time, but had their residence within the borders of the present Republic of Austria, and who were forced to flee from the territory of today’s Austria before May 15, 1955, because they had to fear or suffered persecution by the NSDAP (National Socialist German Worker’s Party) or other authorities of the so-called “Third Reich” or because they had to fear or suffered persecution because of defending the democratic Republic of Austria

 

Since your ancestor seemingly never lived on the territory of the present Republic of Austria, please recheck the respective prerequisites above.

@ad120 Your grandparents weren't citizens of Austria? According to the law (see FAQ here: https://www.bmeia.gv.at/en/travel-stay/living-abroad/citizenship-for-persecuted-persons-and-their-direct-descendants/frequently-asked-questions-faq/) if they were citizens it doesn't matter what part of Austria they lived in (whether it was current Austria or not). That only matters if they moved into Austria and they weren't citizens (i.e. weren't born there).

[Alexsei]

Does anyone know if I can apply for a passport on a day visit to Vienna?

[Yef]

Can definitely qualify. Still not seeing what the benefits are. Anybody know?

[Euclid]

Can definitely qualify. Still not seeing what the benefits are. Anybody know?

Free EU passport. 
As a Jew could make sense to have an backup/exit strategy if things go really sideways in the US

[AsherO]

Free EU passport. 
As a Jew could make sense to have an backup/exit strategy if things go really sideways in the US

Things are already going sideways/upside-down, good enough for some to exercise their exit strategy. The rest are waiting for things to go south/downhill…

[Alexsei]

Free EU passport. 
As a Jew could make sense to have an backup/exit strategy if things go really sideways in the US

Not free though

[Euclid]

Things are already going sideways/upside-down, good enough for some to exercise their exit strategy. The rest are waiting for things to go south/downhill…

For me personally, I've heard enough "saved by papers" stories from the Holocaust to want to do it.

[Euclid]

Not free though

How much? Probably cheap enough

[SSLPhD]

Does this include Galicia under the Austrian Empire?

[SSLPhD]

Does this include Galicia under the Austrian Empire?

Scratch this.  Makes no sense for most.

[Euclid]

Scratch this.  Makes no sense for most.

If they were Austrian citizens why does it matter when/how they became citizens?

[SSLPhD]

If they were Austrian citizens why does it matter when/how they became citizens?

Once Galicia was no longer part of Austria, I imagine they would have lost Austrian citizenship, and this happened before the Nazis rose to power.

[Alexsei]

Does this include Galicia under the Austrian Empire?

"Persons who went abroad as Austrian citizens, citizens of one of the successor states of the former Austro-Hungarian monarchy or as stateless persons with their main place of residence in the federal territory of Austria before May 15, 1955 because they feared or suffered persecution"

https://www.bmeia.gv.at/en/consular-section-of-the-austrian-embassy-in-washington/service-for-citizens/citizenship-for-persecuted-persons-and-their-direct-descendants/

"Individuals who lived in Austria until the 15th of May 1955 and were citizens of the former Austro-Hungarian Monarchy (comprising modern-day Austria, Hungary, Slovakia, Slovenia, Czech Republic, Croatia, Bosnia, and parts of Poland, Ukraine, Italy, Romania, Moldova, and Serbia and Montenegro) or stateless are also entitled to claim Austrian citizenship."


https://www.citizen-lane.com/austria/citizenship/austrian-citizenship-holocaust-victims-descendants

"Thus, if your ancestors were born in one of the countries controlled by the Austro-Hungarian Empire, but did not not emigrate to within the current borders of the country of Austria, you are not eligible."

https://lawoffice.org.il/en/getting-austrian-citizenship/

Though you might be eligible under Hungary's law of return
https://internationalliving.com/hungary-passport-and-visa/

"Here’s a litmus test - if your grandmother used to cook goulash or chicken paprikash, you may want to look into your eligibility for Hungarian citizenship by descent"

https://www.malakoutilaw.com/8-european-citizenships-by-descent-you-may-qualify-for-in-2023