Re-gaining Austrian Citzenship for Victims of Nazi Persecution (Sec. 58c)
An Amendment to the Austrian Nationality Act gives former Austrian citizens who left Austria due to persecution by the NSDAP or the authorities of the Third Reich before 9 May 1945 the right to regain Austrian citizenship by notification without taking residence in Austria.
The notification should be accompanied by the following documents or certified copies (if original documents are shown to the Embassy simple copies suffice):
- Birth Certificate
- Marriage Certificate
- Proof of legal change of name (if applicable)
- Proof of academic degree (if applicable)
- Valid passport (copies of relevant pages)
- Proof of Austrian citizenship at the time of emigration from Austria (Heimatschein, Heimatrollenauszug, old Austrian passport)
- GB (or other) Naturalization Paper
- Proof of date of emigration from Austria
If not all of these documents can be submitted, the competent authorities in Austria will assist to procure or verify the relevant data with the help of archives and records. The notification and administration procedure for regaining the Austrian citizenship are free of most charges.
The notification can be sent to the Austrian Embassy in London which will then forward it to the competent Austrian authorities.
NOTE: By virtue of a 1999 amendment to Sec. 10 of the Austrian Nationality Act it is also possible for persons who meet the above-mentioned criteria (lived in Austria and had to flee the country) and who were not Austrians but citizens of successor states of the Austro-Hungarian Empire to become Austrian citizens.
