Austria
Austria
Citizenship by Exceptional Achievements Program
Time to Citizenship
12 – 36 Months
Visa-Free Access
191 Countries
Passport Rank
3rd in the world
Minimum Investment
€4,000,000 EUR
Residency Requirements
None
Establishment Date
1985
Exceptional Achievements
Austrian Citizenship may be granted to foreigners for exceptional achievements according to Sec. 10(6) of the Austrian Citizenship Act. Exceptional achievements can be made in the areas of science, sports, arts or business (incl. philanthropy). Total cost for a family (incl. spouse and children up to 18y) is estimated at around EUR 4-5 million.

Flag
The Austrian flag is one of the oldest national flags in the world. It consists of three horizontal stripes: red, white, and red. The red symbolizes the bloodshed in the country’s defense, while the white represents peace and honesty. The flag’s design dates back to the 12th century, making it a significant part of Austria’s historical identity.

Coat of Arms
Austria’s coat of arms features a black eagle symbolizing Austria’s sovereignty. The eagle holds a sickle and a hammer in its talons, representing agriculture and industry. The broken chains around the eagle’s legs signify Austria’s liberation from fascism after World War II. Atop the eagle’s head is a mural crown, symbolizing Austria as a republic.
Country Capital
Vienna
Population
8.9 million
Language
German, English
Currency
Euro (EUR)
Exchange Rate
1 USD = 0.891 EUR
Government Type
Federal Parliamentary Republic
Flag | Country | Area | Visa Requirement |
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Afghanistan | Asia | Visa required |
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Albania | Europe | Visa-free |
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Algeria | Africa | Visa required |
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American Samoa | Oceania | eTA |
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Andorra | Europe | Visa-free |
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Angola | Africa | eVisa |
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Anguilla | Caribbean | Visa-free |
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Antigua and Barbuda | Europe | Visa-free |
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Argentina | South America | Visa-free |
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Armenia | Asia | Visa-free |
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Aruba | Caribbean | Visa-free |
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Australia | Oceania | eTA |
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Azerbaijan | Asia | eVisa |
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Bahamas | Caribbean | Visa-free |
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Bahrain | Asia | Visa on arrival |
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Bangladesh | Asia | Visa on arrival |
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Barbados | Caribbean | Visa-free |
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Belarus | Europe | Visa-free |
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Belgium | Europe | Visa-free |
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Belize | Central America | Visa-free |
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Benin | Africa | eVisa |
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Bermuda | Caribbean | Visa-free |
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Bhutan | Asia | eVisa |
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Bolivia | South America | Visa-free |
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Bonaire; St. Eustatius and Saba | Caribbean | Visa-free |
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Bosnia and Herzegovina | Europe | Visa-free |
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Botswana | Africa | Visa-free |
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Brazil | South America | Visa-free |
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British Virgin Islands | Caribbean | Visa-free |
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Brunei | Asia | Visa-free |
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Bulgaria | Europe | Visa-free |
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Burkina Faso | Africa | eVisa |
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Burundi | Africa | Visa on arrival |
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Cambodia | Asia | Visa on arrival |
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Cameroon | Africa | eVisa |
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Canada | North America | eTA |
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Cape Verde Islands | Africa | Visa-free |
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Cayman Islands | Caribbean | Visa-free |
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Central African Republic | Africa | Visa required |
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Chad | Africa | Visa required |
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Chile | South America | Visa-free |
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China | Asia | Visa-free |
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Colombia | South America | Visa-free |
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Comoro Islands | Africa | Visa on arrival |
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Congo (Dem. Rep.) | Africa | eVisa |
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Congo (Rep.) | Africa | Visa required |
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Cook Islands | Oceania | Visa-free |
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Costa Rica | Central America | Visa-free |
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Cote d’Ivoire | Africa | eVisa |
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Croatia | Europe | Visa-free |
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Cuba | Caribbean | Visa required |
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Curacao | Caribbean | Visa-free |
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Cyprus | Europe | Visa-free |
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Czechia | Europe | Visa-free |
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Denmark | Europe | Visa-free |
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Djibouti | Africa | Visa on arrival |
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Dominica | Caribbean | Visa-free |
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Dominican Republic | Caribbean | Visa-free |
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Ecuador | South America | Visa-free |
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Egypt | Africa | Visa on arrival |
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El Salvador | Central America | Visa-free |
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Equatorial Guinea | Africa | eVisa |
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Eritrea | Africa | Visa required |
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Estonia | Europe | Visa-free |
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eSwatini | Africa | Visa-free |
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Ethiopia | Africa | Visa on arrival |
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Falkland Islands | South America | Visa-free |
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Faroe Islands | Europe | Visa-free |
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Fiji | Oceania | Visa-free |
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Finland | Europe | Visa-free |
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France | Europe | Visa-free |
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French Guiana | South America | Visa-free |
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French Polynesia | Oceania | Visa-free |
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French West Indies | Caribbean | Visa-free |
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Gabon | Africa | eVisa |
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Georgia | Asia | Visa-free |
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Germany | Europe | Visa-free |
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Ghana | Africa | Visa required |
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Gibraltar | Europe | Visa-free |
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Greece | Europe | Visa-free |
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Greenland | Europe | Visa-free |
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Grenada | Caribbean | Visa-free |
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Guam | Oceania | eTA |
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Guatemala | Central America | Visa-free |
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Guinea | Africa | eVisa |
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Guinea-Bissau | Africa | Visa on arrival |
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Guyana | South America | Visa-free |
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Haiti | Caribbean | Visa-free |
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Honduras | Central America | Visa-free |
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Hong Kong (SAR China) | Asia | Visa-free |
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Hungary | Europe | Visa-free |
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Iceland | Europe | Visa-free |
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India | Asia | eVisa |
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Indonesia | Asia | Visa-free |
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Iran | Asia | Visa on arrival |
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Iraq | Asia | Visa on arrival |
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Ireland | Europe | Visa-free |
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Israel | Asia | Visa-free |
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Italy | Europe | Visa-free |
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Jamaica | Caribbean | Visa-free |
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Japan | Asia | Visa-free |
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Jordan | Asia | Visa on arrival |
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Kazakhstan | Asia | Visa-free |
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Kenya | Africa | eTA |
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Kiribati | Oceania | Visa-free |
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Kosovo | Europe | Visa-free |
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Kuwait | Asia | Visa on arrival |
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Kyrgyzstan | Asia | Visa-free |
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Laos | Asia | Visa on arrival |
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Latvia | Europe | Visa-free |
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Lebanon | Asia | Visa on arrival |
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Lesotho | Africa | Visa-free |
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Liberia | Africa | Visa required |
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Libya | Africa | eVisa |
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Liechtenstein | Europe | Visa-free |
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Lithuania | Europe | Visa-free |
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Luxembourg | Europe | Visa-free |
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Macao (SAR China) | Asia | Visa-free |
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Madagascar | Africa | Visa on arrival |
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Malawi | Africa | Visa on arrival |
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Malaysia | Asia | Visa-free |
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Maldives | Asia | Visa on arrival |
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Mali | Africa | Visa required |
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Malta | Europe | Visa-free |
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Marshall Islands | Oceania | Visa-free |
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Mauritania | Africa | eVisa |
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Mauritius | Africa | Visa-free |
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Mayotte | Africa | Visa-free |
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Mexico | North America | Visa-free |
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Micronesia | Oceania | Visa-free |
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Moldova | Europe | Visa-free |
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Monaco | Europe | Visa-free |
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Mongolia | Asia | Visa-free |
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Montenegro | Europe | Visa-free |
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Montserrat | Caribbean | Visa-free |
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Morocco | Africa | Visa-free |
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Mozambique | Africa | Visa on arrival |
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Myanmar | Asia | eVisa |
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Namibia | Africa | Visa-free |
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Nauru | Oceania | Visa required |
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Nepal | Asia | Visa on arrival |
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Netherlands | Europe | Visa-free |
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New Caledonia | Oceania | Visa-free |
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New Zealand | Oceania | eTA |
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Nicaragua | Central America | Visa-free |
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Niger | Africa | Visa required |
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Nigeria | Africa | eVisa |
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Niue | Oceania | Visa-free |
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North Korea | Asia | Visa required |
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North Macedonia | Europe | Visa-free |
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Northern Mariana Islands | Oceania | eTA |
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Norway | Europe | Visa-free |
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Oman | Asia | Visa on arrival |
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Pakistan | Asia | eTA |
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Palau Islands | Oceania | Visa-free |
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Palestinian Territory | Asia | Visa-free |
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Panama | Central America | Visa-free |
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Papua New Guinea | Oceania | eVisa |
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Paraguay | South America | Visa-free |
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Peru | South America | Visa-free |
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Philippines | Asia | Visa-free |
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Poland | Europe | Visa-free |
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Portugal | Europe | Visa-free |
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Puerto Rico | Caribbean | eTA |
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Qatar | Asia | Visa on arrival |
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Reunion | Africa | Visa-free |
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Romania | Europe | Visa-free |
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Russian Federation | Europe | eVisa |
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Rwanda | Africa | Visa on arrival |
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Samoa | Oceania | Visa-free |
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San Marino | Europe | Visa-free |
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Sao Tome and Principe | Africa | Visa-free |
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Saudi Arabia | Asia | Visa on arrival |
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Senegal | Africa | Visa-free |
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Serbia | Europe | Visa-free |
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Seychelles | Africa | Visa on arrival |
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Sierra Leone | Africa | Visa on arrival |
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Singapore | Asia | Visa-free |
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Slovakia | Europe | Visa-free |
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Slovenia | Europe | Visa-free |
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Solomon Islands | Oceania | Visa-free |
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Somalia | Africa | Visa required |
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South Africa | Africa | Visa-free |
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South Korea | Asia | Visa-free |
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South Sudan | Africa | eVisa |
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Spain | Europe | Visa-free |
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Sri Lanka | Asia | Visa on arrival |
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St. Helena | Africa | Visa-free |
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St. Kitts and Nevis | Caribbean | Visa-free |
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St. Lucia | Caribbean | Visa-free |
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St. Maarten | Caribbean | Visa-free |
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St. Vincent and the Grenadines | Caribbean | Visa-free |
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Sudan | Africa | Visa required |
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Suriname | South America | Visa-free |
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Sweden | Europe | Visa-free |
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Switzerland | Europe | Visa-free |
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Syria | Asia | eVisa |
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Taiwan (Chinese Taipei) | Asia | Visa-free |
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Tajikistan | Asia | Visa-free |
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Tanzania | Africa | Visa on arrival |
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Thailand | Asia | Visa-free |
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The Gambia | Africa | Visa-free |
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Timor-Leste | Asia | Visa-free |
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Togo | Africa | eVisa |
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Tonga | Oceania | Visa-free |
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Trinidad and Tobago | Caribbean | Visa-free |
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Tunisia | Africa | Visa-free |
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Türkiye | Asia/Europe | Visa-free |
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Turkmenistan | Asia | Visa required |
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Turks and Caicos Islands | Caribbean | Visa-free |
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Tuvalu | Oceania | Visa-free |
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Uganda | Africa | eVisa |
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Ukraine | Europe | Visa-free |
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United Arab Emirates | Asia | Visa-free |
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United Kingdom | Europe | Visa-free |
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United States | North America | eTA |
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Uruguay | South America | Visa-free |
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US Virgin Islands | Caribbean | eTA |
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Uzbekistan | Asia | Visa-free |
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Vanuatu | Oceania | Visa-free |
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Vatican City | Europe | Visa-free |
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Venezuela | South America | Visa-free |
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Vietnam | Asia | eVisa |
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Yemen | Asia | Visa required |
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Zambia | Africa | Visa-free |
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Zimbabwe | Africa | Visa on arrival |
What qualifies as an exceptional contribution for Austrian citizenship?
Exceptional contributions include significant achievements in fields such as science, arts, sports, business, or public service that have a substantial positive impact on Austria.
Who is eligible to apply for Austrian citizenship through exceptional contributions?
Individuals who have demonstrated outstanding merit, innovation, or influence in their respective fields and have the potential to contribute significantly to Austria’s development are eligible.
What is the application process for Austrian citizenship via exceptional contributions?
Applicants must submit a comprehensive dossier showcasing their achievements and contributions, which is then reviewed by Austrian government authorities for approval.
Are there any financial investment requirements for obtaining Austrian citizenship through exceptional contributions?
No specific financial investment is required; instead, the focus is on the applicant’s exceptional achievements and their potential benefit to Austria.
Can family members be included in the Austrian citizenship application through exceptional contributions?
Yes, successful applicants can include their spouse and dependent children in their citizenship application, allowing the entire immediate family to obtain Austrian citizenship.
How long does it take to obtain Austrian citizenship through exceptional contributions?
The process can take 12 to 24 months, depending on the complexity of the case and the thoroughness of the documentation provided.
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