What income do I need to qualify for Austrian citizenship?
Is your income sufficient to qualify for Austrian citizenship?
Austrian citizenship may only be granted to persons who can cover their living expenses in Austria with an adequate income without claiming social welfare benefits and who have sufficient means to do so.
Calculation period for income
The cut-off date for calculating income is always the date on which the application for Austrian citizenship is submitted to the competent authority. Applicants can choose whether the last 3 years prior to the application should be used for the income calculation, or the best 36 months in the last 6 years (the last 6 months prior to the application are always included, this cannot be chosen). During these periods, neither the applicants nor persons living in the same household may have received social assistance (minimum income, basic benefits).
Income thresholds for 2026
In 2026, the monthly threshold is €1,308.39 for single persons and €2,064.12 for couples (where one spouse’s income is added to the other’s). An additional €201.88 is added for each dependent child. This amount must have been available on average each month during the calculation period after fixed costs (such as rent, loan instalments, leasing instalments, alimony, operating costs for condominiums, etc.) have been deducted. To make things easier, a free allowance of £386.43 (value for 2026) can be deducted from the fixed costs.
The calculation of sufficient means of subsistence is carried out very strictly by the citizenship authorities, and even slight shortfalls below the required minimum amount will result in applications being rejected.
How can income changes influence citizenship?
So if you are considering applying for Austrian citizenship, plan ahead and calculate whether and when you will be able to meet the required income thresholds. Changes in your living circumstances, such as marriage, buying a home, taking out a loan or having children, can have a huge impact on this.
Do not hesitate to book an appointment for an initial consultation to clarify whether your income is sufficient to qualify for Austrian citizenship.