OBTAINING AUSTRIAN CITIZENSHIP

OBTAINING AUSTRIAN CITIZENSHIP

There are various possibilities to obtain the Austrian citizenship

• Descent

The Austrian citizenship is obtained at birth by:

• legitimate children, if one parent is an Austrian citizen.
• illegitimate children, if the mother is an Austrian citizen.
• illegitimate children, if the father is an Austrian citizen and has recognized his paternity within eight weeks of the child’s birth or if a court has established the paternity within the same

Granting

General preconditions for granting the citizenship:

• positive attitude towards the Republic of Austria and no endangering of public peace, order and safety, no close relation to terroristic or extremist groups;
• no police record (no judicial convictions, no pending criminal proceedings – neither in Austria nor in any other country, no serious administrative offences);
• no pending proceedings or no enforceable / existing measures (residence ban, return decision, expulsion, etc.) on residence termination, no other obstacles (expulsion in the last 18 months, refusal of entry, etc.);
• renunciation of the existing citizenship, unless this is impossible or unreasonable;
• sufficient means of subsistence for an average of 36 months in the last 6 years, in any case in the last 6 months before filing the application. In this period the income has to reach at least the guiding rate laid down in the General Social Security Act and no minimum income benefits Mindestsicherung) must be received.
• proof of knowledge of the German language2 according to § 7/2/2 Integration-law (IntG) (German language skills at B1 level and advanced knowledge of the fundamental values of the legal and social systems);
• proof of knowledge (examination)2 of the democratic order and the resulting first principles as well as of the history of Austria and the respective federal province;
• after 10 years of legal and uninterrupted residence in the federal territory (of this at least five years settlement).

The Austrian citizenship is to be granted (legal entitlement) if the following conditions and mentioned general prerequisites are present:

• Without waiting period:

1. minor, unmarried children if at least one parent possesses the Austrian citizenship (if the relevant parent lives in Austria, the child has to be settled).
2. adopted children up to the age of 14 of Austrian citizens or illegitimate children up to the age of 14 of Austrian fathers, who have not been naturalized yet (many of the general prerequisites do not have to be fulfilled).

• After legal, uninterrupted residence of at least 6 years:

1. spouses / registered partners of Austrian citizens, living in the common household and marriage/registered partnership for at least 5 years;
2. citizens of a ES state;
3. persons born in Austria;
4. existing knowledge of German on level B2 proof of substantial personal integration (by at least three years of voluntary work for a charitable organization, at least three years of occupation in the educational, social or health sector or at least three years in a position in an interest group)

• After legal and uninterrupted residence of 10 years – Recognized Refugees
• After legal and uninterrupted residence of at least 15 years – existence of substantial personal and professional integration;

The laboriously acquired Austrian citizenship is automatically (ex lege) lost, if you voluntarily acquire a foreign or previous nationality.

What services do we provide for obtaining Austrian citizenship?

• translation of documents into German and their certification by a notary
• consultations and legal services
• help in filling out the application and questionnaire
• counseling and recommendations on passing the interview
• escort to the interview
• interpreter services if necessary
• help with housing and transport

How to get Austrian citizenship for a citizen of Ukraine? Today, this is a relevant question to which our migration lawyers know the answer and will provide all possible options.