Interested in obtaining Austrian citizenship? We’ve got the guidelines along with the do’s and don’ts that can help you understand what you need to do in order to successfully obtain the citizenship.
There are many reasons why someone would want to obtain Austrian citizenship. The chance to participate in important soccer championships that are held in the country or indulge in the amazing cross cultural cuisine of Austria are amongst the excuses for wanting to obtain Austrian citizenship. On a more serious note people generally have certain business and personal needs for which they would like to obtain Austrian citizenship. As it is the country offers an excellent living environment that is both safe and practical allowing lots of room for personal and professional growth. Irrespective of what your reasons may be the real question is how to obtain the citizenship?
The primary prerequisites
Amongst the bundle of formal procedures that one will be required to go through an integral part of obtaining Austrian citizenship is to have the quality of patience. This is because the whole process is quite lengthy and time consuming which means you will be called in to exercise your patience. You will also be incurring quite a few costs while fulfilling the required formalities. Hence not only will you need patience rather you will need to back that up with practical resources and perseverance if you are looking to become an Austrian.
The first and foremost prerequisite for being able to apply for citizenship in Austria is that you must have stayed there for a minimum of ten years. There is however another way through which you can apply for Austrian citizenship without having lived in the country for ten years. To avail this opportunity however you must have been married to an Austrian citizen for a minimum of five years. This automatically gives you the rights to apply for the citizenship even if you or your spouse is not currently living in Austria.
The things to consider
Besides the above mentioned major factors there are certain other requirements that must be fulfilled in order to successfully obtain Austrian citizenship. Sufficient knowledge of the German language is one of the primary factors that can help you in getting the citizenship. Furthermore you must be prepared to forgo your previous citizenship because in most cases you will only be allowed to keep a single citizenship. There are however certain circumstances where you may be eligible to apply for multiple-citizenship. You must also not be tangled up in ongoing criminal proceedings nor should you have any ongoing procedures for ending your stay in Austria. You will also be required to show some sort of patriotism for the Republic of Austria and must not be a threat for the law and order in Austria. Of course you must also have the ability to earn your own bread and butter.
Even if you have all the prerequisites the success of your case will depend upon the impression you make upon the concerned authorities. Austrian laws are very restrictive hence it is important to have the adequate information and make sure you have everything that is required of you. The whole process is likely to take around a year for completion hence it is always better to prepare and inform the authorities in advance.
