- How to quickly obtain Austrian citizenship?
- "Particularly strong integration" - the reason for the accelerated acquisition of citizenship
- Conditions for naturalization on a general basis
The attractiveness of Western countries has increased significantly in the eyes of Russian citizens after the unification of the European Union. This is especially true for those who dream of moving to a permanent place of residence in some small, quiet and calm state, while having the right to freely ply between the other countries of the alliance members. The popularity of the Republic of Austria has grown significantly in connection with the well-known events in Germany and France, an increasing number of Russians are interested in how to obtain Austrian citizenship.
You can find out the methods of immigration, opportunities and documents in various ways, including via the Internet. But, the main document that potential candidates for obtaining an Austrian passport need to rely on is the citizenship law, adopted back in 1999. The changes concerned, first of all, such a moment as the integration of a new resident of the country into Austrian society, the adoption of traditions and foundations. Moreover, an important prerequisite for this is the knowledge of the state language, the role of which in Austria is played by German.
How to quickly obtain Austrian citizenship?
Everyone knows that immigration to a country does not mean getting the rights of people like those of its native citizens. One of the important conditions is the period of stay in a new place, which each state determines independently. For Austria, the following conditions apply: those with a period of stay of 30 years are guaranteed to receive citizenship after applying to the appropriate authorities; foreigners with a stay of more than 10 years receive citizenship only if they prove their professional and personal integration into Austrian society.
There are special conditions that allow you to become an Austrian citizen for shorter periods of residence in the country. The list of "privileged" categories of citizens includes children born to foreigners, people who have received refugee status, or have made a great contribution to the Austrian economy and culture. An exception can be made for businessmen, outstanding figures in science and art.
"Particularly strong integration" - the reason for the accelerated acquisition of citizenship
It is interesting that the concept of "especially strong integration" is spelled out in the law, but neither in this normative act nor in other official documents there is a clear definition of what it means, what criteria is determined. Therefore, the authorities that consider applications for obtaining the rights of a citizen proceed from their own ideas of their individual members participating in the process. When considering this circumstance, the following points can be taken into account:
- availability of an unlimited visa;
- long-term residence permit;
- good profession and stable income;
- passing a vocational training course at the place of new residence.
Family ties become an additional bonus in such a case, for example, during the period of residence, a foreigner contracted a marriage. An even shorter period of stay (four years) can be established for persons who have received political refugee status, citizens of any other country that is part of the European Union.
Conditions for naturalization on a general basis
As in many other European states, length of stay and knowledge of the language are not the only conditions for obtaining an Austrian passport. An important role is played by the reliability of a potential applicant for citizenship, the absence of crime in his life and work. The list of positive factors includes the absence of a criminal record, as well as being under investigation during the period of registration and consideration of documents. Interestingly, even minor offenses, such as drunk driving, improper parking and speeding, can affect the acceptance of a negative answer, since they are considered as dangerous behavior that threatens the safety of citizens, violating public order.
An important point in the naturalization process is related to the applicant's monthly income. In Austria, such a benchmark is the amount of social benefits, that is, the income of a potential applicant for citizenship must be at least this amount. If he also has a family, then the income must cover this amount for each family member. This moment does not apply to minor children who are not subject to earnings requirements. However, parents, relatives or adoptive parents in whose care the child is, must receive income in an amount that takes into account another family member.
There is another type of citizenship acquisition in Austria - investment immigration. It is not considered stable, acting on the basis of some laws and regulations, but it is allowed in practice. Moreover, each such case, when a wealthy businessman wants to obtain citizen rights in exchange for financial injections into the Austrian economy, is considered by the government on an individual basis.
