Our flagship service for entrepreneurs and investors, Work exclusively with Mr. Andrew Henderson, Our most immersive and bespoke experience, Click here to see all our products and services. Those with the privilege of owning an American passport can travel to more than a hundred countries for short-term . The only exceptions where dual citizenship may be accepted are where: Herrengasse 1-3 /2nd floor, 1010 Vienna, Austria, +43 1 93084 3001 Please check other sources and seek legal advice as appropriate. Individuals with dual citizenship enjoy the same rights and have the same responsibilities as the citizens of each of the two nations. 'Federal Army') are the combined military forces of the Republic of Austria . Index of information on military service on the Austrian government website (in English): https://www.oesterreich.gv.at/en/themen/leben_in_oesterreich/wehrdienst.html, Military service portal: https://www.oesterreich.gv.at/themen/leben_in_oesterreich/wehrdienst.html, Civilian service portal: https://www.zivildienst.gv.at/zivildiener.html, Austrian army website: https://www.bundesheer.at, The Facebook thread that led to this FAQ: https://www.facebook.com/groups/austria.english.speakers/permalink/1120340841969225/. ANY QUESTIONS concerning citizenship, or requests for renunciation of citizenship, should be directed to the address below: The Embassy of Austria Consular Section 3524 International Court, NW Washington, DC 20008-3035 Embassy Telephone: 202-895-6700 Consular Telephone: 202-895-6767/6709/6743 Fax: 202-895-6773 Additional information Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. Dual Citizenship in Australia While Australia now recognises dual citizenship, there are still many countries that do not allow their citizens to hold an additional foreign citizenship. In principle, any Austrian who voluntarily acquires a foreign citizenship loses their Austrian citizenship. Please note, however, that the law in some countries provides for theautomaticloss of its citizenship or nationality if you acquire another citizenship. So if you dont attend an appointment due to a misunderstanding over the date or time of the scheduled meeting, you might have to pay for the fee regardless of whether or not the mistake was yours. But most applicants from the minimum of 200,000 people estimated to be eligible by the Austrian government are likely to look past Austrias contemporary politics to focus on the benefits of EU citizenship. This FAQ article is intended to serve as an overview for those looking to find out more about Austrian national service. Finally, a surprising number of countries require formal military service of its citizens. Monaco, Costa Rica, Vanuatu, and Dominica are all fantastic low-to-no tax options for second passports that do not have a standing army. The loss of Austrian citizenship thus already occurs when the citizen acquires the foreign nationality on the basis of his declaration of intent. Austria Austria has mandatory military service for all able bodied male citizens up to 35 years of age. In most cases, Austria does not recognize dual citizenship for its citizens. EUR 65 when I applied in Summer 2018). How to Get Ecuador Residency and Citizenship by Investment, Egyptian Citizenship by Investment: The Ultimate Guide, Armenia Plans to Offer Citizenship for $100-150K Investment, Ways You Can Get Your Citizenship Revoked and How to Avoid It. So, unless youre in your mid-to-late twenties, then you likely wont need to worry about being drafted after getting a second passport. In addition all people undertaking national service have free travel on public transport in Austria. As citizens, I would encourage them to have a say in the countrys direction through their vote. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. That being said, Israelis who apply for Austrian citizenship under the new law can keep their Israeli passport as well, without fear of having to give it up. In case of voluntary entry into the military service of a foreign state (e.g. It is not without reason that the Citizenship Act provides for the loss of Austrian citizenship in the case of a double citizenship that is not granted as follows (dual citizenship in Austria): 27. with certain NGOs). Find some selected legal decisions of the Administrative Court (VwGH) on questions of citizenship and dual citizenship law as follows: > Find more information on our legal services regarding Austrian Citizenship here. See: For those with families, financial support for housing as well as partners and children is also available. If you're a dual citizen or if you are naturalised as an Austrian, here's what you need to know. Female Austrian citizens have the possibility to enter voluntary military service. The Global edition of the Dual Citizenship Report gives an overview . If only the mother is an Austrian citizen, the child will in any case acquire Austrian citizenship at birth. They will then receive an invitation to present themselves to the examination board. I subsequently had a Personalausweis issued a few months later that took a similar amount of time to be issued. A forum for UK citizens living in Austria. Austrian citizens who perform mandatory military service in another country where they are residents and citizens will not lose their Austrian citizenship. The Austrian diplomatic representation (Austrian Embassy or Consulate General) in your home country puts this information about the procedure and the necessary documents at your disposal so that you can file a declaration without delay on/after September 1, 2020. [emailprotected] Do dual nationals need to do military or civil service? Due to the measures in place to contain the COVID pandemic, you need to make a prior appointment with MA 35 to apply for Austrian citizenship. According to this provision regarding dual citizenship the decision about the allowance of a dual citizenship from the Austrian side always strongly depend on the individual case and the reasons stated in the dual citizenship application. Although these countries still require that citizens engage in some level of training and enlistment, most have the option of choosing a lighter civilian role. Doctors and doctors offices are not infallible, however neither are the patients. I was in the military prior to application, although am no longer. Sections10paragraph3,28of theStaatsbrgerschaftsgesetz, Responsible for the content: This can also mean participation in public offices such as government, judiciary or military. Therefore, if you want to get a second passport in a country that has mandatory military service, you need to take steps to ensure that you or your future children wont be conscripted. The main exception for an retention of citizenship is stated in Section 28 of the Austrian Nationality Act: Thus, regarding dual Austrian citizenship, in principle it is possible for a citizen of another country to obtain Austrian citizenship while retaining his other citizenship but it is very difficult and subject to strict requirements. It was scary. This might also exempt naturalised citizens who have served abroad from service in Austria after they become Austrian citizens. It all depends on where you're going and whether they recognize your alternative citizenship. Can a minor naturalise as an Austrian citizen? According to the explanations, it is intended to enable citizens to retain Austrian citizenship despite acquiring a different nationality, The VwGH has stated that an extreme impairment of private and family life in the case of the concrete, The granting of citizenship according to 28 StbG is, According to 28 Abs. However, a handful of countries do include women in compulsory military service, including Norway, Sweden, Cape Verde, and Israel. 2 Citizenship Law (StbG) was created by the Citizenship Law Amendment 1998. However many dual citizens are created under Austrias new law, which brings it into line with Germanys legislation, they are unlikely to boost Austrias small resident Jewish population of approximately 10,000. Used to store a few details about the user such as the unique visitor ID. Find more information regarding cookies on our Data Protection Declaration and regarding us on the Imprint. During the process, however, I learned something interesting about Armenian citizenship it requires military service. The exception is in cases where permission to retain Austrian citizenship has been obtained in advance. Although compulsory military service could drastically impact you and your family, not everyone needs to be concerned with it. Most of them are made to avoid people having to perform military service in several states, so, in general, young men might need to participate in mandatory service in the country where they are residents. Factoring in six months for the renunciation would mean that it is advisable to do it at latest eighteen months after gaining Austrian citizenship, although my personal belief is that it is best to press on with it as soon as possible, since the last thing I would want is for a long and strenuous procedure to be rendered null and void by a failure to get the paperwork done in time. One of the basic principles of Austrian citizenship law is the avoidance of multiple nationalities. Each country uses a different system for staffing its armed services, but for the most part, they fall into one of five categories: In this section, well take a look at the various countries that fall under each category as well as how those countries requirements might affect you. In my case, then, I dont need to worry about my child inheriting Armenian citizenship. than no longer apply being repealed or amended accordingly. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. You dont need to have one, but I chose to also have a Personalausweis. Of the countries that do have compulsory military service, a handful offer draftees the option of non-combat civilian service. Failure to comply, even after they forcefully pick you up at home, can lead to prison (up to one year). with certain NGOs). If you fail to find a position on your own you will be assigned one automatically. Copyright 2012-2023, Nomad Capitalist Limited. TheWehrpflicht, or military obligation, lasts until they turn 50, in special cases, until their 65th birthday. Other popular second passports, such as Colombia, Georgia, and Turkey, also have mandatory conscription, but Georgia has considered abolishing the program. It is possible to apply for exemption to the requirement to perform military service. However, since the authorities have a relatively wide range of discretion in assessing whether the requirements under Section 28 of the Citizenship Act have been met, it is important to pay close attention to the wording of the application and the reasons given, and it is recommended that a specialized lawyer is engaged to handle the matter. For dual or multiple citizenship Austrians, the obligation to participate in military service is subject to a series of agreements. Dual citizenship exists if one person is simultaneously an Austrian citizen and a citizen of another State. Paternity can also be acknowledged before the child is born. However they have to register with their local Embassy on reaching their 17th birthday, and must notify the authorities within three weeks if they return to live in Austria. The more long-term consequences, such as compulsory service, tend to fall by wayside. A U.S. citizen may naturalize in a foreign state without any risk to his or her U.S. citizenship.Dual nationals owe allegiance to both the United States and the . This principle is only waived in certain special cases. Luckily, the vast majority of these countries arent places where you can get citizenship easily, and you likely wouldnt even want to in some. Citizenship in Austria can be acquired by descent, through naturalisation, by entitlement or also through a Citizenship by Investment programme, which grants citizenship upon the fulfilment of certain conditions. The list may be subject to change depending on the changes in policy. The legal means to acquire nationality, formal legal membership . See: https://www.bmeia.gv.at/en/travel-stay/living-abroad/military-and-civilian-service/, It is possible to obtain an exemption from doing Austrian military service if you have already completed compulsory military service for another country, however this is assessed on a case-by-case basis. Austrian citizenship is generally based on the principle of ius sanguinis, although there are some exceptions. 2. If you have already done military service in another country that has an agreement with Austria, you are exempted from having to do it again. But its really up to the individual doctor how they handle it, he said. If you are an Austrian citizen who lives abroad and is subject to the military obligation, you need to register with the local Austrian representative authority, embassy or consulate. 3. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. All applicants will be treated without regard to age, sex, color, religion, race, national origin, citizenship, veteran or future military status, sexual orientation, gender identification, marital status, physical . In principle, anyone who acquires Austrian citizenship by conferral loses their foreign citizenship. Austrian nationality law details the conditions by which an individual is national of Austria.The primary law governing these requirements is the Nationality Law, which came into force on 31 July 1985. The loss of Austrian citizenship is permanent. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". That way the citizenship law offers more than historic justice, because it can also help to deliver justice for their successors here and for the future., Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. For example, a former employee of mine was Austrian, so for his civilian service, he essentially patrolled a street in Vienna. Dont limit yourself; let Nomad Capitalists unbiased approach help you find the best option. In order not to lose Austrian citizenship, permission to retain it must be requested in writing before acquiring foreign citizenship and be approved by written decision. Im not an expert on military service by any means, but I am highly interested in mandatory conscription as a citizenship seeker. Further, foreign military service usually does not cause loss of nationality since an intention to relinquish nationality normally is lacking. Dual citizenship exists if one person is simultaneously an Austrian citizen and a citizen of another State. For all parts, being able to speak German is very . Short lived cookie used to temporarily store data for the visit. Well send our best articles, videos, and exclusive content right to your inbox. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Men, on the other hand, need to pay closer attention to age limits and other requirements for compulsory military service. Article 37 of the Citizenship Act contains a provision denying people doing military service the right to renounce citizenship to avoid this being exploited as a way out of military service. However they have to register with their local Embassy on reaching their 17th birthday, and must notify the authorities within three weeks if they return to live in Austria. Austria still has compulsory military service (Wehrdienst) or alternative civilian service (Zivildienst) for all male citizens deemed fit for call-up (tauglich) up to the age of 35. The complications of the process lapsing that Uzbek and Ukrainian citizens I know have told me about are simply not worth the hassle. Iran has executed Alireza Akbari, a former deputy defense minister and a dual British citizen, on charges of espionage for the British spy agency, the judiciary . Examples include Austria, Bahrain, Japan, China, Denmark and Netherlands. Military service in a foreign country is not an expatriating act if service is as a soldier who is not an officer, unless the foreign military is engaged in hostilities with the United States. Even if many doctors already have online booking offers, many still only reply to phone calls and will only schedule appointments on the telephone. Its free. In practical terms, dual citizenship can offer many benefits. Canadian citizenship also provides access to jobs that require a high level of security, such as security guards, police officers, and military personnel. Offices are not infallible, however, that the law in some countries provides for theautomaticloss of its citizenship nationality! 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