third country citizenship

EU law refers to “Member States” (Mitgliedsstaaten) and “third country states” (Drittstaaten). A third country is any non-EU Member State (e.g. the United Kingdom after Brexit or the Russian Federation). There are stricter and longer criteria for naturalisation by third-country citizens, although mitigating circumstance apply for those naturalising as the spouses (in an intact marriage) of Austrian citizens.

Zivildienst

Zivildienst is alternative civilian service – done as an alternative to military service. Naturalising as an Austrian citizen before the age of 35 will mean that you are required to do either military or alternative civilian service. Under  alternative civilian service, a Zivildiener spend nine months working in say a Kindergarten, hospital, care institution against a very modest remuneration.

Zusicherungsbescheid

The Zusicherungsbescheid is the term meaning the administrative decision (Bescheid) through which a claim to take Austrian citizenship is conferred (zugesichert). Upon receiving the Zusicherungsbescheid, I had to initiate the renunciation process to then have my citizenship ceremony, before subsequently renouncing my British citizenship.