How a Briton in Vienna chose the citizenship of his host country after the UK Referendum on EU Membership to negate the potential personal consequences of Brexit
I had my information appointment in April 2017, and was given an appointment for the application (Antragstermin) in late October 2017. The decision confirming eligibility (Zusicherungsbescheid) came through at the end of April 2018, with the ceremony for Austrian citizenship taking place at the start of July 2018.
Having been in Austria for approaching 17 years now, and not having a right to vote in the UK and with my contact to the UK now restricted to the occasion trip to the UK for work or pleasure, and feeling increasingly as though I don’t belong, and with the uncertainty about what will emerge from negotiations, I’ve decided that being financially “all in” in Austria, I might as well be towards the front of the queue rather than joining a longer queue as negotiations run on.
I also find myself increasingly unable to identify with the government’s stance, and being unable to vote in the UK, feel increasingly isolated in this regard.
I also have to consider my family’s position – working at an Austrian government agency might become more difficult/impractical once the UK leaves the EU, and as we are intending to stay in Vienna for the long-haul, even if my current job is not affected, I wouldn’t want to mix out on full access to the employment market in the event that the situation were to change.