I’m curious if anyone has applied for citizenship to Austria under the new amendment to the Austrian Nationality Act. It took effect around Sept 2020, and allows for descendants of persecuted persons to apply for citizenship in Austria.
My wife and I both applied, and while I haven’t received a response, my wife was called and told that she would not qualify. The reason, they (in their phone call and subsequent letter) specified that they are only focusing on cases in which relatives fled during a very specific window. This window was much smaller (only about 8 years or so) than originally noted on their application website. Feels a bit like a bait/switch.
A friend suggested that the only way to really get “movement” or any success is to hire a lawyer (in Austria) to help with our case. Certainly willing to do that if it is beneficial. Qualifying for the citizenship seems straightforward at first, but it is truly hard to prove that an ancestor fled specifically because of religious persecution. However, the dates and location certainly line up with what was going on (according to historical records).
Has anyone pursued this, and curious if you hired legal help.
Thanks!
JD