Dual citizenship for myself (Austria/ USA)

[LeFay 1]

Hello everyone!

 

Next year I will have the opportunity to get the US citizenship! I am on the way of becoming a teacher in NJ and found out that in order to become licensed, I need an American passport. 

So, I really want to keep my Austrian citizenship, since I am an only child and might need it in the future. 

 

Does anyone have experience with that?

 

Thank you

[nightingalejules 678]

I'm 99% sure that you do not need a US passport to become a teacher.  It would be discriminatory and illegal to restrict a job to US citizens.

 

You do need to have a fingerprint clearance check, where you have to provide picture ID. I think the confusion might have arisen because the guide says "foreign passports will no longer be accepted as ID". However, your Green Card or Driver's License is picture ID that should be accepted.

 

Austria does not allow dual citizenship, so you will lose it if you become a US citizen. You can only get it back if you divorce or are widowed.

[broppy 204]

14 minutes ago, nightingalejules said:

I'm 99% sure that you do not need a US passport to become a teacher.  It would be discriminatory and illegal to restrict a job to US citizens.

That was my first thought, too, but NJ department of education does indeed ultimately require US citizenship for state certification.

Quote

Austria does not allow dual citizenship, so you will lose it if you become a US citizen. You can only get it back if you divorce or are widowed.

Austria discourages it, but there are exceptions if personal reasons are worth considering (and I expect the NJ requirement would count as such a personal reason). You can make an application to retain Austrian citizenship before starting the process to acquire US citizenship. Details near the bottom of  this page - contact the local AT consulate for more info.

[nightingalejules 678]

7 minutes ago, broppy said:

That was my first thought, too, but NJ department of education does indeed ultimately require US citizenship for state certification.

Austria discourages it, but there are exceptions if personal reasons are worth considering (and I expect the NJ requirement would count as such a personal reason). You can make an application to retain Austrian citizenship before starting the process to acquire US citizenship. Details near the bottom of  this page - contact the local AT consulate for more info.

Wow... that's sketchy. I can't believe no one has challenged that! (although I guess now with 45 in power maybe isn't the time to be making waves) - it seems like this is textbook discrimination "on the basis of national origin". 

Anyway, it looks like OP can fill out the affidavit of intent which will buy them some time to fill in the application to retain Austrian citizenship. 

 

Thanks for the info! ....Geez, I still can't believe the NJ Board of Education has gotten that past everybody!

[broppy 204]

36 minutes ago, nightingalejules said:

Wow... that's sketchy. I can't believe no one has challenged that! (although I guess now with 45 in power maybe isn't the time to be making waves) - it seems like this is textbook discrimination "on the basis of national origin". 

Anyway, it looks like OP can fill out the affidavit of intent which will buy them some time to fill in the application to retain Austrian citizenship. 

 

Thanks for the info! ....Geez, I still can't believe the NJ Board of Education has gotten that past everybody!

I know the federal government has similar requirements for employment - you need to be a citizen or swear an affidavit that you will apply to become one as soon as eligible. But this is the first I've noticed a state insisting on citizenship.

[LeFay 1]

Thank you everybody for commenting! 

 

Yes, I read on the website that, before I receive my NJ teaching license, I will have to sign an affidavit stating that I intent to become a citizen within the first 5 years of teaching. I am assuming that teachers with a foreign nationality are employed at private schools. 

 

I know that Austria does make exceptions concerning the Dual Citizenship topic for people who have been born in Austria. I was just wondering which exact reasons, besides the vague statements on the official website, could count towards retaining my Austrian citizenship.

According to an employee of the Austrian Consulate in NYC, I have to present an urgent predicament that would make me accept the American citizenship (such as the teaching license) and a separate reason that would qualify to keep the original citizenship. 

 

Thanks again