Life in Austria

Austrian citizenship can be obtained in several ways, and in this article we will discuss the two methods that are important for Hungarians in Austria: Acquiring Austrian Citizenship by Family Basis, Descent by Birth – Erwerb durch Abstammung Children acquire Austrian citizenship from the moment of birth if If the parents are not married, and only the child’s father is an Austrian citizen, while the mother is a citizen of another country, the child can acquire Austrian citizenship on a family basis if the Austrian father acknowledges paternity within eight weeks of birth or paternity is legally established by a court. Paternity can be acknowledged even before the child’s birth.…

ID Austria will replace mobile signatures as an electronic identification method in the future. It enables digital proof of our own identity using the “Digital Office” application. ID Austria can be obtained at all registration authorities. For those who already use mobile signatures, there is an option to switch to ID Austria through the online process. This online process allows users to take advantage of the benefits of the new identification solution without having to go through a physical authority procedure. Who Can Use ID Austria? To apply for ID Austria, we must meet the following conditions: ID Austria can also be used with a FIDO security key and a…

The Austrian pension system is one of the most advanced and comprehensive in Europe. However, for those with low incomes or other reasons that result in a low traditional pension amount, there is a benefit available in the country that is often referred to as “Mindestpension” or minimum pension. There is no official minimum pension in Austria, there is supplementary assistance One characteristic of the Austrian pension system is that there is no universal minimum pension. Therefore, there is no amount that every pensioner would receive guaranteed. Instead, those who receive extremely low pensions and face social needs may be eligible for a supplementary equalization allowance, known as Ausgleichszulage. Compensation…

Families arriving in Austria not only need to take care of moving-related tasks and administrative matters but also enrolling their children in school. In this article, we will share information based on our personal experiences that may be useful to you if you are coming to the country with children aged 6-10. What is Volksschule – Austrian School System The Austrian school system differs significantly from the one in Hungary or other countries. In Austria, children also need to attend kindergarten before starting their studies. Kindergarten welcomes children from the age of 3, but kindergarten attendance becomes mandatory in the year when the child turns five before September 1st. This…

From January 1, 2024, the GIS contribution will be abolished in Austria. The ORF contribution that will replace it will be mandatory for almost all Austrian households to pay, regardless of whether they watch the Austrian Radio and Television (ORF) channels. In this article, we’ll go through the questions arising in connection with the new contribution, and with the help of the answers, you’ll quickly be able to understand what to expect in the near future. What Has GIS Been About So Far? The GIS was the “bogeyman” for Hungarians moving to Austria, a tax form they had not directly encountered before. We must emphasize right at the beginning of…

The following article was written by Tamás Golubov in the Hungarians in Austria Facebook group. Join the group if you need more information about life in Austria! The group is available here: Hungarians in Austria Hi there! Recently, I successfully registered my Hungarian-plated car. It wasn’t easy, but not complicated either; the main issue was that it’s easy to get confused by the abundance of information, with many people saying and writing all sorts of things, and contradictory information being quite common. I decided to write down my experiences for you, and explain how to “naturalize” a Hungarian-plated car in a few steps. Legal Basics, Misconceptions: According to the law,…

AK Zeitspeicher is an application created by the Austrian Arbeiterkammer (AK – roughly translated as Workers’ Chamber) to help employees accurately track their working hours. Correctly recording work hours is crucial not only for our pay but also in regulating overtime and additional work. Zeitspeicher provides a transparent and convenient solution for up-to-date record-keeping. This is How Zeitspeicher Works Using the application is extremely simple and flexible. You can easily access AK Zeitspeicher via your smartphone through the https://ak-zeitspeicher.at/ website. A single click is enough to record your working hours and keep your information up to date. Additionally, the app is available for iPhone and Android devices, which you can…

The IG-L (Immissionsschutzgesetz-Luft) designation is well known to Austrian drivers. This term refers to speed restrictions, which are known as the “Luft-Hunderter”. IG-L is an Austrian federal law aimed at, among other things, reducing vehicle emissions. To implement this objective, variable speed limits were introduced on designated sections of highways and roads. These restrictions come into effect when air pollution increases. This means that the “Luft-Hunderter” limit may be in effect on certain days in a specific section, while not on others. When do the IG-L speed restrictions take effect? Air quality monitoring stations operated by the regions continuously report current air pollution data to ASFINAG (Austrian Motorway and Highway…

The Meldezettel is actually the form needed in Austria to obtain a proof of residence (Meldebestätigung). This form is used to provide data to be entered into the Zentrale Melderegister, the central residence register, when registering a new address, changing address, or deregistering an address. Based on this information, we receive the Meldebestätigung, or proof of residence. Why Do I Need Meldezettel? Anyone who lives permanently in Austria is required to register and report all minor persons living with them to the local authorities. For example, one must register when moving to an accommodation in Austria for the first time and establishing a new primary residence (in this case, the…