Immigration and residence

If you want to stay in Austria for less than six months, you need a visa. Please contact the Austrian embassy or the Austrian consulate general in your country of residence.

If you want to stay in Austria for more than six months, apply from abroad. Please contact the Austrian embassy or the Austrian consulate general in your country of residence.

Only if you are allowed to enter Austria without a visa can you file your application in Austria during your admissible visa-free stay. You may enter Austria without a visa if your country is not a country for which a visa is required (German), or if you have a residence permit of another EU member state.

If you plan to reside in Vienna and are allowed to enter Austria without a visa or if you are already a resident of Vienna, your competent office is Municipal Department 35 - Immigration and Citizenship (MA 35) (German).

Residence law

There are a number of different residence permits depending on your country of origin, planned duration of stay, and whether or not you are related to an Austrian citizen.

Overview of available residence permits for third-country nationals

The Austrian Federal Ministry of the Interior provides more detailed information about settling in Austria on their website: Settlement in Austria

There, you will also find application forms and detailed explanations in English.

Detailed information on the different residence permits is available in German: Immigration and Residence - Einwanderung und Aufenthalt

Business Immigration Office (BIO)

If you need a residence permit, because you want to work in Vienna, found your own company or need residence permits for your future employees, please contact the Business Immigration Office.

The Business Immigration Office makes the complicated process of residency and what happens after simpler by bundling processes and procedures. It was established by Municipal Department 35 – Immigration and Citizenship (MA 35) and the Vienna Business Agency.