Residence for third-country nationals - administrative procedures

Information in other languages: German

You are a third-country national and want to stay in Austria for more than six months? In that case, you need to apply for a residence permit.

The type of residence permit you need depends on several criteria, for example on the purpose and planned duration of your stay.

You come to Austria for work

  • EU Blue Card (German)
    You are highly qualified and have been offered a job with a certain minimum salary.
  • Red-White-Red Card (German)
    You are highly qualified, a key worker or work in a shortage occupation, have graduated from university or are a regular employee in tourism, agriculture or forestry, and want to live in Austria and work in a company or organisation for a longer period.
  • Red-White-Red Card - Self-employed Key Worker (German)
    You want to start up or manage a company in Austria that generates high added value for the Austrian economy.
  • Red-White-Red Card - Start-up Founder (German)
    You want to start up a company in Austria that develops innovative products, services, processes or technologies and brings them to the market.
  • Settlement Permit - Artist (German)
    You work as an employed or self-employed artist in Austria.
  • Settlement Permit - Researcher (German)
    You are a university graduate and have a hosting agreement with a research institution in Austria at which you will engage in research activities.
  • Settlement Permit - Special Cases of Gainful Employment (German)
    You exercise a specific occupation exempt from the Employment of Foreign Nationals Act (Ausländerbeschäftigungsgesetz). These include, for example, research associates, pastoral care workers, journalists and employees of international schools in Austria.
  • Settlement Permit - Special Cases of Gainful Employment for pastoral care workers (German)
    You work as a pastoral care worker for a church or religious community recognized in Austria.
  • Stay Permit - ICT and Mobile ICT (German)
    ICT: Your company is active internationally and has a branch establishment in Austria. You temporarily work there as a manager, trainee or specialist.
    Mobile ICT: And you hold a residence permit as an ICT issued by another EU member state.
  • Stay Permit - Seconded employee (German)
    Your company does not have a branch establishment in Austria. However, your company has been contracted by an Austrian company and you temporarily work on that contract in Austria.
  • Stay Permit - Researcher–mobility (German)
    You are engaged in academic research and teaching. And you hold a residence permit as a researcher issued by another EU member state.
  • Stay Permit - Self-employed Person (German)
    You are a self-employed person, have been commissioned by an Austrian company and have entered into a contract with that company.
  • Stay Permit - Social Service Employee (German)
    You work for a non-partisan, charitable non-profit organisation for a maximum of twelve months. You do not earn money and your activities count as training or further education.
  • Stay Permit - Volunteer (German)
    You are active within the framework of the European Solidarity Corps (ESC).
  • Stay Permit - Special Cases of Gainful Employment (German)
    You want to study or research in Vienna under an exchange programme. Or you have an occupation exempt from the Employment of Foreign Nationals Act (Ausländerbeschäftigungsgesetz).
  • Stay Permit - Special Cases of Gainful Employment - Au pair (German)
    You work as an au pair.

You come to Austria for educational purposes

  • Stay Permit - Pupil (German)
    You attend school in Austria.
  • Stay Permit - Student (German)
    You study at a university in Austria or need to complete a traineeship required for your university education. Or you take part in a European Union or multilateral programme comprising mobility measures.
  • Stay Permit - Special Cases of Gainful Employment (German)
    You want to study or research in Vienna under an exchange programme. Or you have an occupation exempt from the Employment of Foreign Nationals Act (Ausländerbeschäftigungsgesetz).

You come to Austria for private reasons

  • Red-White-Red Card plus for family members
    You are the spouse or registered partner of a third-country national who holds a Red-White-Red Card or a Red-White-Red Card plus or who previously held a Red-White-Red Card for self-employed key workers and now has a Settlement Permit or who holds or applies for an EU Blue Card, the Residence permit "Long-term residence - EU", a Residence Card or Permanent Residence Card or a Settlement Permit "Researcher" or "Special Cases of Gainful Employment" as a manager or scientific staff. Or the sponsor is a Convention refugee, a person granted asylum or a holder of the Residence permit "Article 50 EUV".
    Or you are the child of such a person.
  • Residence Card and Permanent Residence Card for relatives of EEA or Swiss citizens or Austrian citizens who excercised their right to freedom of movement (German)
    Residence Card: You are the spouse or registered partner of an EEA or Swiss citizen entitled to freedom of movement in Austria or of an Austrian citizen who exercised their right to free movement. Or you are a relative in direct ascending or descending line, i.e. a parent, grandparent, child or grandchild.
    Permanent Residence Card: You have lived with a residence card in Austria for five years and fulfil the requirements for the right of residence under EU law.
  • Residence Permit - Family Member (German)
    You are the spouse or registered partner of an Austrian citizen. Or you are the child of such a person.
  • Residence Permit - Article 50 EUV - Brexit (German) You are a British citizen and have legally stayed in Austria since before 31 December 2020. Or you are a relative, the spouse or registered partner of such a person. Under certain conditions you can obtain a residence permit under Article 50 EUV.
  • Settlement Permit (German)
    You are the spouse or registered partner of a third-country national who holds or applies for a settlement permit or a settlement permit "Relative", "Artist" or "Special cases of dependent employment". Or you are the child of such a person.
  • Settlement Permit for life partners and relatives (German)
    You are the life partner of an EEA or Swiss citizen entitled to freedom of movement in Austria or of a person holding a residence permit under Article 50 TEU (Brexit) or of an Austrian citizen who exercised their right to free movement. Or you are otherwise related to such a person.
  • Settlement Permit - Dependent (German)
    You are the life partner of an Austrian citizen. Or you are a relative in direct ascending line, for example a parent, grandparent or parent-in-law. Or you are otherwise related to such a person provided that further requirements are met.
  • Settlement Permit - Gainful Employment Excepted (German)
    You can afford to live in Austria without working. Or you are the spouse, registered partner or child of such a person. Or you enjoyed diplomatic protections and retired.
  • Stay Permit - Family Unification (German)
    You are the spouse or registered partner of a third-country national holding or applying for the residence permit "Researcher - Mobility", "ICT", "Mobile ICT", "Student" or "Special cases of dependent employment" (except for au pairs). Or you are the child of such a person.

You want to live and work in Austria with a permanent residence permit

  • Long-term Resident - EU (German)
    You have continuously been entitled to settlement in Austria for at least the past five years. Or you have continuously been entitled to asylum or subsidiary protection for at least the past five years. And you want to live and work in Austria for an indefinite period of time.

You live in Austria with an ID card for displaced persons from Ukraine

You live in Austria with a residence permit under the Asylum Act

You live in Austria with an expired residence permit

  • Emergency visa (German)
    You have filed the extension request for your expired residence permit in due time and need to travel abroad before a decision is made on your application.
Contact for this page:
City of Vienna | Immigration and Citizenship
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