RELOCATING TO AUSTRIA
IMPORTANT THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE YOU GO

AUSTRIAN WAY OF LIFE: What to expect when relocating to Austria

Never imagined yourself living in Austria and all of a sudden your life seems to be leading you into that direction? Well, you are not alone. Appreciated for its picturesque landscapes, cultural richness and admirable high standard living this beautiful country has much to offer.

Expect cold white winters and pleasant mild summers, tidy streets and dirty hiking shoes, friendly greetings and various dialects, large mugs of beer and refreshing wine spritzers, open air town fairs and traditional Austrian clothing. Details aside, whatever it is that is bringing you closer to this Nation, before you venture to these lands take some time to review this guide, thoughtfully created to help ease you into this transition.

ENTRY AND IMMIGRATION PERMITS you need to relocate to Austria

 

Detailed visa information for Austria 

VISA EXEMPTION

Nationals of the European states Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland do not require a visa to enter or establish themselves in Austria.

However, if they intend to stay for a period longer than 3 months they must apply for a Registration Certificate (Anmeldebescheinigung) within a four month period from entering the country and also meet the following requirements:

• be employed or self-employed in Austria; or
• have sufficient financial means to support themselves and their dependents as well as provide sufficient health insurance for themselves and their family members; or
• attend an Austrian school or recognized education facility as the main purpose of their stay and earn a secure living and have a sufficient health insurance coverage.

Please note, that in Austria you need to carry a valid identity card or passport with you at all times.

 

VISA WAIVER PROGRAM

Citizens of countries which signed bilateral or multilateral agreements regarding the dissolution of visa requirements, do not require a visa when visiting Austria for a maximum period of 90 days without taking up employment.

According to Council Regulation Number 539/2001 March, 15th  of 2001 (Appendix 2) these countries are:

Albania, Andorra, Antigua And Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Bosnia And Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei, Darussalam, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominica, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Holy See, Honduras, Hong Kong, Israel, Japan, South Korea, Macao, Macedonia, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Saint Kitts And Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent And The Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Serbia, Seychelles, Singapore, Taiwan, Timor-leste, Trinidad And Tobago, United Arab Emirates, United States Of America, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela.

 

Schengen Agreement

 

 Austrian Entry Permits

Below, you will find a gathering of the most relevant information regarding the most commonly issued Austrian travel permits.

 

TRAVEL VISA C (PERIOD: 1 - 90 DAYS)
Uniform Schengen Visa 

If your country does not participate in the visa waiver program or does not benefit from visa exemption policies, as detailed above, you are required to apply for a Schengen Travel Visa C to enter Austria as a tourist, to visit friends or on a business trip for a period not exceeding 90 days. 

Important:

• The VISA C is not a work permit.

• The VISA C allows free movement to its holder within the whole Schengen Zone up to its validity and timeframe.

 

AUSTRIAN NATIONAL VISA D (PERIOD: 90 – 180 DAYS)
Schengen National Visa 

If your country does not benefit from visa exemption policies you are required to apply for an Austrian National Visa D if you plan to remain in Austria for more than 90 but less than 180 days. This applies to tourists, students, business trips, personal visits and short-term employment. 

Important:

• The VISA D is not extendable or renewable

• The VISA D is not a work permit, however, under certain clearly specified circumstances, it will be used for temporary employment situations.

• The VISA D allows free movement to its holder within the whole Schengen Zone up to its validity and timeframe. 

 

Residence permits 

If you plan on staying in Austria for a period that exceeds 6 months and do not benefit from visa exemption policies you must apply for a residence permit. 

Important: Even though residence permits are issued by authorities in Austria, you must file and wait for the approval of your application prior to your travel. There are various types of resident permits:

 

Temporary Residence Permit (Aufenthaltsbewilligung) 

This Permit is utilized for temporary stays that have a specific purpose and encompasses: 

• Temporary duty employees (Betriebsentsandter);

• Rotational employees (Rotationsarbeitskraft);

• Self-employed individuals (Selbstständiger);

• Academic or Educational Researchers (Forscher);

• Artists (Künstler);

• Special employment cases: journalist, guest, lecturer, etc. (Sonderfälle unselbstständiger Erwerbstätigkeit);

• Students attending school/college/university in Austria (Schüler).

 

Permanent Residence Permit (Niederlassungsbewilligung) 

This Permit is utilized for longer stays, regardless of the purpose.

 

Family Member Residence Permit (Aufenthaltstitel Familienangehöriger)

This Permit is issued to spouses and minor children of EU member state, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland citizens who reside permanently in Austria.

 

Permanent Stay Residence Permit (Aufenthaltstitel Daueraufenthalt) 

This Permit is issued to citizens who have fulfilled the Integration Agreement and that have had the right to remain in Austria for at least the last five years.

 

Family Member Permanent Stay Residence Permit (Aufenthaltstitel "Daueraufenthalt - Familienangehöriger") 

This Permit is issued to citizens who have fulfilled the Integration Agreement and who have held a Family Member Residence Permit for at least the last five years.

 

Registration Certificate (Anmeldebescheinigung) 

This Permit is issued to EU member state, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Norway citizens that work and take up residence in Austria. This Permit is also issued to accompanying spouses and minor children that are nationals of a EU member state, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Norway.

 

Permanent Residence Card (Daueraufenthaltskarte) 

This Permit is issued to spouses and minor children that are not nationals of an EU member state, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Norway and that are accompanying an EU member state, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Norway citizen that works and takes up residence in Austria.

 

Red-White-Red Card 

This Permit is issued to qualified workers which are not nationals of an EU member state, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland and entitles the holder to fixed-term settlement and employment with a specified employer and is issued for a period of twelve months.

 

EU Blue Card 

This Permit is issued to qualified workers which are not nationals of an EU member state, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland and entitles the holder to fixed-term settlement and employment with a specified employer and is issued for a period of twenty-four months.

 

Red-White-Red-Card Plus 

This Permit is issued to citizens who hold Red-White-Red or Eu Blue permits under specific employment conditions and wish to renew their cards. The Red-White-Red-Card Plus entitles the holder to fixed-term settlement and unlimited working market access - including self-employment.

 

Visa application in Austria

You must apply for your visa or residence permit at the competent Austrian representation at your place of residence. According to each individual case, the authorities will list the documents you will need to present and the requirements you need to fulfill in order to apply for an Austrian visa/permit. 

Keep in mind that you must apply for your visa/permit no earlier than 3 months and no later than 3 weeks prior to your travel. We strongly advise to contact and verify the updated documents needed and procedures to be followed witbye respective diplomatic representation. 

You can find Austrian representation in your own country here.

 

REGISTRATION (MELDEZETTEL) 

When you first establish your accommodation in Austria you must register your residence with the competent registration authority (Meldebehörde) within three days. The procedure is usually simple, fast and free of cost. You must present a public identification document such as a passport along with a filled out Residence Registration Form (Meldezettel). 

You will receive a written confirmation of registration (Bestätigung der Meldung). This confirmation will be used in several official situations as proof of address: opening a bank account, taking up employment, signing a telephone contract, etc. 

Please note that nationals of the European Union (EU) member states, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland that plan on staying in Austria for more than3 months are required, additionally, to apply for a Registration Certificate (Anmeldebescheinigung). 

When you change your address within Austria or leave the country all together you must, once again, inform the competent registration authority. Failure to fulfill these legal obligations is considered an administrative offense which may result in a fine. 

For more detailed info on registration procedures click here.

 

PASSPORT 

Before you travel make sure that your passport is signed and valid for a minimum of least 3 months after the date you intend to leave Austria. It must also contain at least two empty pages and have been issued within the previous 10 years.

 

HEALTH INSURANCE / TRAVEL MEDICAL INSURANCE 

When applying for an Austrian visa you are required to present a travel health insurance policy, that is valid in all Schengen countries throughout your entire stay, with a limit of liability of at least 30.000 Euro covering any medical emergency and evacuation coverage. 

Visa-free travelers are not legally required to have a travel insurance policy, however, since health care in Austria is considered expensive, it is highly advisable to have adequate travel health insurance throughout your stay. 

If you hold a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) you are eligible to receive state-provided healthcare in Austria during your temporary stay. However, it is not a substitute for travel insurance and will not cover any private medical expenses, mountain rescues, return flight to your home country or lost/stolen property. 

If you plan to work and set residence in Austria you must register with one of the public health insurance providers - mandatory. In most cases, your employer will be responsible for this registry. If you are not covered by compulsory insurance you may register and contribute to voluntary self-insurance.

 

The final step - Moving to Austria 

RELOCATION SERVICE 

Taking care of the whole relocation operation is demanding and complex and can result in various unforeseen challenges for the inexperienced mobile transferee. Those who wish to minimize problems should consider investing in contracting a relocation service package for a smoother and faster relocation experience.

 

INDEPENDENT RELOCATION