Visa & Residence

Austria requires a certificate of registration from EEA or Swiss citizens. This form must also state the reason for residence in Austria.

Eligible reasons for residence are

  • Self-employed activity
  • Employed activity
  • education
  • Family status
  • Private reasons with proof of sufficient means of subsistence and health insurance

The application for a registration certificate must be submitted to the competent authority (MA35 {Vienna}, Magistrat or Bezirkshauptmannschaft) within 4 months.

Yes, special regulations apply to artists for short-term performances of up to 4 weeks. In order to secure an event or an overall artistic production, artists from third countries can work in Austria on a self-employed or employed basis. For this purpose, they only need a visa C (acquisition) - i.e. an extended tourist visa. Artists who are entitled to visa-free entry do not need a visa, provided they have not yet exceeded the visa-free period.

Employers only have to notify the competent AMS on the day of commencement of work at the latest (informally by email).

Attention: A residence title in an EU country only entitles the holder to work in the country that issued the residence title. In other EU countries, the normal rules for third-country nationals apply with regard to acquisition.

For a settlement permit for artists, a monthly discretionary income of EUR 1,217.96 (value 2024) is required for single persons. This means that per month, after deduction of social security, rental costs, loan instalments and other fixed costs, plus the value of the Free Station, the remaining amount must exceed EUR 1,217.96.

Income

- Social security contributions

- rent and running costs

- any maintenance payments

+ value of the free ward (allowance of around EUR 359.72 )

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= at least EUR 1,217.96

There are considerable differences between a settlement permit for artists - self-employed and a settlement permit for artists - employed.

SP Artist - self-employed:

Since the settlement permit is issued for a period of one year, contracts covering the minimum income for the entire coming year (at least EUR 1,217.96 per month), plus any additional fixed costs, less the value of the free station, must be submitted upon application.

SP Artists - employed:

Self-employed artists only have to provide evidence in the (preliminary) contract of employment of an appropriate salary that reaches the monthly minimum income limit plus any fixed costs, minus the value of the free station.

If necessary, assets (e.g. bank deposits) can also be used to reach the minimum income.

No, even if a compulsory insurance arises in connection with the settlement permit, you already need an insurance that is liable to pay benefits in Austria at the time of application. In this regard, it is recommended to temporarily take out private insurance.

What is to be considered as customary in the locality depends on the concrete, future place of residence. In principle, however, it can be said that there should be at least 10m2 available per person in the household and that the number of rooms must be at least or higher in relation to the number of persons. Here, however, it also depends on the circumstances of the individual case.

The following options are available in particular

  • the Settlement Permit for Artists (self-employed or employed)
  • Red-White-Red Card "Particularly Highly Qualified Persons
  • Red-White-Red Card for university graduates
  • Graduates - residence for the purpose of seeking employment

Attention: If you apply for a visa for graduates to look for work after completing your studies in Austria, you can no longer apply for a Settlement Permit for Artists (Niederlassungsbewilligung Künstler). In this case, an application would have to be made from abroad, which can also lead to an interruption of the uninterrupted, legal residence in Austria. Therefore, time limits for permanent residence in the EU and citizenship may start to run again.

Yes, it is possible to change your job or employer, but you have to inform the authorities. Of course, it is important that the new job also fulfils the criteria of the Red-White-Red Card.

Yes, in this case spouses are entitled to a Red-White-Red Card Plus and thus also have unrestricted access to the labour market.

Anyone who has fulfilled the requirements of a Red-White-Red Card for two years or 21 months is entitled to a Red-White-Red Card Plus and thus unrestricted access to the labour market.