General requirements for all residence permits

You must prove that you have sufficient means to finance your living expenses in Austria. In Austria, it is assumed that you have a secure livelihood if you have a certain amount of money left over after deducting all fixed monthly costs (e.g. rent, hot water, electricity). The higher your fixed costs are, the higher your income must be. 

The following count as income:

• Income from your work performance
• Unemployment benefits and unemployment assistance
• Statutory or contractual maintenance payments (e.g. between parents and children, between divorced partners)
• Scholarships 

Voluntary maintenance payments do not count as income because they could be cancelled at any time. 

 

How do I calculate my secure livelihood? 

The amount of money shown in the table below (values for 2025) must be left over after deducting all your regular monthly costs. 

The legislator assumes that regular monthly costs do not exceed €376.27. These costs are also known as the "free station". If your regular monthly costs do not exceed €376.27, you must have at least the amount of income displayed in the table below at your disposal per month. 

If your regular monthly costs are higher than €376.27, your income must also be higher than indicated in the table. You must then deduct €376.27 from your actual higher regular costs. Add this amount to the amount in the table below. The result is your secure livelihood and therefore the amount of money that must be available to you each month.  

Single person	€1273.99
Married couples	€2009.85
For each child additionally	€196.57
Pupils/students up to the age of 24	€703.58
Value of the free station	€376.27

Example: If your regular monthly costs are less than €376.27, the amount required for a secure livelihood, for example for a single person, remains at €1217.96. 
However, if your regular monthly costs are higher, the excess amount must be added. In the case of regular monthly costs of €500, the value of the free station is first deducted (€500 - €376.27 = €123.73) and then added to the reference rate in the table above (€1273.99 + €123.73 = €1397.72). The amount representing a secure livelihood, which must therefore be proven on a monthly basis, is €1397.72.

 

What can I do if my income is not high enough? 

You can also prove a secure livelihood with account and savings balances. 

Account and savings balances can be used to replace current income if

• your credit balance is sufficient in relation to the duration of the residence permit,
• you prove where the funds come from or that they do not come from illegal sources, and
• you have a legal claim to the money (i.e. the capital actually belongs to you, and you have direct access to it).

In the case of permanent residence permits, savings are only relevant if the amounts involved are very high. This is because the authorities must assess whether you can finance your living expenses in the long term with your savings alone. Only if this is the case is there a "positive future prognosis", and your financial resources are considered sufficient. 

If your income from your employment and your savings do not total a sufficient sum, another person living in Austria can also submit a declaration of liability on your behalf. In the EEA, there are comparable legal frameworks under the respective civil law.

This means that the liable person makes a legally binding promise to finance your living expenses if you cannot manage on your own. The liable person must prove that they have enough assets and income to cover your costs.

Attention: If you have applied for a residence permit as an artist and expect to have little work in Austria, this can pose an issue for the approval of your residence permit. This is because the authorities will then ask themselves whether you would work enough as an artist to fulfil the purpose of your residence permit issued for "practising art". 

The following may be provided as proof of health insurance coverage:

• Compulsory state health insurance
• Voluntary self-insurance
• Co-insurance (e.g. for spouses)
• Private health insurance that covers all risks

You will only receive compulsory state health insurance if you are employed in Austria or have registered as a self-employed person with the Social Insurance Institution for the Self-Employed. If you are applying for a residence permit for the first time, you will not yet have this compulsory insurance. You will therefore need a different insurance policy for the period between submitting your application and starting work: 

• You can take out voluntary self-insurance with an Austrian state social insurance institution.
• Alternatively, you can also take out private health insurance. Travel insurance is also sufficient for this when applying from abroad if this
  • includes Austria,
  • covers costs of at least €30,000, and
  • also covers recovery and repatriation costs.

Info: If your residence permit is refused, you can lodge an appeal. In this case, the following applies: if the provincial administrative court makes a positive decision in the appeal proceedings, this decision immediately constitutes your residence permit. At the time of the decision, you must provide proof of comprehensive health insurance. This is only possible with certain private insurance companies if you are not in Austria (e.g. because the maximum legal length of stay had already been exhausted before the decision was made). There are providers who offer online insurance policies; see www.feelsafe.at or www.care-concept.at. 

 

When you apply, you must prove that you have a legal entitlement to local accommodation. 

It's not sufficient for you to simply stay with friends or acquaintances, for example. You need a contract. This can be a tenancy or subletting agreement, or a binding preliminary contract. 

If you will be living at the same address as your accommodation provider, you can conclude a right of residence agreement for your shared use. In this agreement, you must agree that you may live at this address for the duration of your residence permit. You can also conclude an open-ended agreement that can only be cancelled with the usual notice period for tenancy agreements (e.g. 3 months). 

Attention: A declaration stating that your accommodation provider intends to let you stay at their accommodation is not legally binding (declaration of intent). This is therefore not sufficient proof.  

Exception: When applying for a Red-White-Red Card, Blue Card, or residence permit for students, a declaration of intent is sufficient, but any costs must be detailed.

If you are the owner of a flat in Austria and are going to live there, you must provide proof of ownership (e.g. extract from the land register or purchase contract).

Although you fulfil all other requirements, you may still not be granted a residence permit if

• you are applying for a residence permit in Austria for the first time, but have exceeded your authorised visa-free or visa-required stay;
• you are subject to a valid entry ban (§ 53 FPG) or a valid residence ban (§ 67 FPG);
• a return decision has been issued against you by another EEA state or Switzerland;
• an enforceable return decision has been issued against you and eighteen months have not already passed since your departure from Austria, unless you submitted an application (Sec. 21 (1) Settlement and Residence Act) after you voluntarily complied with your obligation to leave the country;
• you have concluded a residence marriage, residence partnership, or residence adoption;
• you have been convicted of evading border controls or entering Austria illegally in the 12 months prior to submitting your application.