What is the application procedure for visas and residence permits?
Visa application
If you need a visa, you must always apply for it at an Austrian representation authority abroad. This could be an embassy or a consulate. You will therefore have to wait abroad until your application is approved.
If you are applying for a visa for a country within the Schengen area and no country is your "main destination" (e.g. because you are staying in each country for the same length of time), you can apply for your visa at the at the embassy of the Schengen state you will arrive in first. If you will mainly be staying in only one Schengen country, you must apply for your visa at that country’s embassy.
Once your visa has been issued, you must collect it from the representation authority.
If you require a work permit, your employer will apply for one.
Application for a residence permit
As a rule, you must apply for your first residence permit abroad through an Austrian representation authority.
If you are already legally resident in Austria, you can submit your application for a residence permit to the competent residence authority in Austria. If Vienna is your place of residence, the competent authority is Municipal Department 35 (MA 35). In the following cases it is possible to apply from within Austria:
- You are authorised to enter the country without a visa or—for certain categories of residence permit—with a visa and are applying for a residence permit during your legal stay. You should apply for your residence permit as soon as possible, as the procedure can take several weeks. If the procedure is not completed by the end of your legal residence period, you must leave the country and wait for a decision to be made while you are abroad. Your employer can also apply for a settlement permit if you need one.
- You have travelled to Austria as part of a job seeker visa to obtain a Red-White-Red Card. If you find a job, you can submit your application for a Red-White-Red Card from within Austria. It is also possible for your employer to submit the application instead. Red-White-Red Cards must be collected in person.
Attention: If you have entered the country on a job seeker visa, you can only apply for a Red-White-Red Card in Austria
Overview of Austrian visas and residence permits for third-country nationals
| Type C or D visas | Settlement permits and Red-White-Red Cards | Residence permits | Security certificate - for employed individuals |
|---|---|---|---|
Application |
|||
|
Abroad:
|
Abroad at Austrian representation authorities. In Austria, if the applicant can enter without a visa or has entered with a visa, during a lawful stay (most categories). If the applicant wishes to work in Austria on an employed basis, the employer can also apply for a residence permit. |
Abroad at Austrian representation authorities. In Austria, if the applicant can enter without a visa or has entered with a visa, during a lawful stay (most categories).
|
By employers in Germany |
Validity |
|||
|
Type C visa up to 90 days
Type D visa from 91 days up to a maximum of 6 months |
Depends on the type of settlement permit/Red-White-Red Card.
Generally, as long as the contract term, but for a maximum of 12 months.
Exceptions:
If you have your visa extended and
the extended residence permit is valid for 3 years. EU permanent residence is issued for an unlimited period. |
As long as the contract term, but for a maximum of 12 months. Exception
|
12 months |
Extension |
|||
| Only possible in exceptional cases—under clearly defined conditions—in Germany | Possible in Germany | Possible in Germany | Possible in Germany |
Family members |
|||
| Can only enter the country with their own visa |
Family reunification possible There may be a waiting period if the maximum number of residence permits to be issued to family members has been reached ("quota") in the year of their reunification. |
Family reunification possible | Safety certificate and work permit only possible in exceptional cases |