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Austrian visa resources

Eligibility for an Austria long-stay visa

General conditions every Austrian residence title requires: secure income, adequate housing, comprehensive health insurance, and sometimes German and a quota place.

Official guidance Regularly updated

Important

This information is for general guidance only. Meeting the requirements does not guarantee your application will be approved.

To be granted an Austrian residence title, third-country nationals (anyone who is not an EU/EEA or Swiss citizen) must meet the general conditions of the Settlement and Residence Act as well as the specific criteria of their chosen route, with no ground for refusal present. Third-country nationals who intend to stay longer than six months need an Austrian residence title unless they are entitled to stay under EU law.

The general conditions below apply across routes, though several categories (for example the Red-White-Red Card, EU Blue Card and, for accommodation, students and researchers) are exempt from individual requirements.

Secure means of subsistence

Applicants must show regular income so that they are not a financial burden on the authorities. The reference income rates (ASVG) from 1 January 2026 are:

  • Single person: 1,308.39 Euro per month
  • Married couple / two adults: 2,064.12 Euro per month
  • Additional amount per child: 201.88 Euro
  • These are net of regular expenses exceeding 386.43 Euro per month; the EU Blue Card, Red-White-Red Card and cross-border commuters are exempt from separate income proof

Accommodation and health insurance

  • Adequate accommodation for the family size, evidenced by a tenancy agreement or title deed (freely revocable free housing is not sufficient)
  • Health insurance covering all risks and payable in Austria; travel insurance alone is not enough

Language, integration and quotas

  • Some routes require basic German (A1) before immigration; holders must then complete Module 1 of the Integration Agreement within two years
  • Certain settlement titles and some family reunification permits depend on annual quotas set by the Federal Government and National Council
  • You may not apply for multiple purposes at once, nor run parallel applications

Next steps

  1. Check the documents you’ll needView documents
  2. How to applyStart here
  3. Choose your visaFind a visa

Official sources

For the most accurate and up-to-date information, always refer to the official government sources.

Verified against official sources · last reviewed 2026-08-21. Information only — not legal advice.