An American's Guide To Austrian Residency

Americans looking to move to Austria will need to apply for a visa. There are different types of visas available, depending on the purpose and length of stay. For instance, EU/EEA citizens and Swiss nationals can reside in Austria for up to 3 months without a visa. However, for longer stays, a residence permit is required. To obtain a residence permit, applicants must prove they have a clean criminal record and have never violated the EU visa regime. After legally residing in the country for five years, among other requirements, one can qualify for permanent residence.

Applying for a visa

To apply for an Austrian visa, you must be a US citizen and apply for a visa that will permit you to stay beyond 90 days or to work in Austria. You can do this by applying for such a visa prior to travelling to Austria at an Austrian Embassy or Consulate General, or by applying in Austria before your 90-day stay has expired. Work is not authorised until the appropriate visa has been obtained.

Among the documents to be submitted by first-time applicants is a police record certificate. For information on how to obtain a police record from the local police in the US or the FBI, please see Criminal Record Checks for US Citizens and Foreigners. Proof of health insurance will also be required. Please note that Austrian government offices will require an 'APOSTILLE' authentication on documents presented with the visa application.

Each Austrian region is allotted a quota of limited residence permits (for specific categories) distributed on the first working day of January each year. All residents must prove that they have a clean criminal record through a document like a police clearance certificate and that they have never violated the EU visa regime. After legally residing in the country for five years, among other requirements, you can qualify for permanent residence, i.e., the residence title of Long Term Resident – EU, allowing free access to the labour market and long-term settlement. The long-term residence permit is issued for five years.

Austrian citizens may reside in Austria without restriction. However, to enter Austria, they always require a valid travel document. A travel document is primarily considered to be a passport; but within the EU or the Schengen Area, Austrian citizens can also travel with a valid personal identity card. Other rules apply for people who are not Austrian nationals – for instance, relatives of Austrians: EU/EEA citizens and Swiss nationals can reside in Austria for up to 3 months without a visa.

Criminal record checks

To obtain Austrian residency, Americans must apply for a visa that will allow them to stay beyond 90 days or to work in Austria. This can be done by applying for a visa at an Austrian Embassy or Consulate General before travelling to Austria, or by applying in Austria before their 90-day stay has expired.

To obtain Austrian residency, Americans must prove that they have a clean criminal record. This can be done by providing a document such as a police clearance certificate or a police record certificate. These documents can be obtained from the local police in the U.S. or the FBI. It is important to note that all residents must prove that they have never violated the EU visa regime.

Health insurance

To obtain Austrian residency, US citizens must apply for a visa that permits them to stay beyond 90 days or to work in Austria. This can be done by applying for a visa at an Austrian Embassy or Consulate General prior to travelling to Austria, or by applying in Austria before their 90-day stay has expired.

Austrian residency requirements include having a clean criminal record. This can be proven through a police clearance certificate, which can be obtained from the local police in the US or the FBI.

After legally residing in Austria for five years, among other requirements, you can qualify for permanent residence. This is known as the residence title of Long Term Resident – EU, which allows free access to the labour market and long-term settlement. The long-term residence permit is issued for five years.

Residence permits

To obtain Austrian residency, US citizens must apply for a visa that will permit them to stay beyond 90 days or to work in Austria. This can be done by applying for such a visa prior to travelling to Austria at an Austrian Embassy or Consulate General, or by applying in Austria before their 90-day stay has expired. Work is not authorised until the appropriate visa has been obtained.

Each Austrian region is allotted a quota of limited residence permits (for specific categories) distributed on the first working day of January each year. All residents must prove that they have a clean criminal record through a document like a police clearance certificate and that they have never violated the EU visa regime.

After legally residing in the country for five years, among other requirements, you can qualify for permanent residence, i.e., the residence title of Long Term Resident – EU, allowing free access to the labour market and long-term settlement. The long-term residence permit is issued for five years.

Among the documents to be submitted by first-time applicants is a police record certificate. For information on how to obtain a police record from the local police in the U.S. or the FBI, please see Criminal Record Checks for U.S. Citizens and Foreigners. Proof of health insurance will also be required. Austrian government offices will require an “APOSTILLE” authentication on documents presented with the visa application.

Travel documents

To enter Austria, you will need a valid travel document. Worldwide, a travel document is primarily considered to be a passport; but within the EU or the Schengen Area, Austrian citizens can also travel with a valid personal identity card. A driving licence is not a travel document, nor is it a document proving the holder's identity.

If you are planning to stay in Austria for longer than 90 days, you will need to apply for a visa. You can do this by applying for a visa prior to travelling to Austria at an Austrian Embassy or Consulate General, or by applying in Austria before your 90-day stay has expired.

To obtain Austrian residency, you will need to prove that you have a clean criminal record through a document like a police clearance certificate and that you have never violated the EU visa regime. You will also need to provide proof of health insurance.

Frequently asked questions