Austria Residence

What Is a Settlement Permit in Austria?

Third-country nationals — people who are neither EEA nor Swiss citizens — need a residence title to live in Austria for more than six months. The NAG sets out several residence titles tied to work, family, study or protection grounds. For applicants who do not intend to work in Austria, the ministry's own guidance describes a distinct title called 'Settlement permit – gainful employment excepted' (Niederlassungsbewilligung – ausgenommen Erwerbstätigkeit), intended for pensioners and other financially independent individuals.

This settlement permit is quota-limited: the Federal Ministry of the Interior states that 'only a limited number of settlement permits can be granted each year', so a quota place must be available in addition to meeting the other conditions. Applicants must also show a regular monthly income at or above fixed 2026 rates, hold health insurance covering all risks in Austria, and provide evidence of a legal title to accommodation adequate for their family size. First-time applicants for this title must also provide evidence of German language skills at A1 level before immigrating, with limited exceptions (for example minors under 14 or documented health grounds). A separate route, 'Self-employed key worker', is available to third-country nationals whose self-employed activity in Austria creates a macroeconomic benefit; one of several alternative tests for that benefit is a sustained transfer of investment capital to Austria of at least EUR 100,000, but the Public Employment Service (Arbeitsmarktservice, AMS) must also confirm the benefit, and job creation, technology transfer or regional significance are equally valid alternative tests — the capital-transfer test is one option among several, never a guaranteed route on its own.

Routes Into Austrian Residence Without an Investment

What the Settlement Permit Requires

For the 'Settlement permit – gainful employment excepted', the Federal Ministry of the Interior sets out the following conditions:

• A quota place under Austria's quota system, since only a limited number of these settlement permits can be granted each year, in addition to meeting the general requirements for a residence title.
• A regular monthly income (for example a pension, profits from a foreign enterprise, or income from assets or savings) at or above the fixed 2026 rate: EUR 2,616.78 for a single applicant, EUR 4,128.24 for married couples or registered partnerships, plus EUR 403.76 for each additional child.
• Health insurance coverage providing benefits in Austria and covering all risks.
• Evidence of a legal title to accommodation considered adequate for the applicant's family size according to local standards.

How to Apply

1. Confirm that a quota place is available for the settlement permit in the province where you intend to live; the quota is set annually and is not guaranteed.
2. Gather your evidence: proof of regular monthly income at the fixed rate, a health insurance policy valid in Austria, a lease or ownership document for adequate accommodation, a recent criminal record extract and, for a first application, a German A1 language diploma from a recognised institution.
3. File your first application in person with the competent Austrian consular representation (embassy or consulate) in your country of domicile; only certain groups may file directly in Austria.
4. The consular representation checks the application for completeness and forwards it to the competent authority in Austria — the district administration authority (Bezirkshauptmannschaft) or, in statutory cities, the city authority; MA 35 in Vienna; the Office of the Styrian Provincial Government in Graz; or the Office of the Lower Austrian Provincial Government for this specific title — which decides without undue delay and no later than six months after receipt.
5. If approved, the consular representation informs you; if you need a visa to enter Austria, apply there for a visa D, travel to Austria, collect your residence title from the issuing authority and register your address. The permit is generally issued for one year; it can be issued for three years once you have completed Module 1 of the Integration Agreement (Integrationsvereinbarung) and have lived lawfully in Austria without interruption for the previous two years.

The published application fee for a limited-duration residence title is EUR 218 (migration.gv.at, checked on 24 September 2026); the competent authority and any additional documentary requirements can differ by province — contact us for guidance specific to your situation.

Official source: Bundesministerium für Inneres (Federal Ministry of the Interior) — migration.gv.at, Other forms of settlement

This page follows the Federal Ministry of the Interior's migration.gv.at portal, 'Other forms of settlement' and 'Self-employed Key Workers' (checked on 24 September 2026), and the Settlement and Residence Act (Niederlassungs- und Aufenthaltsgesetz, NAG, BGBl. I Nr. 100/2005 as last amended by BGBl. I Nr. 81/2026) in the Legal Information System of the Republic of Austria (Rechtsinformationssystem, RIS), § 44, read on 25 September 2026: the income test is twice the standard rates of § 293 of the General Social Insurance Act (ASVG), which the ministry publishes as the 2026 amounts above. Amounts and conditions are set by Austrian authorities and can change.