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ATEntry · residence · long-term status

Legal ways to live in Austria.

Austria currently offers 6 active paths relevant to remote workers. There is no dedicated digital nomad visa, so the practical alternatives matter. Conditions below come from official immigration sources — filter by your citizenship.

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6 legalization paths · 6 sources · official immigration sources only

passport-specific

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6 legalization paths

01

Choose your route

A compact map of every documented option for Austria. Start with eligibility and duration, then open the full conditions below.

  1. 01Visa-free short stay (Schengen 90/180)Getting in · Visa-free stayWho qualifiesUS citizens, UK citizens, Ukrainian citizensDuration3 moNo direct PR path
  2. 02EU/EEA/Swiss citizens — registration certificate (Anmeldebescheinigung)Staying long-term · Special programWho qualifiesEU citizensDuration10 yrs +→ PR path
  3. 03Red-White-Red Card for self-employed key workers (selbständige Schlüsselkräfte)Staying long-term · Temporary residenceWho qualifiesAll except EU citizensDuration2 yrs +→ PR path
  4. 04Residence permit — self-employed person (Aufenthaltsbewilligung Selbständiger)Staying long-term · Temporary residenceWho qualifiesAll except EU citizensDuration1 yr +No direct PR path
  5. 05Settlement permit — persons of private means (Niederlassungsbewilligung, gainful employment excepted)Staying long-term · Temporary residenceWho qualifiesAll except EU citizensDuration1 yr +→ PR path
  6. 06Temporary protection for displaced Ukrainians (Ausweis für Vertriebene)Staying long-term · Special programWho qualifiesUkrainian citizensDuration8 mo +→ PR path

02

Getting in

Who can enter Austria and on what terms — visa-free windows and entry visas.

01Getting in
Visa-free stayactive

Visa-free short stay (Schengen 90/180)

For: US citizens, UK citizens, Ukrainian citizens

Duration
3 months
Path to PR
No

Requirements (4)

04
  1. 01Valid (for Ukraine, biometric) passport of a Schengen visa-exempt country
  2. 02Maximum 90 days within any rolling 180-day period across the whole Schengen area
  3. 03Tourism, family visit or business only — local gainful work (employed or self-employed) is not permitted
  4. 04Sufficient means and accommodation; visa-free entry is not an unconditional right

03

Staying long-term

Grounds for residence — business, employment, special programs — with the conditions to qualify.

02Staying long-term
Special programactive

EU/EEA/Swiss citizens — registration certificate (Anmeldebescheinigung)

For: EU citizens

Duration
10 years, renewable
Path to PR
Yes
Family
Included
Fee
15 EUR

Requirements (5)

05
  1. 01EU/EEA (incl. Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway) and Swiss nationals staying longer than 3 months
  2. 02Notify the settlement authority in person within 4 months of arrival
  3. 03Right of residence as an employee OR self-employed worker (no income proof needed), or with sufficient resources + sickness insurance, or as a student
  4. 04Self-employment is on equal terms with Austrians — no permit or quota; register a business (Gewerbe/GISA) or work as a Neue Selbständige
  5. 05Permanent-residence certificate available after 5 years
03Staying long-term
Temporary residenceactive

Red-White-Red Card for self-employed key workers (selbständige Schlüsselkräfte)

For: All except EU citizens

Duration
2 years, renewable
Path to PR
Yes
Family
Included
Fee
218 EUR

Requirements (4)

04
  1. 01Third-country nationals whose self-employment creates macroeconomic benefit, meeting at least one of: (1) sustained transfer of at least €100,000 investment capital to Austria; (2) creation or retention of jobs in Austria; (3) transfer of know-how or new technologies; (4) considerable significance for the whole region
  2. 02No points system for this category; the AMS (labour service) issues the macroeconomic-benefit expertise within about three weeks
  3. 03Business plan with market analysis and proof of investment/qualification; valid passport, health insurance, criminal-record extract
  4. 04Quota-free (not subject to the annual Niederlassungsverordnung quotas)
04Staying long-term
Temporary residenceactive

Residence permit — self-employed person (Aufenthaltsbewilligung Selbständiger)

For: All except EU citizens

Duration
1 year, renewable
Path to PR
No
Family
Not included
Income requirement
1,308 EUR/month

Requirements (4)

04
  1. 01Contractually committed to a self-employed activity lasting longer than six months, with no intention to settle permanently
  2. 02The self-employed activity must be in Austria's economic interest
  3. 03Secure means of subsistence at the ASVG rate, adequate accommodation and health insurance
  4. 04Family members cannot obtain a derivative residence title on this permit
05Staying long-term
Temporary residenceactive

Settlement permit — persons of private means (Niederlassungsbewilligung, gainful employment excepted)

For: All except EU citizens

Duration
1 year, renewable
Path to PR
Yes
Family
Included
Income requirement
2,617 EUR/month

Requirements (4)

04
  1. 01For financially independent persons living off passive income (foreign pension, business profits abroad, income from assets/savings) who will not work in Austria
  2. 02No labour-market access — exercising self-employed or dependent gainful activity is not permitted
  3. 03Quota-limited under the annual Niederlassungsverordnung — only a capped number are granted each year
  4. 04A1 German on first application; adequate accommodation and health insurance
06Staying long-term
Special programactive

Temporary protection for displaced Ukrainians (Ausweis für Vertriebene)

For: Ukrainian citizens

Duration
8 months, renewable
Path to PR
Yes
Family
Included

Requirements (4)

04
  1. 01Displaced persons from Ukraine under the EU Temporary Protection Directive (Vertriebenen-Verordnung)
  2. 02Register to receive the ID card for displaced persons (Ausweis für Vertriebene / 'Blaue Karte')
  3. 03Full labour-market access without a separate work permit — includes self-employment / freelance activity
  4. 04Right of residence currently extended at least until 4 March 2027

Austria

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