Citizenship of a third country

What are third-country nationals and stateless persons?

• Third-country nationals are persons who are not nationals of an EEA state or Switzerland.
• Stateless persons are persons without citizenship.

When do I submit an initial application?

You need a residence permit if you

• come from a third country and
• want to live in Austria for longer than 6 months.

You must submit an initial application if

• You do not yet have a right of residence under the Settlement and Residence Act.
• your residence permit for Austria has expired.

Where and when do I submit an initial application?

You must always submit your first application to the Austrian representation authority responsible for you abroad before you leave the country.

You must wait for the decision abroad.

Only certain groups of people may submit an initial application directly in Austria, for example

• Family members of Austrians
• Children in the case of family reunification within six months of birth
• Persons who are authorised to enter Austria without a visa during their permitted visa-free stay in Austria

How much does an initial application cost?

• temporary residence permit: 218 euros
• permanent residence permit:275 euros

Where can I find the appropriate form?

You can find the form here:

When do I have to apply for an extension of my residence permit?

Most residence permits are only valid for a certain period of time. If you want to stay in Austria for longer, you must extend your residence permit before the valid residence permit expires. To do this, you must prove that you continue to fulfil the requirements for your stay in Austria.

Some residence permits cannot be extended beyond the maximum duration of stay. This applies, for example, to residence permits for au pairs and social service workers.

When do I apply for an extension?

You can apply for an extension at the earliest 3 months before your current residence permit expires. You must submit the application no later than the date on which your current residence permit expires.

When do I need to apply for a change of purpose?

If the purpose of your stay in Austria changes, you must submit an application for a change of purpose. This is the case, for example, if you are in Austria as an au pair and then want to study. You must prove that you fulfil the requirements for the changed residence permit.

What do I need to apply for an extension or change of purpose?

Which documents you need for an extension application or a change of purpose application and where you submit the application depends on which residence title you have so far.

How much does an application for an extension or change of purpose cost?

• Extension:
  • temporary residence permit: 218 euros
  • permanent residence permit: 275 euros
• Change of purpose: If there are two applications (application for extension and application for change of purpose), you must pay the fee for each application separately.

Where can I find the appropriate form?

You can find the form here:

How do I change from the Asylum Act to the Settlement and Residence Act (NAG)?

I have a residence permit under the Asylum Act:

You can apply for a settlement permit or a "Red-White-Red Card plus" under the Settlement and Residence Act at the earliest 3 months before the expiry of your residence permit under the Asylum Act and at the latest on the last day of its validity.

I am a person entitled to asylum or subsidiary protection:

You can apply for "Permanent Residence - EU" if you have been a person entitled to asylum or subsidiary protection for 5 years. In addition, you must fulfil all the requirements for "permanent residence - EU", for example, you must provide proof of German language skills at B1 level.

How much does the application for "Permanent residence - EU" cost?

The application costs: 275 euros.

How do I apply for "Permanent residence - EU"?

Use the following form for your application: