Applying for the Austrian residence permit "Aufenthaltstitel: Niederlassungbewilligung ausser Erwerbstätigkeit"

Introduction

Applying for residency in the EU isn't easy if you come from a third country (basically a non-EU member country). Group member Seth Patla "went through the process in order to live in Salzburg province and kindly wrote up his experiences for anyone who might need it in the future. Seth was applying for the "Aufenthaltstitel: Niederlassungbewilligung ausser Erwerbstätigkeit" or in English, "Settlement permit - gainful employment excepted".

https://www.migration.gv.at/en/types-of-immigration/permanent-immigration/other-forms-of-settlement/

Simple Checklist:

1. Application

2. Proof of income to support you for the next 12 months (2024: €2435.91 single, €3842.92 couple, €375.85 each child)

3. Proof of health insurance

4. Rental agreement proving lodging for the next 12 months

5. Meldezettel

6. Proof of German at A1 level, test completed within the last 12 months

7. Infopass for Behörden (2024 cost is €43)

8. Criminal background check

9. Make appointment (as early as possible in the calendar year, ideally 2-5 January)

10. Bring to appointment: birth certificate, marriage certificate (if applicable), passport, driver’s license, passport photos, €140 per person for application fee

Notes and further information to the above:

1. Application.https://www.bmi.gv.at/312_EN/60a/files/B/05_Niederlassungsbewilligung_ausgenommen_Erwerbstaetigkeit_-_Erklaerung_EN_bf_20231101.pdf

2. Proof of income to support you for the next 12 months (2024 rate per month: €2435.91 single, €3842.92 couple, €375.85 each child)Note: regular income is preferred (ex: retirement income); enough money for the year (12 times the monthly rate above, plus 12 months of rent) in an Austria bank is acceptable. Note: you will need an address and Meldezettel in order to open a bank account in Austria

3. Proof of health insurance. Preferred insurance is Östtereichische Gesundheitskasse (ÖGK). However, if you are a from a country outside of the EU, there is a 6 month waiting period (where you pay premiums but cannot access the health care). So you will need to do another health insurance plan for the first year. Preferred option is Care Concept: https://www.care-concept.de/ Other options listed on a handout we were given: Allianz (specifically „Austrian Inbound (NAG6+) Essential“), Uniqua, Aetna, Cigna. Note for Care Concept: In 2024 there was a substantial price difference between Care Concept and Care Concept 364. The first is the full year; the second is less than the full year. If you use dates from 2 January to 31 December and did Care Concept 364, you should be covered for your time in Austria (2 January would be the first day you can apply for a permit).

4. Rental agreement covering the next 12 months

5. Meldezettel, proving that you have registered your place of residence

6. Proof of German at A1 level, test completed within the last 12 months. Note: this is pretty flexible: we used Inlingua Salzburg (telc certificate). They offer tests a couple times a month. We did ours in April so that we had this completed easily before the deadline, but well within the 12 month window. Certificate takes about 3 weeks to come in. https://www.inlingua-salzburg.at/ Other options listed on a handout: goethe.de, telc.net, osd.at

7. Infopass for Behörden. This takes about 2 weeks for results to come in. https://digitalerantrag.ksv.at/Dip/?request=infopass-fuer-behoerden

8. Criminal background check. We’re from the US, so did both state and federal.

9. Make appointment (as early as possible in the calendar year, ideally 2-5 January). Land Salzburg calendar (appointments open 3 weeks in advance of appointment date): https://www.salzburg.gv.at/dienststellen/bezirke/bh-su/bhsu-buergerservice/bhsu-aufenthaltstitel

10. Bring to appointment: birth certificate, marriage certificate (if applicable), passport, driver’s license, passport photos, €140 per person for application fee

General notes:

• The application is made at the authority for the address you have in Austria. Our address is just outside the city of Salzburg, so instead of applying at Magistrat Salzburg (Schwartzstraße 44, https://www.stadt-salzburg.at/home), we had to apply at Salzburg-Umgebung in Seekirchen (https://www.salzburg.gv.at/verwaltung_/Seiten/bh-su.aspx).

• There are a certain number of places awarded per calendar year, with the spots being awarded on a first come, first served basis (see this article by British in Austria). For Salzburg-Umgebung, this is typically 40 permits per year. We applied on 15 Feb 2023 and were 57 and 58 on the list and therefore did not get permits for 2023. We applied again on 2 January 2024 at 9 am and were numbers 16 and 17. Applications can be made at an embassy (hence our being lower on the list despite being the 3rd time slot of the day in person): it is preferable to do the application in Austria if possible.

• Permits are generally awarded in March (your relative place on the list will be known during your application appointment). Once you have your permit, you are required to spend 183 days in Austria to keep residency. This time is counted from when you pick up your permit until that date a year later, when the permit expires.

• The permit can be renewed after 1 year with the same requirements. For renewal after year 2 (for the third year), Module 1 of the integration agreement must be completed. This consists of Integrationsprüfung A2 (German at A2 level plus some integration questions). https://www.integrationsfonds.at/

• After 5 years and completion of Module 2 of the integration agreement (German at B1 level plus some integration questions), you can apply for long term residency. This also allows access to the labor market.

I hope this is useful to someone!!! Good luck 🍀