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Migration and Home Affairs
  • 1 April 2025

Family member in Austria

Are you a non-EU citizen living in Austria and would you like to bring your non-EU family members to live with you there? You can find information below on the conditions, procedures and rights your family members can enjoy during their stay.

Conditions

Family members are spouses, registered partners, and unmarried minors including adoptive and step children.

Spouses and registered partners must be 21 years of age or older when applying.

To obtain a residence title as a family member, you must meet the specific conditions of the title and prove that you meet the general conditions for residence titles in Austria, in particular:

  • adequate accommodation corresponding to Austrian standards;
  • full medical insurance;
  • adequate means of subsistence.

The titles that can be obtained by family members are:

Red-White-Red – Card plus (Rot-Weiß-Rot – Karte plus), if you are a family member of a

  • holder of a Red-White-Red – Card (Rot-Weiß-Rot – Karte), a Red-White-Red – Card plus (Rot-Weiß-Rot – Karte plus) or a EU Blue Card (Blaue Karte EU);
  • third-country national with a long-term residence title.

If your family member in Austria holds a temporary residence permit (Aufenthaltsbewilligung), you may also be entitled to family reunification.

Procedures

Where and how to apply

You must, in general, apply for your residence title and visa in your home country before entering Austria. You must submit your application to the competent representation authority in your country and wait for the decision.

In specific cases, you can apply in Austria after legal entry and during your legal stay (e.g. as a family member of an Austrian national or if you do not need a visa to enter Austria during your visa free stay).


In order to prolong your residence title or change its purpose in time, you must make an in-country application. Such applications are generally submitted to the regional administrative authority or magistrate (e.g. in Vienna) before expiry of the most recent residence title. You may be able to wait for the decision while in Austria.

All applications must be submitted in person.

Documents requiredYour documents must prove that you meet the specific and general conditions for the residence title.
Further requirements

Applicants for a residence title Red-White-Red – Card plus (Rot-Weiß-Rot – Karte plus must prove knowledge of the German language at A1 level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages prior to entry.

Integration Agreement
The Integration Agreement is comprised of two sequential Modules. Only Module 1 (A2 level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages and knowledge of the fundamental values of the legal and social systems) is mandatory when certain residence titles have been granted.

Module 2 (B1 level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages and advanced knowledge of the fundamental values of the legal and social systems) is not mandatory, but is required for obtaining a long-term residence title, as well as for obtaining citizenship.

Duration of validity of permitsPermits are basically granted for one year.
Appeals

Applications submitted from outside Austria can be refused by the competent Austrian representation authority abroad for formal reasons.

You can appeal against decisions of the representation authority at the Federal Administrative Court.

Appeals against decisions of the regional administrative authority or magistrate can be made at the Provincial Administrative Court.

Decisions of the regional Public Employment Service can be appealed before the Federal Administrative Court.

Further appeals can be filed at the Administrative High Court, or the Constitutional Court if the decision was based on unlawful grounds or violated constitutional rights.

Further informationMore on reuniting with family members in Austria

Rights

EmploymentIndividuals holding a Red-White-Red Card Plus or a residence title “family member” are permitted to pursue gainful employment on a self-employed basis and require no work permit to be dependently employed.
Change of statusChanging the status/the residence title may be possible if you meet the requirements of the new residence title.
Long-term residenceTo obtain long-term residence title you must prove settlement in Austria for the past five years and must fulfil Module 2 of the Integration Agreement.