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Austria Independent Means Visa
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Program Type:
Independent Means Visa
Processing Time:
3-5 months
Citizenship Timeline:
10 years (6 years in some cases)
Permanent Residency Timeline:
5 years
Physical Presence Required:
300 days a year
Citizenship Visa-Free Access:
188 countries
Minimum Contribution:
None
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Program Overview
Austria Independent Means Visa
Austria offers a residence permits to those who can demonstrate an annual income of at least €24,000. The permits are issued with one-year validity and renewable annually as long as the applicant maintains his income.
After five years of continuous residency (and a minimum of 300 days per year of physical presence), the applicant is eligible for permanent residence. After ten years of residence (in some cases six years), the applicant is eligible for citizenship but will, in most cases, have to relinquish other citizenships
Austria Independent Means Visa
How to Qualify
To qualify for the Person of Independent Means visa, an applicant must demonstrate an annual income of
- €24,000 for an individual applicant
- €38,000 for a married couple
- €45,000 for a family of four
- €3,700 per additional dependent
A €150 application fee per dependent applies. Wholly dependent parents, siblings, and children may be included. Children need to intend to permanently reside and attend an education Institution in Austria.
The applicant must maintain suitable accommodation (bought or rented) for the duration of the residency period and must also hold an Austrian health insurance policy covering the whole family.
Austria Independent Means Visa
Salient Benefits
- Freedom of movement (but not settlement) within Schengen
- No investment or donation requirement
- Path to citizenship
- Enhanced business access to large economies
- Enhanced education opportunities
- Safety and security
- Short processing time
Austria Independent Means Visa
Citizenship Timeline and Requirements
To be accepted for the initial Independent Means visa, the applicant will need to be competent in German at a A1 (basic) level. If the application is approved, the initial visa is valid for 90 days. After moving to Austria, the applicant will be issued a one-year residence permit, which is renewable annually if the conditions of the residency are maintained.
After five years of continuous residence (80% of 5 years) applicants may apply for Permanent Residence (PR). They will need to prove German language competence at a B1 (intermediate) level at the time of applying for PR.
After holding PR for five years (total of 10 years’ residency) the applicant may apply for citizenship. This may be reduced to a period of one year after obtaining PR if the applicant has a German language proficiency at B2 level or is “exceptionally involved” in an Austrian society.
Dual citizenship is, in most cases, not permitted, though some notable exceptions apply.
Browse 195 countries’ paths to citizenship in the hyper-detailed IMI Citizenship Catalog.
Austria Independent Means Visa
Program Authority and Legal Basis
Applications for this program may be directed to Ministry of Labour, Interior and Europe, Integration and Foreign Affairs.
Legislation upon which this program is based Austrian Temporary and Permanent Residence Law Chapter 2 Article 44 Niederlassungsbewilligung – ausgenommen Erwerbstätigkeit.
Austria Independent Means Visa
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Austria Independent Means Visa
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Austria Independent Means Visa
Program Statistics
See more statistics on this program and others in the IMI Data Center.