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AT

Austria Settlement Permit (Gainful Employment Excepted)

Active Worldwide Schengen

Austria · Niederlassungsbewilligung - ausgenommen Erwerbstätigkeit · Passive income · apply consulate · processing 90–180 days

Minimum income $2,931/mo EUR 2,617 a month
Stay 12 months, renewable
Application fee $244
Tax Worldwide Progressive income tax 0-55%

Path to staying

  1. Residence permit12 months
  2. Renew12 months at a time
  3. Permanent residencyafter 5 years
  4. Citizenshipafter 10 years
  • Permanent residency 5 years
  • Citizenship 10 years
  • Dual citizenship not allowed
  • Language required for citizenship B1

Overview

Country
Austria
Program
Austria Settlement Permit (Gainful Employment Excepted)
Local name
Niederlassungsbewilligung - ausgenommen Erwerbstätigkeit
Type
Passive income
Status
Active
Initial duration
12 months
Renewable
Yes (12 mo)
Min stay
183 days per 12 months

Quota-limited settlement permit for financially independent third-country nationals who can support themselves without working in Austria.

Financial requirements

Income requirement
EUR 2,617/mo (~$2,931 USD)
Pension requirement
$2,931/mo
Application fee
$244

Eligibility

  • Minimum age 18+
  • Criminal record check required
  • Health check not required
  • Health insurance required

Work rights

  • Employment not allowed
  • Self-employment not allowed
  • Own a business not allowed
  • Work permit included no

Family and dependents

Dependents allowed
Yes
Spouse included
Yes
Max child age
18
Parents allowed
No
Extra per dependent
$452

Benefits and mobility

  • Schengen access
  • Bank account can open
  • Property purchase allowed
  • Public healthcare access granted
  • Must be primary residence required

Tax

Tax regime
Worldwide
Regime name
Progressive income tax 0-55%
Foreign income taxed
Yes
Capital gains taxed
Yes

How to apply

Method
consulate
Processing time
90–180 days
Apply from abroad
Yes

Notes

Quota places are limited and assigned first come, first served. No gainful employment is allowed. From 1 January 2026, required regular monthly income is twice the ASVG reference rates: EUR 2,616.78 single, EUR 4,128.24 couple, plus EUR 403.76 per child (after deduction of ongoing costs such as rent). A1 German is required on first application (German prior to immigration); Module 2 / B1 is needed for Long-term Resident – EU and ordinary naturalisation. Flat application fee for a limited residence title is EUR 218 from 2026 (covers application and issuance). After five years of continuous lawful residence and Module 2, Long-term Resident – EU is available; ordinary naturalisation is generally after 10 years and requires renunciation of prior citizenship where possible.

Last verified Oct 9, 2026 Last changed Oct 10, 2026 Source

Change history

    • Income monthly (USD) 2930 2931
    • Income annual (USD) 35162 35170
    • Application fee (USD) 319 244

    migrated from the production database; research reasoning not recorded.

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