General information on applications for the renewal of residence permits for Austria

General information

When applying for an extenstion, both the general conditions for the issue of residence permits and the specific conditions for each residence permit must be met.

In the event of an extension, the integration agreement may need to be fulfilled.

Deadlines

An application for renewal may be submitted no earlier than three months before the expiry of the current residence permit, so that the applicant retains the right of residence during the renewal procedure.

Applications submitted after the expiry of the residence permit will be considered to be applications for renewal only if:

• the third-country national can demonstrate that he/she was prevented from submitting the application for renewal in due time by an unavoidable or unforeseen event and that he/she is not at fault or that it was only a minor oversight and
• the application is made within two weeks of the removal of the obstacle.

An application for renewal may be accompanied, until a decision at first instance has been given, by an application for a change in the purpose of stay of a previously issued residence permit or for the amendment of the residence permit.

Please note that in the event of renewal, the Integration agreement must be fulfilled.

If an application for an extension is submitted in good time, a confirmation may be affixed to the travel document on one or more occasions (often referred to as an ‘emergency visa’). A fee is payable for this confirmation. It may be valid for up to three months and entitles the holder to visa-free entry into Austria, as well as entry into the Schengen Area for the purpose of travelling to Austria.

An application for an extension may be combined with an application to change the purpose of stay of the existing residence permit or to change the residence permit itself, pending the issue of the decision at first instance.

Competent authority

Applications for the renewal of residence permits must be submitted to the competent settlement authority in Austria, which has local jurisdiction over the place of residence of the third-country national.

The authority for settlement is:

• In Lower Austria for new applications for the 'red-white-red – card', 'EU blue card', 'residence permit – ICT' and 'residence permit – mobile ICT" and residence permits for their family members: the Office of the Lower Austrian Provincial Government
• In all other federal states and in Lower Austria for all other residence permits (in particular for the für 'red-white-red – card plus'):
  • the District Authority
  • in Chartered Urban Districts: the Municipal Executive
    • in Vienna: Municipal Department 35
    • in Graz: the Office of the Styrian Provincial Government
• The Federal Office for Migration and Asylum (BFA) for applications for family reunification with persons who have been granted refugee status or subsidiary protection status.

Procedure

The third-country national must apply in person to the relevant domestic settlement authority for an extension of their residence permit.

Some settlement authorities offer the option of booking an appointment (online, by telephone or by email). In any case, booking an appointment is required at some settlement authorities. Further information is available directly on the relevant authority’s website.

The immigration authority checks whether the third-country national meets the requirements for renewal.

Costs and fees

Application fee: 218 Euro

Legal basis

• sections 24 to 26 of the Niederlassungs- und Aufenthaltsgesetz (NAG)
• Niederlassungs- und Aufenthaltsgesetz (NAG)
• Niederlassungs- und Aufenthaltsgesetz-Durchführungsverordnung (NAG-DV)