EU Long-Term Residence: Staying Permanently After 5 Years

Last updated: October 2026 · Official sources linked

After five years of fixed-term cards, what many people want above all is security. Our co-founder Vahe came from Armenia as a refugee. In 2019, he built a business in Vienna. EU long-term residence (Daueraufenthalt EU) gives you a permanent right of residence and free access to the labour market. Here you can read what you need for it.

Who is this route for?

The residence permit “Long-term resident – EU” (Daueraufenthalt – EU) is for third-country nationals, meaning people who are not citizens of an EEA country or Switzerland. It gives a permanent right of settlement. It also gives unrestricted access to the labour market.

These periods count in full: Red-White-Red Card (Rot-Weiß-Rot-Karte), Red-White-Red Card plus, Settlement Permits (Niederlassungsbewilligungen), EU Blue Card (Blaue Karte EU) and Family Member (Familienangehöriger). Periods as a person granted asylum or subsidiary protection also count in full, as does the asylum procedure itself.

Counting half are periods with a temporary residence permit (Aufenthaltsbewilligung), for example as a student. The condition: you are now entitled to settle. If you have had only temporary residence permits for five years, you cannot apply, according to the City of Vienna.

Special cases in Vienna (City of Vienna):

• Persons with subsidiary protection apply before their status expires. They prove five years of status and lawful residence.
• Holders of a legitimation card (Legitimationskarte) apply within six months of the card expiring or being returned.
• Displaced persons from Ukraine first switch to the Red-White-Red Card plus. The time with the ID card for displaced persons counts.
• Requirements not met? Then MA 35 checks whether your current permit can be renewed.

EU and EEA citizens do not need this permit. After five years, they apply for the certificate of permanent residence (Bescheinigung des Daueraufenthalts).

Requirements

1. Five years of uninterrupted settlement. More than 10 months abroad in total interrupts the period, as does more than 6 months in a row. The period then starts again from your last entry. For the EU Blue Card, the limits are 18 months in total or 12 months in a row outside the EEA.
2. Module 2 of the Integration Agreement (German B1 and values). Proof includes, for example, the ÖIF integration exam B1 or a completed apprenticeship. Two years of study in German with at least 32 ECTS also count.
3. Secure means of subsistence. Your income must reach the 2026 reference rates (Richtsätze). Rent and loan repayments are deducted to the extent that together they exceed €386.43.
4. Accommodation customary for the area, for example with a lease.
5. Health insurance that covers all risks. Travel insurance is not enough.
6. General requirements, for example that you pose no threat to public order.
7. Application while your current permit is still valid.

Worked examples for means of subsistence

	Single person	Married couple
Reference rate 2026	1.308,39 €	2.064,12 €
Rent per month	700,00 €	900,00 €
Allowance	− 386,43 €	− 386,43 €
Rent above the allowance	313,57 €	513,57 €
Net income required	around €1,621.96	around €2,577.69

Add €201.88 for each child. Loan repayments and maintenance payments increase the amount further. The examples are simplified.

Timeline: how to prepare

When	What
12 months before	Count your days abroad over the last five years. Collect border stamps and receipts.
6–12 months before	Take Module 2 if you do not yet have proof of B1.
3 months before	Collect proof of income, your lease and proof of insurance.
1 month before	Obtain a self-disclosure from a credit reference agency. Book an appointment with MA 35.
Application appointment	Bring originals, pay €275, give your fingerprints.
During the procedure	Stay and work in Austria with the confirmation of submission (Einreichbestätigung). For travel, apply for an emergency vignette (Notvignette).
After the decision	Collect the card in person. Anyone over 14 must come themselves.

Documents

According to the City of Vienna:

• completed and signed application form (German or English)
• valid passport
• recent photo, no older than six months
• proof of accommodation (lease or purchase contract, residence rights agreement)
• proof of health insurance
• proof of income and of ongoing expenses. If you rely on savings, explain where they come from.
• self-disclosure from a credit reference agency (from age 18, e.g. KSV 1870)
• proof of Module 2
• Self-employed persons: trade licence, tax assessments or confirmation from your tax adviser
• Persons granted asylum: confirmation of asylum status

Foreign documents often need an apostille and a certified translation. English documents usually do not need to be translated.

Costs and duration

Item	Amount 2026	Source
Application for EU long-term residence	275 €	City of Vienna, oesterreich.gv.at
Card renewal (every 5 years)	275 €	City of Vienna
Surcharge for certain travel documents or civil status documents	€42 or €11	City of Vienna

You pay when you apply. Costs for the ÖIF exam, translations and apostilles come on top.

Duration: The City of Vienna does not state a fixed processing time. In 2025, procedures for third-country nationals at MA 35 took 52 days on average. This is an average across many permits, not a guarantee.

After the permit is granted

• Renew the card: The card is valid for five years. Apply for the new card before it expires.
• Long stays abroad: The permit lapses after more than twelve months in a row outside the EEA. For particularly important reasons, up to 24 months are possible.
• Living in another EEA country: After more than six years without residence in Austria, the permit becomes void. Switzerland is not part of the EEA.
• Family: Family members can receive a Red-White-Red Card plus.
• Next step: Later, citizenship becomes possible. Separate time limits apply.

Competent authority

• Vienna: MA 35 – Immigration and Citizenship. If you hold a settlement permit, book an appointment with one of units 4.1 to 4.6. Your district does not matter. Persons granted asylum book with unit 1.0. Book online or by phone on +43 1 4000-3535.
• Other federal provinces: the district authority (Bezirkshauptmannschaft) or the municipal authority (Magistrat). In Graz, the Office of the Styrian Provincial Government (Amt der Steiermärkischen Landesregierung) (oesterreich.gv.at).

Common pitfalls

• Too long abroad. A long visit home can restart the five years. Count your travel days precisely.
• Permit expired. Apply while your current permit is still valid.
• Module 2 missing. Without proof of B1, there is no long-term residence. Plan the exam early.
• Income too tight. High rent reduces your countable income.
• Savings without explanation. If you rely on savings, you must explain where they come from.
• Travelling without an emergency vignette. During the procedure, you need an emergency vignette to travel abroad.
• Card expired. The right remains, but you lack the proof. That can cause problems when travelling.

Related routes

• Red-White-Red Card
• EU Blue Card
• Studying in Austria
• Citizenship in Vienna

FAQ

When can I apply for EU long-term residence? After five years of uninterrupted settlement in Austria. Your current permit must still be valid.

Does my time as a student count? Half of it does, if you are now entitled to settle. With temporary residence permits only, you cannot apply.

How much do I need to earn? In 2026, at least €1,308.39 per month as a single person, €2,064.12 as a married couple, plus €201.88 per child. Housing costs above €386.43 increase the amount.

How long may I spend abroad afterwards? Up to twelve months in a row outside the EEA. After that, the permit lapses, except for particularly important reasons.

What happens if my card expires during the procedure? You may continue to live and work in Austria. As proof, you receive a confirmation of submission. To travel abroad, you need an emergency vignette.

How much does EU long-term residence cost? €275 for the application. Renewing the card every five years also costs €275.

Sources and legal basis

• oesterreich.gv.at: Long-term resident – EU (as of 2026-08-07)
• City of Vienna: EU long-term residence
• oesterreich.gv.at: General requirements, reference rates 2026 (as of 2026-08-10)
• oesterreich.gv.at: Integration Agreement (as of 2026-07-01)
• oesterreich.gv.at: Registration certificate and certificate of permanent residence (as of 2026-08-10)
• City of Vienna: MA 35 performance report (reporting year 2025)
• Laws: Settlement and Residence Act (Niederlassungs- und Aufenthaltsgesetz) (§ 45, § 11), NAG Implementing Regulation (NAG-Durchführungsverordnung), Integration Act (Integrationsgesetz), ASVG (§ 292 para. 3, § 293). Full text in the RIS.

General information based on official sources. Leading Viennese law and tax firms review your individual case, and we guide you personally all the way to your goal.