Austria: Red-White-Red Card for Startup Founders (Startup Visa)
Founders of innovative startups can move to Austria with a Red-White-Red Card for Startup Founders.
Benefits
- Bring family
- Path to Permanent Residence
- Renewable after 2 years
- Includes right to work and start a business
- E.U. member
- High standard of living
Introduction
Austria continually appears on lists of the world’s best places to live, offering residents the dramatic natural beauty of the Alps, cultural centers like Vienna, rich traditions of foods like beer and chocolate, as well as a high standard of living, robust economy, and well-developed infrastructure.
Living in the most wooded nation in Europe, Austrians often spend their weekends outdoors and enjoy a great work-life balance.
Internet Speed
Fixed broadband: 108.94 Mbps download/22.78 Mbps upload
Mobile: 64.54 Mbps download/15.12 Mbps upload
Cost of living
No. 23 globally
Requirements
Innovative businesses
$61,750 invested in the business
Must pass a points system based on qualifications, experience, language, funding, and other factors.
There are additional requirements for business structure.
Fees
- $142 application fee
- $47 fee upon visa granting
- $47 for biometrics
Application Process
Before you apply, check your eligibility using the Points Calculator
Apply at your local Austrian embassy.
If you are permitted to enter Austria visa-free, you can also apply within Austria at your local Provincial Governor, Regional Administrative Authority, or Local Administrative Authority. Locate a local office here.
This visa takes 6-8 weeks to process.
Documents Required
Documents required may include:
- Passport
- Birth certificate
- Passport photo (45 mm x 35 mm, taken in past six months)
- Proof of health insurance
- Proof of financial means of subsistence (could include personal assets, investment capital, insurance benefits, pension, or other sources)
- Certificate or diploma from vocational training related to your business
- Evidence of special skills or knowledge, such as a work certificate, testimonial, or training report
- Evidence of tertiary educational program (at least 3 years in duration)
- Proof of completed degree or diploma program
- Proof of vocational education or program completed in Austria, such as a document of completion or apprenticeship certificate
- Proof of work experience, including testimonial and work certificate
- Proof German or English language skills, such as language diploma or course certificate
- Proof of investment capital and available equity
- Contract with Austrian business incubator or start-up funding agency
- Business plan demonstrating innovative nature of business, products, services, or technologies
- Evidence of personal management role in the company (not required for sole proprietors)
- Proof of qualification for self-employment, such as craft authorizations (Gewerbeberechtigungen) if necessary and available
Other documents may be requested.
Police clearance from your home country may be requested later in the process—consider submitting this with your initial application.
Both originals and copies of documents should be available. Submit documents in English or German (or provide a certified translation). During the process, certified or notarized copies may also be requested.