Settlement Permit ("Niederlassungsbewilligung")
The residence permit called Settlement Permit (“Niederlassungsbewilligung”) allows you as a family member who is a third-country national and the life partner of an EU national living in Austria to reside in Austria and work in a self-employed capacity only.
The residence permit called Settlement Permit (“Niederlassungsbewilligung”) allows you as a family member who is a third-country national and the life partner of an EU national living in Austria to reside in Austria and work in a self-employed capacity only.
Settlement Permit ("Niederlassungsbewilligung")
The residence permit called Settlement Permit (“Niederlassungsbewilligung”) allows your family member as a third-country national who is the life partner of an EU national living in Austria to reside in Austria and work in a self-employed capacity only.
The residence permit called Settlement Permit (“Niederlassungsbewilligung”) allows your family member as a third-country national who is the life partner of an EU national living in Austria to reside in Austria and work in a self-employed capacity only.
The Settlement Permit ...
- is valid for one year and can be extended.
- only allows to work on a self-employed basis.
- may require a German language certificate.
- will require some kind of proof of the relationship.
Can one work with a Settlement Permit ("Niederlassungsbewilligung")?
One can only work on a self-employed basis. One is not entitled to pursue gainful employment as a salaried employee.
Where does one apply for a Settlement Permit?
Depending on factors such as citizenship and current country of residence, the application for the Settlement Permit must either be submitted to the Austrian Embassy/Consulate in the country of residence or can be submitted to the correct branch of the Austrian Immigration and Residence Authority in Austria, the location of which depends on the (future) Austrian place of residence.
Life partners (girlfriend/boyfriend, unmarried) of European Union,Swiss or European Economic Area nationals can apply for a residence permit called Settlement Permit (“Niederlassungsbewilligung”), which makes it possible to work in Austria on a self-emloyed basis. Austrians are considered to be EU nationals when they have made use of their right of residence under EU law. This means, e.g., that they have verifiably lived and worked for more than three months in another EU or EEA member state or in Switzerland.
Note: The Settlement Permit ("Niederlassungsbewilligung") is not the same as the Settlement Permit – Dependant ("Niederlassungsbewilligung – Angehöriger")!
We are happy to support you!
Are you uncertain about when exactly you can start working in Austria? Do you have questions about other options? We are happy to provide you with guidance about which residence permit you are eligible for! Our experts offer support before, during and after residence permit process. We are happy to support you every step of the way. As we have an official mandate by the Austrian Government, our services are free of charge.