Preparing the application for your Red-White-Red – Card Plus

You currently hold a Blue Card EU and will soon have lived in Austria for two years? Your next permit will be a Red-White-Red – Card Plus with a validity of 3 years.

Documents you need to prepare:

• Application form please choose the option "(2) Red-White-Red – Card plus".
  Application FormApplication Form ()
• Passport, valid for a minimum of 3.5 years
  Your residence permit will otherwise only be valid until the expiry date of your passport.
• One EU passport sized photo not older than 6 months (with invoice)
• Proof of accommodation in Austria
  e.g., registration confirmation ("Meldebestätigung"), rental contract, last 3 rental payments
• Proof of health insurance coverage 
  e.g., copy of your e-card
• Proof of sufficient financial means
  e.g., copies of salary slips, savings account
• Copies of your payroll accounts ("Lohnkonten") of the last two years
  Please ask your employer (e.g., HR Department) for these documents!
• ÖIF Integration Certificate A2
  OR any university diploma from a recognized university, if available
  • Please note that German certificates are usually only recognized when they are not older than two years and issued by Österreichischer Integrationsfonds (ÖIF).
  • If the university diploma option is chosen, please make sure to consider verification necessitiesverification necessities () and to have the main diploma page translated by a court-certified translator into either German or English, if necessary.
• Copy of the confirmation of the family allowance ("Familienbeihilfe"), if applicable.
  You can download this confirmationconfirmation () here.
• KSV Excerpt ("KSV-Auszug") of you and your husband/wife/registered partner (if applicable); necessary only if requested by the authority.
  You can order this confirmationconfirmation () online.

Your application will be checked by the Immigration and Residence Authority as well as by the Austrian Public Employment Service (AMS). Based on the payroll accounts, the latter has to make sure that you have worked 21 consecutive months out of the past 24 months. Only then can you be granted free access to the Austrian labour market.

You were on parental leave during the past 24 months or currently are? This period of absence is also considered working time and is therefore included in the calculation of the 21 months.