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Settlement Permit - Gainful Employment Excepted for Family

AustriaFamily

Explore the five recorded questions, answers and sources for this pathway.

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Explore pathways in Austria Read the five questions ↓

Which family relationships qualify?

Family members under the Settlement and Residence Act are spouses, registered partners and unmarried minor children, including adoptive and step children. Spouses and registered partners must be 21 years of age or older when applying, and children must be under 18 years of age at the time of application. Under this residence title, the official page lists family members of holders of certain settlement permits or of a "settlement permit - gainful employment excepted".

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Who may sponsor or bring the family member, and what immigration/citizenship status must that person hold?

The sponsor must hold certain settlement permits or a "settlement permit - gainful employment excepted" in Austria. The family member obtains the permit if the general requirements are fulfilled and, in certain cases, if a quota place is available. Evidence that the sponsor holds the required residence title must be provided. The official source does not specify which settlement permits count as "certain" settlement permits.

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Limits of the record
  • The official source does not state the complete answer to this question for this route.

What is important for proving marriage, partnership, parentage, custody, dependency or another qualifying relationship?

Where applicable, the applicant submits a marriage certificate, divorce certificate, certificate of registered partnership, certificate of dissolution of a registered partnership, adoption papers, evidence or a certificate concerning the family relationship, and a death certificate; children submit a birth certificate or similar document with first applications. Evidence that the sponsor holds the required residence title is also required. The official source does not state how the authority assesses whether a relationship is genuine.

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Limits of the record
  • The official source does not state how the authority assesses whether a relationship is genuine.

What important financial, accommodation, insurance or maintenance responsibilities apply?

The family member must have a fixed and regular income enabling them to meet their livelihood without resorting to welfare aid, health insurance coverage providing benefits in Austria and covering all risks, and evidence of a legal title to accommodation considered adequate for the family size according to local standards. The family reunification page gives the 2026 standard income rate of € 1,308.39 for singles, € 2,064.12 for married couples and an additional € 201.88 for each child, while the page on other forms of settlement gives a separate 2026 rate for the "settlement permit - gainful employment excepted" of € 2,616.78 for a single person, € 4,128.24 for married couples or registered partnerships and € 403.76 additionally for each child. The checked official sources do not state which of these rates applies to family members under this route.

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Limits of the record
  • The official source does not state the complete answer to this question for this route.

How does the application work at a high level, what rights does the family member receive, how long does the status last, and how can it become independent or longer-term where officially stated?

As a matter of principle, the first application is filed with the competent Austrian consular representation abroad, which checks it and forwards it to the competent authority in Austria; the authority decides no later than six months after receipt. Family members must provide evidence of German language skills at A1 level when first applying. The "settlement permit - gainful employment excepted" allows time-limited settlement and does not entitle the holder to work. As a matter of principle, residence titles are granted for twelve months. After five years of lawful settlement without interruption, a "Long-term resident – EU" title may be applied for if the general requirements have been met and Module 2 of the Integration Agreement has been completed. The application fee is € 218.

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These are the answers currently recorded in the catalogue. A missing or partial answer is not an eligibility decision.

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