Family & Spouse Visas in Austria
Sponsoring a partner, children, or parents
Family reunification in Austria is possible for spouses, registered partners and minor children, but it is conditional in three ways at once: the sponsor must show income above a published reference rate, suitable accommodation and insurance; the applicant must generally prove basic German before travelling; and for several sponsor categories the places available each year are limited by quota.
| Permit type | Red-White-Red Card plus or family member settlement permit source |
| German before arrival | Commonly A1, with defined exemptions |
| Income test | Household income measured against the published reference rates source |
| Quota | Applies to defined sponsor categories; places are allocated annually |
| Minimum age | Both spouses generally at least 21 |
Who counts as family
- Spouses and registered partners, where both parties are generally at least 21 at the time of application.
- Minor unmarried children, including adopted children, of the sponsor.
- Family members of EU and EEA citizens exercising free movement rights, who fall under a separate and considerably lighter set of rules.
- Parents and adult children are not part of ordinary family reunification, and are admitted only in narrow defined circumstances.
The three conditions that decide the case
Income. The sponsor must show regular income at or above the reference rates used in Austrian social insurance law, with separate rates for a single person, a couple and each child, and with regular fixed outgoings such as rent and loan instalments deducted before the comparison. This is where most refusals originate.
Accommodation. Housing regarded as customary for a comparable local household, evidenced by a lease or ownership document.
German before arrival. Many family applicants must prove elementary German, commonly at A1, using a certificate from a recognised institution before the permit is granted. Exemptions exist, including for family members of certain highly qualified sponsors and for defined health and age situations.
The quota, and what it means for timing
Family reunification with sponsors in several categories falls within the annual settlement ordinance, which fixes how many permits each province may issue in each category. Applications beyond that number are not refused on the merits; they are held and considered in order once places become available, which can mean waiting into a later year.
Family members of Red-White-Red Card, EU Blue Card and certain other permit holders are generally outside the quota, which is one of the strongest practical arguments for entering Austria through those routes rather than through a quota-bound category.
After arrival
The family member normally receives a Red-White-Red Card plus, which gives free access to the labour market, or a settlement permit with narrower rights depending on the sponsor's status.
The integration agreement then applies in the same way as for other settlement permit holders: German at A2 within the first stage, and B1 in the second stage where permanent residence is sought.
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Official sources
Checked against these pages in September 2026. Fees and processing times change without notice — confirm before you act.