Law library / NAG

Austrian immigration law

Settlement and Residence Act (NAG)

The statute that decides who may settle in Austria and on what title — the Red-White-Red Card, the EU Blue Card, settlement permits, long-term residence and family reunification.

Niederlassungs- und Aufenthaltsgesetz (NAG), BGBl. I Nr. 100/2005, in der geltenden Fassung

12 selected sections · English side by side with the current German text · German text as of 30 October 2026 · translation edited by Alexander Baranov

For founders, investors, key employees and financially independent people moving to Austria from outside the EU, the NAG is the residence side of the move. These sections cover the catalogue of residence titles, the general requirements every applicant must meet (accommodation, health insurance and sufficient income at the ASVG standard rates), where and when to apply, validity and renewal, the Red-White-Red Card and RWR Card plus, the EU Blue Card, the settlement permits for self-employed founders and for people living on their own means (twice the ASVG rate, subject to quota), the route to long-term residence after five years, and how family members follow.

Each section below shows the English and the German side by side, paragraph by paragraph; the German text is copied from the official consolidated version (RIS) and our English is an unofficial working translation. The labour-market criteria behind the Red-White-Red Card are in the Foreigners’ Employment Act (AuslBG), also in this library.

In practice: Relocation & residence · Red-White-Red Card for founders (guide) · Company formation.

Residence titles & general requirements

§ 8Types and form of residence titlesArten und Form der Aufenthaltstitel§ 11General requirements for a residence titleAllgemeine Voraussetzungen für einen Aufenthaltstitel

Procedure: validity, first application, renewal

§ 20Validity of residence titlesGültigkeitsdauer von Aufenthaltstiteln§ 21First applicationsVerfahren bei Erstanträgen§ 24RenewalVerlängerungsverfahren

Red-White-Red Card & EU Blue Card

§ 41Red-White-Red CardAufenthaltstitel „Rot-Weiß-Rot – Karte“§ 41aRed-White-Red Card plusAufenthaltstitel „Rot-Weiß-Rot – Karte plus“§ 42EU Blue CardAufenthaltstitel „Blaue Karte EU“

Settlement permits

§ 43Settlement Permit„Niederlassungsbewilligung“§ 44Settlement Permit – Except Gainful Activity„Niederlassungsbewilligung – ausgenommen Erwerbstätigkeit“

Long-term residence & family

§ 45Long-Term Resident – EUAufenthaltstitel „Daueraufenthalt – EU“§ 46Family reunificationBestimmungen über die Familienzusammenführung
Unofficial translation, information only. Only the German text is legally binding. This is not legal advice. Selected provisions, not the complete Act.