Registration Certificate – Residence Permit in Austria?
Attention! The Anmeldebescheinigung is not equivalent to a residence permit in Austria, but this term has been adopted into Hungarian common language, so we also use this expression in the title. You can find more detailed information about this in the article.
EU, EEA, and Swiss citizens who are entitled to stay in Austria for more than three months under EU law receive an Anmeldebescheinigung, or “registration certificate” from the Austrian state. This permit is not automatic and must be applied for. The application must be submitted within four months of entering Austria. After five years of legal and continuous residence, one can acquire the right to a “Daueraufenthalt”, or “Residence Permit”.
Who Can Receive an Anmeldebescheinigung?
EU, EEA, and Swiss citizens who wish to stay in Austria for more than three months, and
- Workers or entrepreneurs in Austria.
- Have sufficient means of subsistence and comprehensive health insurance for themselves and their family members.
- The main purpose of their stay is to pursue studies or vocational training in a public or recognized private school or educational institution, and they have sufficient means of subsistence and comprehensive health insurance for themselves and their family members.
- All these above conditions ensure the Austrian state that the applicant will not be in need of social assistance during their stay.
Permission must be obtained for both primary residence and secondary residence!
Deadline to be Observed and Process Procedure
The stay must be reported to the competent BH (Bezirkshauptmannschaft), or immigration authority, within four months of entering Austria. If all conditions are met, the authority will issue a “Registration Certificate”. We had to pick it up in person, and the BH had previously informed us about the appointment by letter.
The application and accompanying documents must be submitted to the competent BH. In our case, this was done by traveling to Hartberg and dropping the envelope containing the documents into the official mailbox placed in front of the BH. The form required for the application can also be downloaded from the internet. For children under 14, the application must be submitted by the legal representative.
What documents will be needed?
- One completed form per person
- Valid personal ID or passport
- Rental contract (in case of ownership, property deed extract or housing usage agreement)
- Translated and certified birth certificate
- Address registration form (Meldezettel)
- Comprehensive health insurance proof in Austria
- Proof of secured means of subsistence (e.g., employment contract, entrepreneur’s license or bank statement, for companies: income verification from Austrian accountant)
- The last 3 pay slips
- Marriage certificate or registered partnership proof, translation
- Proof of admission to school or educational institution and comprehensive health insurance, as well as declaration or other proof of adequate means of subsistence (e.g., for students: school enrollment confirmation or registration certificate).
- Some may also be asked for a certificate of good conduct, also with German translation, so be prepared for this as well.
The fee for issuing the registration certificate is 15 EUR.
Translations must be certified! Failure to log in may result in an administrative-regulatory fine! Lack of knowledge of the rules cannot be an excuse to avoid punishment!
