Residency and visas in Austria

Citizens of EU and EEA countries and of Switzerland may live and work in Austria without a residence permit, although they register their stay with the authorities after arriving. Founders, managers and staff from other countries need a residence title, and Austria has several routes for them, covering key workers, self-employed people and start-up founders, each with its own conditions on qualifications, pay or capital. The first application is usually lodged at an Austrian embassy or consulate abroad, and the title is linked to the purpose of the stay, so a change of role can mean a new application.

Firms offering residency and visa support in Austria

What to ask a firm about Austrian residence permits

Find out which residence routes the firm has already used, and for clients of what nationality. Ask whether it prepares the business plan, the proof of financing and the company documents that support a founder’s application, and whether a lawyer lodges the application itself. If a spouse or children are moving too, ask how family members are handled and at what cost. For staff hired from abroad, ask how the firm times the permit, the employment contract and the first Austrian payroll run.

Firms on Accountanty

Accountanty lists eight firms in Austria that help with residence and visas, all in Vienna: seven accounting firms and one law firm. Three are small, three medium-sized and two part of large networks. All eight work in German and seven in English, and Russian and Dutch are each offered by two. All eight also handle tax compliance and seven run payroll. Private clients are the group they name most often, by three firms, and crypto appears in three of their profiles. Since a founder’s permit usually depends on the company being in place, see company formation in Austria as well.

Frequently asked questions

Do EU citizens need a permit to run a company in Austria?

No residence permit is needed for citizens of EU and EEA countries or Switzerland, but a longer stay has to be registered with the authorities. A firm on this list can still handle the company, tax and social insurance registrations that follow the move.

Can an Austrian residence permit be arranged before the company exists?

Some routes expect the business to be planned in detail, with financing in place, before the application is decided. Ask a firm whether it can prepare the company documents and the permit file in parallel, and which of the two has to come first in your case.

Other services in Austria

Accountants by city in Austria

Setting up a company in Austria: the guide and every firm

General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules, rates and fees change: check them with the official sources linked on this page or with a qualified adviser before you act.