Red-White-Red Card: Austria Entrepreneur Visa Fee, Eligibility

Can you get an entrepreneur visa to Austria? How to apply for a red-white-red card and become an Austria-based entrepreneur? Read on to know more.

Austria is a welcoming country and a great place in Europe to establish a business. With the government opening up the economy to foreign participation, a start-up visa has become a popular option for people immigrating to Austria. The visa is considered one of the fastest and easiest to get in Europe.

A Red-White-Red card is valid for up to 24 months from the date of issue and entitles the applicant to a fixed-term settlement. The applicant’s spouse and dependent children can apply for a Red-White-Red Card plus.

Read: Different Types Of Visas To Austria

Austria Red-White-Red Card Eligibility

To be eligible for a Red-White-Red Card as a start-up founder, you must meet the following criteria:

Establish a business developing and launching innovative products/services
Have a strong business plan
Have invested at least € 50.000 for at least 50% equity share
Score a minimum of 50 points on the evaluation scale.

Read: Ways To Immigrate To Austria

Austria Red-White-Red Card Evaluation Scale

Qualifications (max points: 30)

Vocational training/education or special skills required for the prospective business	20
Completion of a 3-year course at a tertiary education institute	20
Bachelor/Master/Doctor’s degree or diploma or vocational training in Austria	30

Work experience (max points: 10)

Applicants get 2 points for every year of work experience according to their qualifications.

Language skills (max points: 15)

A2 level German	5
B1-B2 level German	10
B2 level English	10
C1-C2 level German	15

Bonus (max points: 30)

Evidence of having more than the minimum € 50.000 investment capital	10
Admission to an incubator or being funded by a start-up funding agency	10
Being less than 35 years old	10

Austria Red-White-Red Card Documents Required

The main documents required to apply for a start-up visa to Austria are:

Valid passport
Birth certificate
Proof of health insurance
Proof of having enough assets, and investment capital to support oneself
Proof of relevant educational/ vocational training
Proof of having special skills in terms of work certificates or training reports
Proof of having completed a tertiary education program of at least 3 years
Copy of relevant diploma/ Bachelors/Masters/Doctor’s degrees
Evidence of work experience
Evidence of German/English language skills
Evidence of the innovative nature of the product/ service
Proof of having a controlling interest in the new company
Craft authorization if required

The originals and a copy of all the above documents must be made available. If the originals are not in English or German, a certified translation must be made available.

Filing The Application For Austria Startup Visa

The application for a Red-White-Red Card must be lodged personally with the Austrian embassy or Austrian consulate in your country of residence.

The application and supporting documents will be forwarded to the Public Employment Service (Arbeitsmarktservice, AMS). Within the next 3 weeks, the AMS will issue an expertise certificate on the macroeconomic benefit of the intended business. If certain conditions are met, the AMS will send a positive opinion to the embassy or consulate. A Red-White-Red card will then be issued to the applicant.

Fees Payable For A Red-White-Red Card

Application: € 120
Granting: € 20
Add-on Costs (fingerprints, photography scan and signature): € 20

What Happens After 2 Years?

A Red-White-Red Card is valid for 24 months. Subsequently, if all the legal requirements are ticked off, a Red-White-Red Card plus will be issued. This entitles you to unlimited access to the labor market for self-employment or gainful employment of any other kind and a fixed-term settlement.

How To Get A Red-White-Red Card As An Entrepreneur In Austria