Sources and methodology
Where the facts come from
I use primary sources first. The main ones:
- The federal portal oesterreich.gv.at: settlement permit without gainful employment, Daueraufenthalt EU and naturalisation after ten years.
- migration.gv.at: other forms of settlement, the integration agreement and the Red-White-Red Card for shortage occupations and very highly qualified workers.
- The Federal Ministry of the Interior: settlement and residence and the criteria under § 10(6) StbG.
- The City of Vienna: citizenship for extraordinary achievements and its statement of 10 December 2025 on the settlement regulation.
- The Ministry of Finance: income tax rates, personal tax liability and capital income.
- Practice notes and data published by BRIDGES: the Austria programme page, the Austria country page, the Austria guide, citizenship under § 10(6), citizenship by descent and comparisons of Portugal and Spain and Greece.
How I check and date information
- Each article shows an "Updated" date. It changes only when the facts are reviewed.
- Amounts are quoted as the Austrian authorities publish them, and figures from BRIDGES are labelled as such.
- Where sources differ, I show both. Examples: the income thresholds (2026 amounts on oesterreich.gv.at, 2025 amounts still on the English BMI page) and the family under § 10(6) (BRIDGES: the family goes with the applicant; City of Vienna: family members must meet the general conditions).
- Information I could not confirm in official sources, such as the 2026 quota numbers, processing times, card and visa fees and a route for parents, is marked in the text or left out.
How often the guides are updated
All articles are reviewed at least once a quarter, and immediately after the rules change. I watch three topics most closely: the ASVG rates every January, the annual quota and the integration rules.
Corrections
If you find an error, please tell us through the contact page. Corrections are made and the update date is changed.