For decades, a British person who wanted to live in Austria did what other Europeans did: arrived, registered, started work. Brexit ended that. Since 1 January 2021, moving to Austria from the UK works differently, and the right route depends on one date: whether you were already living in Austria on 31 December 2020. This article sets out what the official Austrian pages say, in the order that matters.
What does moving to Austria from the UK look like now?
Yes, in a major way. British citizens became third-country nationals when the transition period ended. That means they cannot apply for the Anmeldebescheinigung, the registration certificate that EU citizens use (see Anmeldebescheinigung). Two groups follow two different rules:
- You were living in Austria before 31 December 2020. You are protected by the Withdrawal Agreement and you can hold a residence title under Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union.
- You arrive now. You follow the general rules for third-country nationals under the Niederlassungs- und Aufenthaltsgesetz (NAG), the Settlement and Residence Act.
Scottish residents fall under the same rules, since the UK as a whole left the EU.
What is the Article 50 residence title?
The Article 50 TEU title is for British citizens who lived and worked in Austria before the end of 2020, and their family members. According to oesterreich.gv.at:
- It lets you live, work and study in Austria.
- After five years of continuous lawful residence, counting time before and after Brexit, you can acquire permanent residence.
- You must be employed or able to support yourself and your family without social assistance, and have comprehensive health insurance. German language skills are not required.
- The original application deadline was 31 December 2021. A late application can still be approved for a reasonable reason, for example domestic violence, a minor whose parents did not apply for them, or a documented serious illness.
- You apply in person at your city or district authority; in Vienna, MA 35. Fingerprints and an identity check are part of the process.
- The fee for a new or replacement title is €91 (€39 under 16). Exchanging an older permanent residence document for an Article 50 title is free.
Family members must apply in person within three months of entering Austria, with a guardian applying for a child under 14. A family member who did not live in Austria before 31 December 2020 cannot join as an "other family member" under the agreement, but may qualify for a national permit, such as the Rot-Weiß-Rot-Karte plus, for a spouse married after 1 January 2021.
Is moving to Austria from the UK possible for new arrivals?
New arrivals do not get an Article 50 title. The official page says that British citizens who did not live in Austria before the end of the transition period are generally treated as third-country nationals. Your route is a residence title under the NAG, which depends on your purpose: work, family reunion, studies or other grounds. The Rot-Weiß-Rot-Karte (the red-white-red card) is the best-known permit for skilled workers.
Because the conditions change with each permit, with quotas and income or qualification requirements, we do not list them here. Contact the competent authority, or the Austrian embassy or consulate, before you move. The key practical point is the sequence: for most routes, the permit comes first, then the move.
Which permit might suit your case, and which documents to bring, is exactly the kind of question where a wrong turn costs months. Moovy can help you prepare the questions for the authority and read the official page with you. The application itself stays with you and the authority.
Which obligations apply to everyone, British or not?
Some rules do not change with Brexit:
- The Meldezettel. You register your address within three days of moving in, with the landlord's signature. See Meldezettel. Failing to register can lead to a fine of up to €726.
- Social security. Once you are legally employed or self-employed in Austria, you are insured like everyone else, with the ÖGK or the SVS, and you receive an e-card. See tax number and e-card in Austria.
- Labour law. Once you have the right to work, Austrian labour law is the same for all. See working in Austria.
How does healthcare work for British residents?
If you work or are self-employed in Austria, you are insured like any other person, through the ÖGK or the SVS.
If you are retired with a UK State Pension, the UK government's guidance says the UK may cover your healthcare in Austria through an S1 form. You request it from the NHS Overseas Healthcare Services and register it with the ÖGK, which then issues an e-card. Those who arrived before 2021 remain covered by the Withdrawal Agreement; others fall under the protocol on social security coordination in the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement, which is close to the EU rules but not identical.
Our article health insurance in Austria for expats goes through the cases.
What about driving, schools and housing?
Driving. A UK licence is valid for six months from the day you first establish a residence in Austria. You then exchange it at your licence authority: the Bezirkshauptmannschaft, or the police directorate in large cities. In Vienna, this is the Verkehrsamt. The fee is €90 according to oesterreich.gv.at, and there is no practical test for a UK licence. You need your passport, valid licence, an ID photo and a medical certificate. If you let the six months expire, you can no longer drive on it. See driving in Austria. A car brought from the UK is an import from a third country, which needs customs formalities and vehicle approval.
Schools. School is compulsory for nine years for any child living in Austria, whatever the nationality. See schools in Austria.
Housing. Tenancy law is the same for everyone. One difference: Vienna's municipal housing (Gemeindewohnung) is open to third-country nationals only with a long-term residence right under the NAG, or refugee status. Those with an Article 50 title can rely on equal treatment with Austrians under the Withdrawal Agreement.
Property. A British citizen is a third-country national for property purchases, and the rules of the province (Land) apply. See buying property in Austria.
What about qualifications and money?
Professional recognition under the EU system generally does not apply to qualifications of non-European nationals. Those who applied before 1 January 2021 keep protected rights. An EU citizen who obtained a diploma in the UK before 1 January 2021 keeps the European regime. For everyone else, a diploma from a third country goes through the Austrian procedure for the profession, and the free advice points for people with foreign qualifications (in Vienna, Linz, Graz and Innsbruck) can tell you which authority is competent.
Banking works normally once you reside in Austria: a legal resident has a right to a basic account. A sterling account is not a euro account, so expect exchange costs. See bank account in Austria.
A sensible plan for a British mover
- Decide your route: Article 50 (pre-2021 resident) or a national permit (new arrival).
- Ask the competent authority what it needs, before you sell the house.
- Sort healthcare: employment cover, S1 for pensioners, or private cover.
- Once in Austria, register your address within three days.
- Exchange your driving licence within six months.
- Keep every record: they count towards permanent residence after five years.
Our step-by-step guide to moving to Austria covers the practical order for everyone.
What do British people ask most often?
Can I settle first and sort the permit later? The safe answer is no. The rules for visitors are different from the rules for residents, and the Austrian pages we used give no shortcut. Ask the competent authority, or the Austrian embassy, before you move.
What if I am married to an EU citizen who lives in Austria? Family routes exist, and their conditions depend on the date of the marriage and on whether the EU spouse lives in Austria under free movement rules. The official page mentions, for example, the red-white-red card plus for a spouse married after 1 January 2021. Get advice on your case.
What about my UK pension and tax? Austria and the United Kingdom have a tax treaty dated 30 April 1969. As an Austrian tax resident, you declare your worldwide income, and the treaty decides which country can tax each kind of income. Ask the Finanzamt or a tax adviser how the treaty applies to your pension.
Will my UK degree be recognised? For a regulated profession, the procedure depends on the profession. The advice centres for people with foreign qualifications in Vienna, Linz, Graz and Innsbruck give free guidance, in several languages.