The Austrian Foreign Ministry (BMEIA) has published detailed instructions for foreigners who wish to apply for the 2026 “Residence Permit – Without Gainful Employment” (Niederlassungsbewilligung ausgenommen Erwerbstätigkeit). According to the consular notice dated 26 November 2025, applicants must first have secured a reservation code during the pre-registration phase in early November and may now use that code to book an appointment between 1 and 8 December 2025.
Only those with a valid code can access the priority calendar; each family member needs a separate slot. After 15 December, any remaining appointments will be released to the general public on a first-come-first-served basis, but these dates will fall later in 2026. The ministry emphasises that bookings made under the wrong category—such as student or work permits—will be cancelled.
![Austrian embassies open limited booking window for 2026 quota-based non-work residence permits]()
The quota-based permit is popular with financially independent retirees, remote workers and high-net-worth individuals who plan to reside in Austria but do not intend to take up local employment. Demand routinely exceeds supply: for the 2025 intake, Vienna’s embassy in Seoul reported that all slots were snapped up within 11 minutes.
Mobility advisers urge clients to prepare complete files before the appointment. Required documents include proof of adequate accommodation in Austria, comprehensive health insurance meeting EU-wide standards, and evidence of stable recurring income above the 2025 subsistence thresholds (€1,133 monthly for singles, €1,779 for couples, plus €175 per minor child). Originals and apostilled translations must be presented.
Failure to secure an appointment means waiting an entire year, so companies relocating non-working dependants (e.g., spouses of key managers) should double-check that reservation codes and passport spellings match exactly before the booking window opens on 1 December.
Only those with a valid code can access the priority calendar; each family member needs a separate slot. After 15 December, any remaining appointments will be released to the general public on a first-come-first-served basis, but these dates will fall later in 2026. The ministry emphasises that bookings made under the wrong category—such as student or work permits—will be cancelled.
The quota-based permit is popular with financially independent retirees, remote workers and high-net-worth individuals who plan to reside in Austria but do not intend to take up local employment. Demand routinely exceeds supply: for the 2025 intake, Vienna’s embassy in Seoul reported that all slots were snapped up within 11 minutes.
Mobility advisers urge clients to prepare complete files before the appointment. Required documents include proof of adequate accommodation in Austria, comprehensive health insurance meeting EU-wide standards, and evidence of stable recurring income above the 2025 subsistence thresholds (€1,133 monthly for singles, €1,779 for couples, plus €175 per minor child). Originals and apostilled translations must be presented.
Failure to secure an appointment means waiting an entire year, so companies relocating non-working dependants (e.g., spouses of key managers) should double-check that reservation codes and passport spellings match exactly before the booking window opens on 1 December.
