Guides for Vienna
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Arrival Local guide Your first 30 days in Vienna, a checklistWhat to do in your first month in Vienna and in which order: register your address within three days, sort out residence documents, insurance and the e-card, a bank account and phone, transport, energy and the ORF contribution, waste separation and ID Austria. Spread over the first four weeks; most steps take an hour or two Moving Plan two to six months before the move, longer for non-EU work or family permits Registration Local guide Registering your address in Vienna (Meldezettel)How to register your home address in Vienna within three days of moving in, which documents to bring, who signs the Meldezettel form, and what the registration confirmation is used for afterwards. Usually one visit; walk-in mornings or a booked afternoon slot Residence and visas Local guide EU, EEA and Swiss citizens in Austria and the registration certificateWhat free movement means when you move to Austria as an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen, and how to get the registration certificate (Anmeldebescheinigung) from MA 35 in Vienna within four months of arrival. One appointment at MA 35, after registering your address Residence and visas Several weeks to prepare; the authority decides within eight weeks for most work permits, and up to 90 days for student permits Housing Local guide Finding housing in Vienna, from private rentals to the GemeindebauHow Vienna's housing market is split between private rentals, cooperative flats and the municipal Gemeindebau, what newcomers can realistically rent first, who pays the agent, how the Wiener Wohn-Ticket works and what to check before you sign. Several weeks for a private rental; years of residence before municipal housing becomes an option Housing Reading time; a rent check at the Vienna conciliation office takes longer Jobs Often several months Employment Reading time; check your contract before you sign Taxes About an hour a year for the employee tax assessment, once you have FinanzOnline access Banking An hour at a branch or an online identification; banks must decide on a basic account within ten business days Insurance Usually no action for employees; a visit or online application for self-insurance Family Applications take an hour or two; kindergarten places are allocated months ahead Language Usually several months per level Transport Local guide Public transport in Vienna, tickets and passes in 2026How Vienna's U-Bahn, trams and buses work, what single tickets, the 31-day ticket and the annual pass cost from 1 January 2026, the reduced annual passes for under-26s, seniors and people with disabilities, night service, city bikes and the nationwide KlimaTicket. A few minutes to buy a ticket in the app or at a machine Emergencies Five minutes to save the numbers