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EU, EEA and Swiss citizens in Austria and the registration certificate

What 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.

Checked 8 Oct 2026
Applies to
Citizens of an EU or EEA country or of Switzerland who live in Austria for longer than three months. Their non-EU family members apply for a residence card (Aufenthaltskarte) instead.
Effort
Low effort
Time needed
One appointment at MA 35, after registering your address
Cost
€44 for applications from 2026, payable when you apply.
When
Within four months of entering Austria
Where
Vienna, Austria
On this page
  1. Overview
  2. Before you start
  3. Documents you need
  4. Step by step
  5. Family members
  6. After five years
  7. Other everyday steps
  8. Watch out
  9. Common mistakes
  10. Tips
  11. Frequently asked questions
  12. Official links
  13. In your plan
  14. Sources
  15. Related guides

As a citizen of an EU or EEA country or of Switzerland, you do not need a visa or residence permit to live and work in Austria. If you stay longer than three months, you must have your stay documented with a registration certificate (Anmeldebescheinigung). It confirms your right of residence under EU law; it does not replace the address registration (Meldezettel), which everyone does within three days of moving in.

You must apply within four months of entering Austria, in person. Missing the deadline can lead to a fine. Keep the certificate with your important papers: it is the document that shows your right of residence to employers, landlords and authorities.

Before you start

  • A registered address in Vienna (Meldezettel)
  • One of the grounds for residence: work, self-employment, sufficient funds with health insurance, or education with funds and health insurance

Documents you need

  • Valid national ID card or passport

    required

  • Registration confirmation for your Vienna address

    required

  • Proof of employment or self-employment, such as payslips, an employment contract, fee notes or tax returns

    If you work or are self-employed

    optional

  • Health insurance covering all risks (for example an ÖGK e-card or private insurance)

    If you are not working (students and people living on their own funds)

    optional

  • Proof of sufficient funds, such as pension statements or savings

    If you are not working

    optional

Step by step

  1. Step 1: Register your address first

    In Vienna, MA 35 asks you to register your residence at a Meldeservice before you book the appointment. See Registering your address in Vienna (Meldezettel).

  2. Step 2: Check which ground for residence applies to you

    EU citizens may stay longer than three months if they:

    • are employed or self-employed in Austria, or
    • have sufficient means and health insurance covering all risks, so that they will not need social assistance, or
    • are mainly in Austria for education at a recognised school or institution, with sufficient means and health insurance.

    If you are still looking for work or about to start a job, the City of Vienna says you may wait until you start working, but you still have to apply within four months of entry.

  3. Step 3: Book an appointment at the right MA 35 unit

    Vienna splits registration certificates between two units of MA 35 by district:

    Without internet access you can book by phone on +43 1 4000-3535. Cancel appointments you cannot keep.

  4. Step 4: Prepare the form and documents

    Fill in the federal application form (available in German and English on the Interior Ministry's forms page) and sign it. Bring originals of your ID and of the proof for your ground of residence, for example payslips, an employment contract, fee notes or income tax returns if you work, or proof of funds and health insurance if you do not. Foreign documents not in German or English need a translation by a certified court interpreter, and many also need an apostille.

  5. Step 5: Pay and collect the certificate

    The fee for applications from 2026 is €44, paid when you apply; in Vienna you can use the MA 35 payment slip or pay at a city cash office (Stadtkasse). The certificate is usually issued at the appointment if all requirements are met. People over 14 must collect it in person.

Family members

Family members who are themselves EU, EEA or Swiss citizens also need a registration certificate, with the same deadline. Family members from outside the EU apply for a residence card (Aufenthaltskarte) at MA 35. Newborn children must be registered within four months of birth.

After five years

After five years of lawful and continuous residence in Austria you acquire the right of permanent residence, and you can apply for a certificate of permanent residence. If you stop meeting the conditions for residence before then, you must inform MA 35 immediately.

Other everyday steps

Your registration certificate is not an insurance card or a tax number. Most EU citizens who work are insured through their employer and receive an e-card; see Health insurance in Austria. Your EU driving licence is recognised in Austria and does not have to be converted.

Watch out

Applying more than four months after entry can lead to a fine.

The registration certificate is not issued if you cannot show one of the grounds for residence; the fee is refunded by the Finanzamt Österreich on request in that case.

Common mistakes

  • Thinking the Meldezettel is enough. EU citizens staying longer than three months need both.
  • Booking with the wrong MA 35 unit for your district.
  • Bringing copies instead of originals.

Tips

  • Book the MA 35 appointment as soon as you have your registration confirmation; slots can be several weeks ahead.
  • If you are about to start a job, bring your signed employment contract; once you have payslips, bring those as well.

Frequently asked questions

Editorial answers written by our team, based on the sources below.

Do I need the certificate if I only stay a few months?

You need it if you stay longer than three months. For shorter stays you only register your address.

Is there also a photo ID for EU citizens?

Yes. The federal application form also covers a photo ID for EEA citizens (Lichtbildausweis für EWR-Bürger), which you can apply for separately; it needs a 35 x 45 mm passport photo. You do not need it to live or work in Austria.

I am Swiss. Do the same rules apply?

Yes. Vienna's MA 35 handles registration certificates for EEA citizens and Swiss citizens in the same procedure.

In your plan

  • Apply for your registration certificate (Anmeldebescheinigung)
  • Check what free movement means for you in Austria
  • Register your address at a Meldeservice
  • Make sure you are health-insured from your first day
  • Plan for permanent residence after five years

Sources

Written and checked by HomiStart editorial against the official sources below. Next scheduled check: 5 Feb 2027.

  1. Stadt Wien – MA 35Official source
    Anmeldebescheinigung für EWR-Bürger*innen und Schweizer*innen (Opens {{site}} in a new tab)
    Accessed 8 Oct 2026

    Deadline four months; Referat 5.0 / 5.1 split by district; fee €44 for applications from 2026.

  2. Stadt Wien – MA 35Official source
    EWR-Bürger*innen und Schweizer*innen (Opens {{site}} in a new tab)
    Accessed 8 Oct 2026
  3. oesterreich.gv.atOfficial source
    EU citizens and Swiss nationals – registration certificate and certificate of permanent residence (Opens {{site}} in a new tab)
    Accessed 8 Oct 2026
  4. oesterreich.gv.atOfficial source
    Ausländischer Führerschein (Opens {{site}} in a new tab)
    Accessed 8 Oct 2026

    EU and EEA licences are recognised and need not be converted.

  5. Stadt WienOfficial source
    Anmelden eines Wohnsitzes (Opens {{site}} in a new tab)
    Accessed 8 Oct 2026
  6. Bundesministerium für InneresOfficial source
    Erklärung des Antragsformulars – Anmeldebescheinigung, Lichtbildausweis, Aufenthaltskarte, Daueraufenthalt (Stand 08/2026) (Opens {{site}} in a new tab)
    Accessed 8 Oct 2026

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