Visa/RP
Planning your studies in Linz means you might need to take care of some paperwork before you arrive.

To renew your residence permit, you must schedule an appointment with the local immigration authority, known as the Abteilung Aufenthaltsrecht, a department within Magistrat Linz, located in the Neues Rathaus building, with appointments booked exclusively online.

Requirements:

• Valid Passport: Your national passport must be valid for the entire duration of the new permit you are applying for.

• Current Residence Permit Card: Your expiring student residence card (Aufenthaltsbewilligungskarte).

• Completed Application Form: Fill in the 'Antrag auf Erneuerung einer Aufenthaltsbewilligung' (Application for Renewal of a Residence Permit). You can download this from the website or get it in person.

• Passport-Style Photograph: One recent, biometric photo (35x45mm) that meets Austrian requirements

• Proof of Health Insurance (Krankenversicherung)

• Address Registration (Meldezettel)

• Proof of Academic Progress (Studienerfolgsnachweis)

  • • Confirmation of Enrollment (Studienbestätigung)

    • Study Record Sheet (Studienblatt)

    • Transcript of Records (Studienerfolg): permit renewal requires having passed a certain number of ECTS credits or Semester hours, so you will need to have passed examinations equivalent to at least eight semester hours per academic year or 16 ECTS credits for each academic year. This number does not change when starting your studies in the summer semester!

• Proof of Sufficient Financial Means (Finanzierungsnachweis):

  • • This amount serves as financial proof for the entire duration of your permit (usually one year).

Yearly Requirement (2025):  

• Age Group: 

  • • less than 24 years old: €8442.96 (€ 703.58/month

    • 24 years old & older : €15,287.88 (€ 1,273.99/month)

• Marital Status:

  • • Married (total for both partners): €24,118.2 (€2,009.85/month)

Important: If your rent costs exceed €376.27/month, you must also prove additional funds from the ones shown above! Check with your local Magistrat for the exact amount.

Important: In case of children, each child incurs a yearly amount of €2,358.84 (€196.57/month).

• Accepted forms of financial proof:

  • • Bank Statements (most common method): recent bank statements showing a balance with the required amount.

Important: it is recommended to have the amount in your Austrian account, as a bank statement from your home country may not always be accepted for permit renewal, especially if it is in a different currency!

• • • Scholarship: official award letter stating the amount and duration.

    • Sponsorship: commitment declaration (Verpflichtungserklärung) from a person residing in Austria.

    • If you are working while studying:

• Pay Slips (Lohnzettel): recent pay slips to prove you are consistently receiving income.

Important: Even if your salary is not enough to cover the entirety of the required amount, it will significantly reduce it.

If you are a citizen of the European Union (or EEA or Switzerland), the process is a bit more straightforward:

• The Grace Period:

  • • After moving to Austria, you have a 4-month grace period to live here freely. However, if you plan to stay longer, you must apply for a Registration Certificate (Anmeldebescheinigung) within this period.

• For your appointment at the local immigration office you must bring:

• A valid passport or national ID card.

• Proof of Admission

• Address Registration Confirmation (Meldezettel)

• Valid health Insurance with full coverage in Austria (e.g. European Health Insurance Card)

• Proof of Sufficient Funds:

  • • The required amount is typically similar to non-EU students as described above, but with more flexibility, as bank statements from a country within the EU usually suffice.