Steps from Study in Austria to Permanent Residence & Nationality

2-April-2018

1. Attestation of Documents. (Require almost 1 month time)

Attest Matric & FSC certificate from relevant Boards, and Foreign Office, Attest
Bachelor’s Degree & Transcript from HEC and Foreign Office. Attest Police certificate
and Birth Certificate from Foreign Office.
2. Legalization of Documents. (Require almost 2 to 4 months’ time)
Take appointment from Austrian Embassy in Pakistan to legalize your documents.
Embassy will send a lawyer to verify your all documents; even the lawyer will come to
your home to meet you. After verification, if the lawyer sends a positive feedback to
embassy, Embassy will call you to Legalize (Stamp) your documents.
3. Apply for Admission (Require almost 2 to 4 months’ time)
After Legalization of documents, you are eligible to apply in Austrian University. An extra
document is required which is called “Eligibility Letter”. This letter can be from any
University from Pakistan, which describes that you are eligible for admission in that
course without giving any other entrance examination. For programs in English,
IELTS/Language of Instruction certificate will be required. Secondly it’s good to attach
Motivation Letter / Personal letter as well, to describe your interest for admission.
(For admission in Bachelors programs which are in German language, IELTS is not
required, you need to study German for 1 year after coming here and then you can
continue your Bachelor’s Degree) (For admission in Bachelor’s/Master’s program
directly, which are in German language, normally B2 level German is required)
4. Apply Residency Permit. (Require almost 3 to 4 months’ time)
After getting admission letter, apply for residency permit in Austrian Embassy. You need
to attach Bank statement, Proof of money, travel insurance, Affidavit of financial
support, Accommodation contract in Austria with the validity of at least 6 months. The
starting date on the contract can be whenever your classes are starting, don’t start the
contract too early.
5. Apply Visa (Require almost 2 Weeks’ time)
After residency permit application is approved, you can apply for visa. A visa will stamp
on your passport with the validity of 4 months.
6. After reaching Austria.
Enroll in University, Register yourself (Meldezettel) It is a registration in the local office
that where are you living, your landlord/hostel needs to fill a Meldezettel form, which
you can take with your accommodation contract to the local office to register yourself.
After Meldezettel and enrollment go to the local Visa office, you will get a residency
 permit card of 1 year. Every year, you need to renew your residency permit with the
new bank statement and credit hours (Passed courses). You can do that while living in
Austria.
7. Search Part time Job
After receiving residency permit card, search part time jobs to cover your expenses. One
tip (Go personally, don’t apply on Email). Odd jobs which are normally available are
(Newspaper delivery, Pizza delivery, Waiter, Cleaning). If you have good IT skills there
can be a chance to get that while you are studying, but probability is very low.
8. Search Fulltime Job
After completing degree you will get 1 year job search Visa. You can apply anywhere in
Europe. If you fulfill the salary requirements, you can apply for work permit.
9. Red white Red card
This is a work permit for Austria, which is issued for a period of 2 years. You can apply
this once you get a contract from the company which fulfills the minimum salary
requirements. This is only for 1 company. You need to work at least 21 months in that
company to apply for open work permit.
10.Red white Red card Plus
After working 21 months on (Red-White-Red card), and with A2 German certificate, you
can apply for (Red-White-Red-Plus) card, it is an open work permit and it is valid for 3
years. And you only need to earn almost 1000 net Euro/month (single person) to
survive.
11.Permanent Residence / Nationality
After 3 years of Red-White-Red plus card, if you have earned at least 36 months on
average in the previous 6 years and you have B2 German certificate, with the history
test is passed, you can apply for PR/Nationality. It depends on your case that you many
years you have lived. A student cannot become permanent resident. He needs to do job
on RWR and RWR+ for 5 years to become permanent resident.

Note: I tried to explain best according to my knowledge and experience, Law change
regularly and Visa officers are responsible for any kind of decision. Do your own
research as well; don’t rely only on this document.

If you have any question you can text/call me on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/rabish.manzoor