Mitschrift

Integration agreement and extension of residence

What is the so-called integration agreement? How can you extend your residence permit? And when is permanent residence or the acquisition of Austrian citizenship possible? All of these topics are explained in this StartWien video. First, let's look at the integration agreement.

What is the integration agreement?

Anyone wishing to settle in Austria for family reunification must fulfill the "Integrationsvereinbarung", the integration agreement. In principle, you apply for family reunification at the Austrian Embassy in your home country. There are prerequisites for the first application. Among other things, you need a valid "German A-1" certificate, which must not be older than one year at the time of submission. Only certificates from the "Österreichische Sprachdiplom Deutsch", "Goethe Institute", Telc and from the Austrian Integration Fund are valid. You must also sign the integration agreement. With this signature, you commit to further improve your knowledge of German and to become more familiar with the values ​​of Austrian society.

How is the integration agreement fulfilled?

The integration agreement consists of two modules. You must complete Module 1 within two years of being granted your first residence permit. Among other things, you can take an integration test. The integration test for module 1 of the integration agreement consists of two parts: German A-2 and Austrian values. You must complete both parts successfully. My tip: With the so-called federal voucher, you get around 50 percent of the course costs back for German A-2 if you pass the exam within 18 months of the date the voucher was issued. Module 2 of the integration agreement is one of the requirements for permanent residence in Austria. To fulfill Module 2, you can also take an integration test, among other things. The integration test for module 2 consists of German B-1 and in-depth knowledge of Austria. You will only receive the residence permit "Permanent Residence EU" if you can prove that you have successfully completed Module 2. Only certificates from the Austrian Integration Fund are valid for both integration tests, Module 1 and Module 2. You can find more information on the website www.integrationsfonds.at.

We will use an example to look at how the integration agreement and residence permit are related.

David's residence status

We met David in our video about family reunification. His wife Linda lives and works in Vienna. David came to Austria with Linda from Canada with their daughter. He and his daughter have received the Rot-Weiß-Rot Karte Plus residence permit for one year. This card allows David to work in Austria. Well, before his residence permit expires, David applies for an extension to the MA 35 immigration authority. To do so, he must meet the requirements. The most important are sufficient income, a customary local residence and health insurance. The application for a renewal is approved and David's second Rot-Weiß-Rot Karte Plus is again valid for a year. For the next renewal, David completes the integration exam for module 1 of the integration agreement. David gets a Rot-Weiß-Rot Karte Plus, which is now valid for three years. Because he has to fulfill module 2 of the integration agreement for the next extension, he completed his second, more in-depth integration test. Now David gets a permanent EU residence permit for five years. Without proof of the fulfillment of module 2 of the integration agreement, David could only have renewed the Rot-Weiß-Rot Karte Plus for another three years. For each renewal, David's passport must be valid for at least as long as his respective residence permit.

Aufenthaltsverlängerung und Daueraufenthalt EU

What does David's example show us? The following applies to relatives of citizens from Austria or third countries: after five years of settlement and fulfillment of the other requirements, the residence permit "Daueraufenthalt EU", "permanent residence in the EU", can be issued. This is an unlimited right of establishment. The residence permit itself is issued for five years and can then be extended at the MA 35. Permanent residence in the EU gives you more rights in Austria, for example, entitlement to community housing. If you are outside the EU for more than twelve months at a time, you will lose your permanent resident status. My tip: You can get free advice on all aspects of long-term residence in the EU from the advice centers "Migrant" and "Helping Hands".

Residence permit for newborns and Austrian citizenship

Babies born in Austria do not automatically receive Austrian citizenship. If neither of the parents is an Austrian citizen, an application for a residence permit for the baby must be filed within six months. A child's residence permit depends on the parents' residence permit and is, among other things, a prerequisite for family allowances. How does one get Austrian citizenship? To do this, they must live and work continuously in Austria for at least six years and renounce their previous citizenship. You can find more information on residence and citizenship on the MA 35 website.