Republic of Austria · entrepreneur · Leads to settlement

Red-White-Red Card — Startup Founder

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Source check: all 3 official citations reconfirmed 13 September 2026

Dedicated RWR Card category for innovative startup founders — business plan assessed by an expert jury, no points calculation needed.

No sponsorship requiredLeads to permanent residency2 years; then RWR Card Plus progression.
Processing time
4–12 weeks (jury assessment adds time).
Government fees
€160.
Typical duration
2 years; then RWR Card Plus progression.
Sponsorship required
No
Leads to permanent residency
Yes
Reviewed BMI ↗

In short

As of 8 July 2026, the Red-White-Red Card — Startup Founder for Republic of Austria is an unsponsored Austria immigration route. Sources: official Republic of Austria government pages, reviewed 8 July 2026.

Cite this: https://visaatlas.org/visas/austria/startup-founder-austria#answer

What is the Red-White-Red Card — Startup Founder in Republic of Austria?

Red-White-Red Card — Startup Founder is an unsponsored Austria route. Indicative government fees are €160; indicative processing time is 4–12 weeks (jury assessment adds time); typical duration is 2 years; then RWR Card Plus progression. This route can lead to permanent residence.

Verified against BMI on 18 April 2026.

Overview

Austria introduced a dedicated RWR Card category for startup founders. Unlike the standard RWR Card, there is no points calculation — instead, an expert jury assesses the business plan for innovation, scalability, and economic contribution. The founder must demonstrate sufficient capital to fund the startup and support themselves, and the business must create value for the Austrian economy (new technology, innovation, or significant employment). The permit is issued for 2 years, with the same progression to RWR Card Plus and permanent residence as other RWR Card categories.

Eligibility

Typical criteria

  • ✓Innovative business plan assessed positively by an expert jury — the plan must demonstrate innovation, scalability, and economic contribution to Austria.
  • ✓Sufficient capital to fund the business and support yourself (specific amount assessed case-by-case).
  • ✓The startup must create value beyond the founder's own employment — technology innovation, IP creation, or job creation.Federal Ministry of the Interior (BMI) / migration.gv.at ↗

Common blockers

Typical evidence

Application pathway

  1. Develop your business plan

    Create a comprehensive plan demonstrating innovation, scalability, and Austrian economic value.

  2. Submit application with business plan

    Apply at the Austrian consulate or domestically. The business plan is forwarded to an expert jury for assessment.

  3. Jury assessment

    The expert jury evaluates the innovation, viability, and economic contribution. This adds 2–4 weeks to processing.

  4. Receive RWR Card and build the startup

    On approval, receive the RWR Card for 2 years. Progress to RWR Card Plus after 2 years, then permanent residence after 5 years.

After approval: prepare for your next step

For Red-White-Red Card — Startup Founder, use the actual decision and the issuing authority’s instructions to establish what has been granted. A successful application, permission to enter, permission to work and a residence document are not interchangeable.

  1. 1. Check the decision. Confirm the name, passport, status granted, start date and any next action. Resolve an error with the authority before relying on the document for travel or employment.
  2. 2. Establish the travel step. Read any entry window, activation, collection or in-country registration instruction. For an extension or change of status, do not assume leaving the country is required or safe while a further step remains pending.
  3. 3. Confirm what you may do. Check whether employment, self-employment, remote work or study is permitted under the status granted. Do not infer unrestricted work rights from the absence of an employer sponsor.
  4. 4. Organise the household. Check each accompanying person’s permission separately, then arrange healthcare, accommodation, access to money and the relevant local registrations. A tax number or bank account does not by itself prove a right to work.
  5. 5. Keep the ongoing conditions visible. Record the actual expiry, renewal process, permitted absences and any duty to report changes. An initial grant does not automatically establish permanent residence or citizenship.

Plan the practical side of your stay

Once you have checked the official route, you can prepare for day-to-day life in Austria. These optional services are separate from the application and do not establish visa eligibility.

Official application links

Where to actually go next

Government links only

These are the official pages to use for this route. Open them before preparing documents: the forms, fees, appointment systems, and sponsor steps can change without warning.

  1. Official guidanceApplicant
    Use startup founder RWR guidance ↗

    Use the official Red-White-Red Card guidance to confirm the startup-founder category and filing authority.

    Federal Ministry of the Interior · verified

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Frequently asked questions

What qualifies as "innovative" for the startup RWR Card?+

The expert jury looks for technology innovation, novel business models, IP creation, and scalable solutions. Traditional businesses (restaurants, retail, consulting) generally do not qualify. Deep tech, software platforms, biotech, fintech, and green technology are well-received. The business must create economic value beyond the founder's own employment.

How much capital do I need?+

There is no fixed minimum — the amount is assessed in relation to your business plan. The jury evaluates whether the capital is realistic for the proposed business. Software startups with low capital requirements are assessed differently from hardware or manufacturing startups. As a rough benchmark, demonstrating €50,000+ in available capital strengthens the application.

Need tailored advice?

We do not provide legal advice. For an application that depends on your exact circumstances, consult a regulator-listed immigration advisor.

Find a regulated advisor in Austria

How we verified this

We check every figure on this page against the primary government source, record the date it was last checked, and re-check it on a regular schedule. Rules change, so always confirm time-sensitive details with the official source before you rely on them. Visa Atlas is an information-only publication and does not give legal advice.

Primary source: BMI

Last checked: 18 April 2026

See the full evidence trail and methodology