Red-White-Red Card for Self-employed Key Workers in Austria

Red-White-Red Card for Self-employed Key Workers · Austria visa route

investment · last reviewed 2026-08-08 · all Austria routes

A route for self-employed activity that creates a wider economic benefit in Austria.

Important notes

• Show that the proposed self-employed activity creates a significant economic benefit, such as investment, jobs, regional importance, or new know-how.
• Provide a business plan, funding and investment evidence, qualifications, and evidence of the planned activity.
• Meet the residence, insurance, identity, and criminal-record requirements.
• This is distinct from the start-up founder route and is assessed on the project's wider economic benefit.
• It is not an open permission to perform unrelated work.

Preparation checklist

• Passport and application
• Business plan and project evidence
• Investment or job-creation evidence
• Qualifications and funding
• Accommodation, insurance, and criminal-record documents

Red-White-Red Card business routes

These routes serve a similar purpose or sit within the same visa family, so they are shown together for comparison; each has its own page.

Austria Red-White-Red Card for Start-up Founders A residence route for founders establishing an innovative business in Austria. Open route →

Official source

Official source: Austrian migration portal

Also look at similar visas from these countries

Higher rating for quality of life

🇵🇹 Portugal D2 Residence Visa for Entrepreneurs or Independent Activity A residence route for people establishing a business or carrying out independent professional activity in Portugal. Open this route → 🇬🇧 United Kingdom Innovator Founder visa A longer-stay route based on its specific eligibility requirements. Open this route →

More accessible countries

🇬🇪 Georgia Work residence For people with local employment or business activity. Open this route → 🇪🇪 Estonia Startup visa/residence This is a route family: the startup visa, short-term employment registration and employment residence permit have different eligibility, durations and work rights. Open this route →

More affordable countries

🇭🇷 Croatia Croatia Stay and Work Permit for Self-employment A Croatia stay-and-work route for qualifying third-country nationals carrying out self-employed activity. Open this route → 🇧🇬 Bulgaria Bulgaria Self-employed Residence A route for qualifying independent activity, with the activity and supporting documents matched to the residence purpose. Open this route →

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Visa rules change frequently. This page is a research guide, not legal advice. Confirm current requirements with the official source before applying.