Health insurance Austria residence permit guide: the rule, the proof and the price (2026)
The chips show the unlimited tariffs at 2026 prices. Standard rises from 1 January 2028 (AVB § 5), and ordinary cancellation is possible only after 1 year, then only to 31 December with 1 month’s notice (AVB § 3), which matters if you need cover only as a short bridge.
The health insurance Austria residence permit rule (§ 11 (2) 3 NAG) requires all-risk cover paying in Austria (RIS, 2026). For a national residence title, travel insurance is “in any case not sufficient” (BMI, 2026), except for Red-White-Red Card applicants at application (migration.gv.at). In 2026 Care Austria costs €56 a month unlimited for ages 12–35 (Education) or €155 under 50 (min. 1 year, AVB § 3), with no extra MA 35 declaration (wien.gv.at, checked October 2026).
Which health insurance route fits your permit?
Employees subject to compulsory Austrian health insurance receive statutory cover through employment, which brings an e-card (a marginal job up to €551.10 a month in 2026 gives accident insurance only). Family members of RWR card holders, Blue Card holders and Austrians may be covered by co-insurance through the sponsor (migration.gv.at). Retirees and parents without such cover need private all-risk cover such as Care Austria for a first application. For students it is private cover, or OeAD’s statement that ÖGK student insurance follows after entry plus travel insurance until ÖGK cover starts (see below). Care Austria costs from €56 (Education, 12–35) or €155 (Standard, under 50) a month unlimited in 2026, with a 1-year minimum term (AVB § 3). The legal test is the same for every permit, so start from the box that describes you.
I will work in Austria (Red-White-Red Card, Blue Card)
A job subject to compulsory health insurance gives you ÖGK cover from the first working day (not a marginal job at or below €551.10 a month, 2026), which the BMI calls “in any case sufficient”. For the time before the job, migration.gv.at says the authorities accept travel insurance “well above €30,000” incl. rescue and return costs, at application, in the RWR context only (for the Blue Card we found no such exception).
The Red-White-Red Card page has the details.
I join my spouse or parent (family member)
migration.gv.at states that family of RWR card holders, Blue Card holders and Austrians “are usually covered by their sponsors’ health insurance (co-insurance)”; private cover is for cases where co-insurance does not apply.
Read on at family reunification and ÖGK co-insurance.
I come to study (12–35)
The first application needs private all-risk cover from entry, or a written statement that you will take out ÖGK student insurance after entry, with travel insurance until then (OeAD; ask your residence authority whether it accepts it). Care Austria Education costs €56/month unlimited in 2026 (1-year minimum term, AVB § 3) and needs no extra MA 35 declaration; see Care Austria insurance prices by age.
See also study in Austria and student health insurance.
I retire, or my parent moves to me
Without a job or co-insurance, you need private all-risk cover. Parents can be co-insured on the ÖGK (§ 123 ASVG) only after at least 10 months in the same household, and only under further conditions (see bringing parents). Care Austria Standard unlimited costs €155 a month under 50, €222 at 50–64 and €510 at 65–74 (2026), with a 1-year minimum term (AVB § 3); see Care Austria insurance prices by age.
Aged 65–74? Confirm in writing with Care Concept AG that a new contract can start at your age before you apply.
For the next steps, see retire in Austria, the retirement visa and bringing parents.
The insurance rule in 8 official facts
| Fact | What the source says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| The legal test | Health insurance “covering all risks” that is “liable to pay benefits in Austria” | § 11 (2) 3 NAG, RIS |
| Private insurance | Sufficient if its scope matches statutory compulsory insurance | BMI |
| Travel insurance | “In any case not sufficient” for a national residence title; EU-law residence cards follow different rules | BMI |
| ÖGK self-insurance (Selbstversicherung) | Counts only if benefits can be claimed immediately after it starts | BMI |
| When you need proof | Already at the time of application | migration.gv.at FAQ |
| How long | Health insurance “during the stay in Austria” | oesterreich.gv.at |
| Waiting periods | Must be bridged with private insurance (Vienna) | wien.gv.at |
| RWR card exception | Travel insurance “well above €30,000” incl. rescue and return accepted at application | migration.gv.at FAQ |
Is health insurance mandatory in Austria for a residence permit?
Yes, health insurance is mandatory for every residence permit under the Settlement and Residence Act (Niederlassungs- und Aufenthaltsgesetz, NAG) because it is one of the general conditions for every residence title. § 11 (2) 3 says a permit may be granted only if “the foreigner has health insurance covering all risks and this insurance is also liable to pay benefits in Austria”. The current version of § 11 has been in force since 7 March 2023 (RIS), and the rule is the same for students, retirees, parents and family members. Different rules apply to family members of EU/EEA citizens who apply for a residence card (Aufenthaltskarte), as explained on parents of EU citizens. Without valid proof of this cover, the permit may not be granted.
The duty does not end with the permit card. You must stay insured during your stay (oesterreich.gv.at); see residence permit renewal for what is checked. For an overview of all permit types, read Austrian residence permits.
| Permit | Main way to meet the insurance rule | If you need private cover (Care Austria, unlimited, 2026, per month) |
|---|---|---|
| Red-White-Red Card, EU Blue Card | Compulsory insurance through the job | Only for the time before the job; RWR exception for travel cover well above €30,000 incl. rescue and return costs (see below; Blue Card: no such exception found) |
| Family member of an RWR, Blue Card holder or Austrian | Usually co-insurance through the sponsor (migration.gv.at) | When co-insurance does not apply: €155 under 50, €222 at 50–64 |
| Student residence permit (study in Austria, student health insurance) | Private insurance for the first application, or OeAD’s written statement that ÖGK student insurance will follow after entry, plus travel insurance until ÖGK cover starts (ask your residence authority) | Education: €56 (ages 12–35) |
| Settlement permit without work (retirement) | Private all-risk insurance | €222 at 50–64, €510 at 65–74 |
| Parent supported by an Austrian citizen (Angehöriger) | Private all-risk insurance | €222 at 50–64, €510 at 65–74 |
What does “health insurance covering all risks” mean in Austria?
Health insurance covering all risks means, in the BMI’s explanation, cover whose scope corresponds to Austrian statutory health insurance and that pays benefits in Austria (BMI, 2026). The Interior Ministry (BMI) explains that statutory insurance through a job is “in any case sufficient”, that voluntary Austrian insurance counts only if benefits start immediately, and that private insurance is enough if its scope corresponds to statutory compulsory insurance.
What the law does not do is list allowed deductibles or exclusions: we found no official text that literally says “no deductible” or “no exclusions”. Our reading is that this gap is why insurers add declarations. Care Austria’s policy terms contain a “general declaration” (§ 15). Under it, the risks covered by statutory (ÖGK) insurance count as covered in Austria, and exclusions or limits that do not fit that standard are waived. Vienna’s MA 35 asks for extra declarations for products it does not name as sufficient on their own.
Is travel insurance enough for a residence permit in Austria?
No, travel insurance is not enough for a residence permit in Austria. For national residence titles such as student, family, parent and retirement permits, travel health insurance is “in any case not sufficient” (BMI, 2026). The only exception we found is for Red-White-Red Card applicants, who may show travel cover well above €30,000 incl. rescue and return costs at application (migration.gv.at; see Red-White-Red Card health insurance). For a first student permit, OeAD describes a related route: a written statement that ÖGK student insurance will follow after entry, with travel insurance only until then; ask your residence authority whether it accepts it. The BMI’s German wording is “Die Vorlage einer Reisekrankenversicherung ist jedenfalls nicht ausreichend”, meaning that presenting travel health insurance is in any case not sufficient. The City of Linz adds that travel insurance taken out for your visa is not sufficient for a residence title.
| Your permit | Travel insurance accepted? | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Student residence permit | No | BMI |
| Settlement permit (retirement, Privatier) | No | BMI |
| Family member, parent of an Austrian | No; co-insurance where it applies, otherwise private all-risk cover | BMI; migration.gv.at |
| Red-White-Red Card at application | Yes, if “well above €30,000” incl. rescue and return — statutory cover follows with the job | migration.gv.at FAQ |
The RWR rule sits in the migration.gv.at FAQ answer to “Do I already have to furnish proof of health insurance coverage at the time of application?”. We found no source that extends it to spouses or children, so do not rely on it for a family application.
Which insurers are on Vienna’s MA35 health insurance list?
The City of Vienna’s MA 35 page names private health insurers for residence permits, including Allianz, Care Concept AG, Generali, UNIQA and Wiener Städtische (in alphabetical order; our Care Austria vs FeelSafe page has published facts on one UNIQA-based product). On that page, Care Austria and Care Austria Education (the unlimited tariffs) need no extra declaration, while the 364-day tariffs do (wien.gv.at, checked 30 October 2026). The MA35 insurance list is a Vienna page, not a federal approval, and for several listed products it prints a declaration that must be added to the contract. Our MA 35 extra declaration by tariff page shows which tariffs need a declaration, and MA35 Vienna has contacts and processing times.
| What Vienna’s MA 35 page says | What it means for you |
|---|---|
| Care Austria and Care Austria Education: no extra declaration | No extra declaration needed (MA 35) |
| Care Austria 364 and 364 Education: contractual extra declaration | The contract may not be cancelled if a missing intention to return is found later; the declaration must be in your papers |
| Another private insurer is possible | With the general extra declaration, if its cover essentially matches Austrian statutory insurance — even if it is not listed |
| “If you have a waiting period, you must bridge it with private insurance.” | A waiting period at the start of your cover must be bridged with private insurance |
| Care Austria and Care Austria Education end automatically at Daueraufenthalt EU | You need other insurance for the permanent-residence application (permanent residence); under the policy terms (AVB § 6) cover also ends when another unlimited permit is granted |
MA 35 still decides each case. Outside Vienna we found one comparable list, from the City of Linz. It lists Care Concept AG among accepted private health insurers, with no extra declaration for Care Austria and an addendum for Care Austria 364 (Magistrat Linz, list dated 12.12.2025, checked 30 October 2026).
What proof of health insurance does Austria want?
Austria wants proof of full health insurance already when you file the application (migration.gv.at FAQ). For family members, migration.gv.at asks for “evidence of health insurance protection covering all risks and providing benefits in Austria” including the policy, unless compulsory insurance exists or will exist. Include any declaration required by the authority. For Care Austria, Care Concept says it sends “the additional declaration for the authorities along with the policy”. If you hold a 364-day tariff (Care Austria 364 or Care Austria Education 364), Vienna’s MA 35 page asks for a contractual extra declaration, so ask Care Concept to confirm that your papers include it.
Is there an official certificate wording? We found no federal template. The closest thing is Vienna’s MA 35 page, which prints the declarations it expects for products that need one. Before your appointment, check your papers against this list.
We found no statement that Care Austria’s documents are issued in English, and no official rule on what each embassy wants as proof format. If your embassy asks for something specific, ask it in writing.
Are Austria visa insurance requirements the same for the visa D and the permit?
Health insurance for Austria visa applications follows two different rules. A Schengen C visit visa needs travel medical insurance of at least €30,000 (bmeia.gv.at), while a residence permit needs all-risk health insurance that pays in Austria (§ 11 (2) 3 NAG). The entry visa for longer stays (Visum D) is a separate step, explained in our visa D guide. Two facts link it to this page. First, Care Austria cover cannot start before you enter Austria (policy terms § 6), so it is built for your stay, not for the trip. Second, we found no confirmation that Care Austria 364 is enough for a visa D, so we make no claim about it. For the permit itself, the rule above applies in full.
What health insurance do I need for an Austria settlement permit?
An Austria settlement permit needs all-risk health insurance that pays benefits in Austria, shown with the application (migration.gv.at). Retirees and parents without compulsory insurance or available co-insurance need private all-risk cover paying in Austria. For that private cover, Care Concept AG appears on Vienna’s MA 35 insurer list, where its 364-day tariffs need an extra declaration and the unlimited ones do not (checked 30 October 2026). For a settlement permit (Niederlassungsbewilligung) the insurance rule is repeated: “The third-country national must have health insurance coverage, providing benefits in Austria and covering all risks” (migration.gv.at). Read the Niederlassungsbewilligung explained for the permit family.
| Requirement | Official fact | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Insurance proof | All-risk cover paying in Austria, shown with the application | migration.gv.at settlement page; FAQ |
| Own income (2026, without employment) | Base income €2,616.78 a month for a single person, €4,128.24 for a couple (spouses or registered partners living together); more if regular costs such as rent exceed €386.43 a month (§ 11 (5) NAG) | migration.gv.at; § 11 (5) NAG |
| Quota | A quota place must be available | migration.gv.at; § 44 NAG |
| German | Evidence of German at A1 level | migration.gv.at |
Where to apply, fees and decision times are explained in the Niederlassungsbewilligung guide and the retirement visa guide.
Why doesn’t ÖGK self-insurance work for a first permit?
ÖGK self-insurance cannot serve as proof for a first permit: it costs €565.25 a month in 2026, requires a residence in Austria and a valid permit, and pays benefits only after a six-month waiting period (oegk.at, 2026). The waiting period is waived only after enough earlier statutory cover in Austria, the EU/EEA or a treaty state whose agreement adds up insurance periods (at least 26 weeks in the last 12 months, or 6 weeks right before). The BMI accepts voluntary insurance only if benefits start immediately. That ÖGK self-insurance cannot serve for a first permit is our reading of the two official texts (oegk.at and BMI); Vienna’s MA 35 page also says waiting periods must be bridged privately.
Later, once you hold a permit and live in Austria, the comparison changes. The public and private health insurance in Austria page gives an overview of every route. See ÖGK self-insurance vs private cover and, for all numbers in one place, what health insurance costs in Austria.
How to time the insurance from the embassy appointment to your first day in Austria
Health insurance for a residence permit should be bought before the appointment and dated for your arrival. Care Austria lets you do that. You can apply before the trip, cover begins only on entry into Austria and after the first premium, and the general 31-day waiting period is waived when you buy before travelling or within 31 days of entry (policy terms §§ 6, 7). If the appointment moves, Care Concept AG says it is “easy to postpone the start date of the insurance coverage, including the resending of the policy”.
| Moment | What to do about insurance | Rule behind it |
|---|---|---|
| Before the appointment | Buy the policy and keep it with the declaration for the authorities | Proof needed at application (migration.gv.at) |
| Choosing the start date | Set it to your planned day of entry | Cover not before entry or payment (AVB § 6) |
| Appointment or flight moves | Ask Care Concept AG to postpone the start date | Provider statement on its English page |
| Already in Austria without cover | Apply within 31 days of entry to avoid the general waiting period; at the latest within 1 year of entry (later only with proof of continuous earlier cover) | AVB §§ 2, 7 |
| During your stay | Stay insured without gaps; see residence permit renewal for what is checked | Insurance “during the stay” (oesterreich.gv.at) |
One caution for short stays and bridges: the unlimited tariffs can be cancelled ordinarily only after one year, then only to 31 December with one month’s notice (AVB § 3). If you expect compulsory insurance through a job within months, read the terms before choosing, and ask Care Concept AG how the contract ends when statutory cover starts. The documents do not say clearly enough for us to promise an early exit.
What a retired couple in Graz and their student nephew pay
Illustrative example: David (born 1964) and Grace (born 1968) plan to retire to Graz on a settlement permit. For the premium table their ages in 2026 are 62 and 58, so both pay the unlimited Standard tariff for 50–64: €222 each, €444 a month together, €5,328 for the first twelve months. From 1 January 2028 the price per person steps up to €268, and David moves to the 65–74 band from 1 January 2029, the year he turns 65; after the 2028 step that band costs €617 a month (AVB § 5). Graz is outside Vienna and Linz, so they ask the local authority which papers it wants with the policy.
Their nephew, 23, comes to study in Vienna. Care Austria Education unlimited costs him €56 a month, or €672 a year. In Vienna, Care Concept AG is on MA 35’s insurer list, and Care Austria Education (unlimited) needs no extra declaration (checked 30 October 2026). The 364-day version would cost €51 a month but needs the extra MA 35 declaration.
Find your monthly price
Age = current calendar year minus year of birth. 2026 prices; unlimited Standard premiums rise from 2028 per the policy terms. Unlimited tariffs: ordinary cancellation only after 1 year, then only to 31 December with 1 month’s notice (AVB § 3).
Get cover that matches the permit rule
Vienna’s MA 35 insurer list names Care Concept AG, whose unlimited tariffs Care Austria and Care Austria Education need no extra declaration there, while the 364-day tariffs do (checked 30 October 2026). Care Concept AG sells Care Austria, and HanseMerkur Versicherungsgruppe (Advigon Versicherung AG) is the insurer. Unlimited tariffs cost from €56 (Education, 12–35) and €155 (Standard under 50) a month in 2026. Before you buy, read Care Austria insurance: all prices and limits, and ask about pre-existing conditions in writing.
Go to Care Concept’s application
Referral link: we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you (how we are paid).
You can withdraw within 14 days without giving reasons; if cover has already started, a pro-rata premium is kept (AVB withdrawal notice).
Frequently asked questions
Which insurance do I need for the residence permit: travel insurance or health insurance?
You need health insurance; travel insurance does not count for a residence title, apart from one Red-White-Red Card exception and a related OeAD route for a first student permit. The law asks for cover “covering all risks” that pays benefits in Austria (§ 11 (2) 3 NAG), and for a residence title the Interior Ministry states that travel health insurance is “in any case not sufficient” (bmi.gv.at); migration.gv.at names the Red-White-Red Card application as an exception (travel cover well above €30,000 incl. rescue and return costs, at application). The City of Linz says the same about travel insurance taken out for the visa. Private health insurance counts if its cover matches Austrian statutory insurance. Apart from the OeAD student route below, that Red-White-Red Card exception is the only one we found (applicants are statutorily insured once they start work); do not apply it to student, family, parent or retirement permits. For a first student permit, OeAD describes a related route: a written statement that ÖGK student insurance will follow after entry, with travel insurance only until then; ask your residence authority whether it accepts it.
When should I buy health insurance for my residence permit appointment?
Early enough that the policy is in your hands for the appointment: migration.gv.at says you must furnish proof of health insurance already when you apply. With Care Austria you can buy before you travel and set the start date to your planned entry, because cover cannot begin before you enter Austria and not before the first premium is paid (policy terms § 6). Care Concept AG also says it is “easy to postpone the start date”, including resending the policy, if your appointment or travel date moves. Apply no later than 1 year after entry (policy terms § 2).
Is it illegal to not have health insurance in Austria?
For residence-permit holders, health insurance is a legal condition: you need it to get the permit (§ 11 (2) 3 NAG), and oesterreich.gv.at says a third-country national must have health insurance during the stay in Austria. If your job makes you compulsorily insured in Austria, the BMI calls that “in any case sufficient” for the permit. Not every job does: an au pair employed up to the marginal-earnings limit (geringfügig), for example, is registered for accident insurance only (AMS). We have not checked a general rule for every person in Austria, so we answer only for permit applicants and holders.
For how many days do I need health insurance for the residence permit?
Official pages say you must be insured “during the stay” in Austria (oesterreich.gv.at) and must show proof when you apply. We found no official rule that the policy must run for exactly 12 months, and none that says 364 days is enough. Care Concept AG is on Vienna's MA 35 insurer list, where Care Austria and Care Austria Education (the unlimited tariffs) need no extra declaration (checked 30 October 2026) and the 364-day versions need a contractual extra declaration. An unlimited tariff avoids the question.
Do I buy the health insurance in my home country or after arriving in Austria?
You can buy the policy in your home country or in Austria, as long as it is in your hands when you file: proof of insurance is required with the application (migration.gv.at). As a rule, first applications are filed abroad before entry and the decision is awaited abroad (§ 21 (1) NAG); exceptions in § 21 (2) NAG let listed groups, among them visa-free nationals, students and Red-White-Red Card applicants, file in Austria after lawful entry; for visa-free nationals and students, filing in Austria creates no right to stay beyond the visa or visa-free period (§ 21 (6) NAG). What matters is not where you buy it but what it covers: a travel policy from your home country is not sufficient for a student, family or settlement permit (BMI). Care Austria can be bought from abroad before the trip or within 1 year of entry, and its cover starts on the start date you choose, never before you enter Austria (AVB § 6).
Can I use Genki insurance for MA 35?
Genki is not among the insurers named on the City of Vienna’s MA 35 health-insurance page (wien.gv.at, checked 30 October 2026). The same page says you may also use another private insurer that is not listed, with the general extra declaration, if its cover essentially matches Austrian statutory insurance. If the product you hold is travel insurance, the BMI rule for residence titles applies: travel health insurance is in any case not sufficient (migration.gv.at names the Red-White-Red Card application as an exception, with travel cover well above €30,000 incl. rescue and return costs). We do not assess Genki’s product; ask MA 35 or the insurer whether the declaration can be issued.
Official sources
- § 11 NAG, RIS (Federal Legal Information System) (the all-risk rule)
- Federal Ministry of the Interior (BMI): residence and health insurance (last updated 10 February 2026)
- migration.gv.at: frequently asked questions on proof at application and the RWR card exception (travel cover incl. rescue and return costs)
- migration.gv.at: family reunification on co-insurance via the sponsor
- migration.gv.at: other forms of settlement on where first applications are filed
- oesterreich.gv.at: residence of third-country nationals on insurance during the stay
- City of Vienna (MA 35): health insurance for residence permits (checked 30 October 2026)
- ÖGK: self-insurance with the 2026 contribution and waiting period
- Care Austria policy terms (AVB) and tariff page (insurer documents, read 30 October 2026)
- Magistrat Linz: accepted private health insurers (list dated 12.12.2025, checked 30 October 2026)
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Check your price, then the plan’s limits
Care Concept AG is on Vienna's MA 35 insurer list — Care Austria and Care Austria Education (the unlimited tariffs) need no extra declaration, the 364-day tariffs do (checked 30 October 2026). See every price and limit before you apply.
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age 0–49: €155/month in 2026 · unlimited, min. 1 year (AVB § 3)
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