Moving to Austria from the UK after Brexit: permits, S1 and health insurance (2026)
Moving to Austria from the UK in 2026 means applying as a non-EU citizen. Britons may visit visa-free for up to 90 days in 180, but staying longer than six months needs a residence permit (bmeia.gv.at, 2026). You can file at the embassy in London or, during a visa-free stay, in Austria, where filing gives no right to stay beyond the visa-free period. A first permit costs €218 in 2026, and a GHIC is not permit cover.
These are Care Austria’s 2026 prices for residence permits of non-EU citizens, Britons included. Ordinary cancellation of an unlimited tariff is possible only after 1 year, then only to 31 December with 1 month’s notice (AVB § 3), and the 2026 prices of the unlimited Standard tariff rise from 2028 under the policy terms. In Vienna, the 364-day tariff needs an extra declaration for MA 35. Cover cannot start before entry into Austria. Care Austria Education for students aged 12–35 costs €56 a month in 2026 (unlimited, 1-year minimum term, AVB § 3).
Can I move to Austria from the UK after Brexit? Which route is yours?
Yes, you can move to Austria from the UK after Brexit with a permit tied to one purpose, unless you already lived in Austria before 2021. Since 1 January 2021 a British citizen moving to Austria is a third-country national like an American or an Australian. There is no general “move to Austria” visa. Find your situation in the four boxes below.
You lived in Austria before 2021
Your route is the Withdrawal Agreement’s Article 50 card (€91 in 2026), which lets you live, work and study. The deadline to apply was 31 December 2021; a late application needs a reasonable cause.
The details are under Article 50 card.
Retiring or living on savings
The settlement permit except gainful employment asks mainly for a quota place, €2,616.78 a month single or €4,128.24 as a couple (spouses or registered partners living together; 2026; base, more if regular costs such as rent exceed €386.43 a month), accommodation, all-risk insurance and German A1 unless exempt (§ 21a NAG). Work is not allowed.
Dates and steps are under the 2027 quota.
Job offer or degree
The permit is a Red-White-Red Card, an EU Blue Card or a Residence Permit – Student. Workers in jobs subject to compulsory insurance are insured with the ÖGK from the first working day (a marginal job up to €551.10 a month in 2026 gives accident insurance only). Before compulsory ÖGK cover starts, you need permit-specific cover (the RWR-card and first-student application exceptions are explained below).
Compare the permits under the routes.
Your child is a citizen of another EU country and lives in Austria
If your child uses EU free-movement rights there (§ 51 NAG) and supports you, you may get the EU-law residence card instead of a quota permit; a child with only an Austrian passport is a different route.
The rules for this case are on parents of EU citizens.
Moving to Austria from the UK in 9 official facts
| Fact | What the source says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Visits | No visa for short trips; “up to 90 days in any 180-day period” | Embassy London |
| Longer stays | Over six months: residence permit for third-country nationals | Embassy London |
| Filing in Austria | UK citizens may apply locally during the lawful 90-day visa-free stay; leave if no positive decision by day 90 | bmeia.gv.at, § 21 NAG |
| Filing in London | In person, appointment by e-mail only; appointments “taken up very fast” | how to apply |
| Fees | €218 temporary, €275 permanent (from 1 January 2026); paid in pounds in London; no refund on rejection | settlement, how to apply |
| Quota permit 2027 | London pre-registration code 2–8 November 2026; booking 2–9 December 2026 | Embassy London |
| Withdrawal Agreement | Article 50 card for those who lived in Austria before 31 December 2020; apply by 31 December 2021 (later only with a reasonable cause); fee €91 | oesterreich.gv.at |
| Health insurance | All-risk, pays in Austria; travel insurance not sufficient for a national residence title (exceptions: Red-White-Red Card application with travel cover well above €30,000 incl. rescue and return costs; first student permit: OeAD statement on ÖGK student insurance plus travel insurance until ÖGK cover starts, ask your residence authority) | § 11 NAG, bmi.gv.at |
| S1 and GHIC | S1 for UK State Pension holders (or another qualifying exportable benefit), registered with the ÖGK; GHIC for temporary stays | gov.uk, “Healthcare in Austria” (updated 19 January 2024) |
Do Britons need an Austria visa from the UK?
Britons need no Austria visa for a visit, but they need a residence permit for a move. The Austrian Embassy London tells British travellers they “will not need a visa for short trips” and can stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period (bmeia.gv.at). That allowance is not a work permit. To work, you need a permit with labour market access (migration.gv.at). A first temporary residence permit card costs €218, paid in British pounds at the Embassy London (bmeia.gv.at, 2026). If you file in Austria during the visa-free stay instead, filing gives you no right to stay beyond the visa-free period (§ 21 (6) NAG). Austrian embassy visa application explains how embassy filing works in other countries.
| Point | Austrian Embassy London | In Austria, visa-free stay |
|---|---|---|
| Booking | E-mail appointment only; limited slots | The residence authority for your future address (MA 35 in Vienna) |
| Fee | €218, paid in pounds, preferably by card | €218 |
| Who decides | The authority in Austria; the embassy only forwards the file | The same authority |
| Where you wait | In the UK | In Austria only until day 90; then you must leave the Schengen area |
| After approval | Return visa-free to collect the card; a visa D (applied for within 3 months) only if a visa is required for entry, e.g. for visa-required family members | Collect the card at the authority |
| Health insurance proof | Must already cover the stay in Austria | Same |
The embassy states it “does not have any influence on the processing or decision making whatsoever” (bmeia.gv.at). The British Embassy in Vienna cannot help with Austrian visa or residency applications (gov.uk, “Living in Austria”). Fees for every permit are listed on Austria visa fees.
Who still has EU rights after Brexit? The Article 50 card
After Brexit, only Britons covered by the Withdrawal Agreement keep EU rights in Austria, meaning those who lived (and worked) in Austria before the transition period ended on 31 December 2020. Austria gives them the residence title “Artikel 50 EUV” (Article 50 TEU, after the EU treaty article on leaving the Union); the deadline to apply was 31 December 2021, and a late application is only possible “wenn ein vernünftiger Grund vorliegt”, that is, if there is a reasonable cause (oesterreich.gv.at, our translation). Everyone else moving to Austria from the UK after Brexit follows the ordinary permit rules on this page.
| Point | Article 50 card (Withdrawal Agreement) | Briton moving now |
|---|---|---|
| Who | Lived in Austria before 31 December 2020 | Everyone else |
| Fee | €91 (€39 under 16) | €218 for a temporary permit (from 1 January 2026) |
| Validity | 5 years; 10 years with permanent residence | Set per permit type; renewed in Austria |
| Work | Allowed (“leben, arbeiten und studieren”) | Only with a permit that includes labour market access |
| Family | “Artikel 50 EUV – Familienangehöriger” for spouse, children up to 21, dependent parents and others | Family permits per route; parents need their own permit (bringing parents) |
| Health insurance | Late applicants: employed or self-sufficient, and comprehensive health insurance (oesterreich.gv.at) | Qualifying health cover under the rules of the particular permit (as a rule all-risk cover that pays in Austria) |
Austrian residence permits covers validity, renewal and permanent residence by permit type.
What does the 2027 quota window mean for retiring to Austria from the UK?
The 2027 quota window means British retirees filing in London get a pre-registration code on 2–8 November 2026 and book the appointment on 2–9 December 2026. British retirees use the settlement permit except gainful employment (Niederlassungsbewilligung – ausgenommen Erwerbstätigkeit), which asks for own regular income of €2,616.78 a month single or €4,128.24 for a couple (2026; base; more if regular costs such as rent exceed €386.43 a month, § 11 (5) NAG), housing, all-risk insurance, German at A1 level with the first application (exemptions in § 21a NAG) and a place in an annual quota; you may not work (migration.gv.at). For the 2027 quota the Embassy London issues pre-registration codes only “from 02.11.2026, 09:00 CET to 08.11.2026, 09:00 CET”, then opens priority booking from 2 to 9 December 2026; every applicant, children included, needs their own code (bmeia.gv.at).
As of October 2026 (checked 30 October 2026): the Embassy London will issue pre-registration codes for the 2027 settlement permit except gainful employment only from 2 November 2026, 09:00 CET, to 8 November 2026, 09:00 CET; priority booking will run from 2 December 2026, 13:00 CET, to 9 December 2026, 13:00 CET (bmeia.gv.at).
| Date | Step |
|---|---|
| 2–8 November 2026 (until 09:00 CET) | Get a pre-registration code for each applicant |
| 2 December, 13:00 CET – 9 December 2026, 13:00 CET | Priority booking of the appointment with the code |
| Before the appointment | Income proof, rental contract or deed, German A1 certificate unless exempt (§ 21a NAG), all-risk health insurance that pays in Austria |
| Appointment | File in person in London; fee €218 (from 1 January 2026), paid in pounds |
| After approval | Return visa-free to collect the card (a visa D only if a visa is required for entry, e.g. for visa-required family members), move, register your address within 3 days |
The permit requirements in full are on Austria retirement visa; places, costs and daily life on retire in Austria; the German permit family on Niederlassungsbewilligung. Owning a home in Austria counts only as proof of accommodation for this permit and gives no residence right of its own; approval rules and buying costs for non-EU buyers are on buy property in Austria as a foreigner.
S1 Austria: does your UK State Pension S1 replace private insurance?
An S1 is not confirmed as residence-permit cover in Austria. We found no Austrian statement that it replaces private insurance for the first application, or for later renewals. The S1 is for people with a UK State Pension or another qualifying exportable benefit, and you register it with the ÖGK once you live in Austria (gov.uk, “Healthcare in Austria”, updated 19 January 2024). The first permit is decided before that, and we found no statement from an Austrian authority that an S1 meets the insurance condition at that stage; gov.uk itself says you must show proof of healthcare cover “when you apply for a visa”. So plan private all-risk cover for the application. Whether S1-based cover meets the permit’s insurance condition at renewal is not confirmed to us, so ask your authority before you cancel private cover (on Care Austria unlimited, ordinary cancellation is possible only after 1 year, then only to 31 December with 1 month’s notice, AVB § 3).
| Cover | What it is for | For the first permit? | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| GHIC / EHIC | Temporary stays (visits, study, posted workers) | No — not cover for residents | — |
| S1 (UK State Pension) | ÖGK cover once resident and registered | Acceptance not found — plan private cover | — |
| Travel insurance | Holidays | No for a settlement permit or family permit — “in any case not sufficient” for a national residence title (BMI); exceptions: Red-White-Red Card application, if it covers well above €30,000 incl. rescue and return costs (migration.gv.at), and, for a first student permit, OeAD’s statement on ÖGK student insurance plus travel insurance until ÖGK cover starts (ask your residence authority) | — |
| Job in Austria (ÖGK) | Job with compulsory insurance: from the first working day (a marginal job up to €551.10 a month in 2026 gives accident insurance only) | Only from the first working day; before then use the cover your permit route requires | Deducted from pay |
| ÖGK self-insurance | Residents with a valid permit | No — needs residence; 6-month waiting period unless waived | €565.25 |
| Care Austria Standard unlimited | Private all-risk cover in Austria for permit holders | Care Concept AG on Vienna’s MA 35 list; elsewhere: ask | €155 under 50 · €222 at 50–64 · €510 at 65–74 |
Care Concept AG is on Vienna's MA 35 list: unlimited Care Austria tariffs need no extra declaration, 364-day ones do (checked 30 October 2026) (wien.gv.at). For Care Austria, the seller is Care Concept AG and the insurer is HanseMerkur Versicherungsgruppe (Advigon Versicherung AG). Cover cannot start before entry into Austria; take it out before the trip or within one year of entry (later only with proof of continuous prior cover); it ends, for example, when you receive Daueraufenthalt – EU or another unlimited residence permit (AVB § 6), or leave Austria for good (AVB). Whether a UK private medical plan is accepted is not confirmed to us, so ask the authority. Ask about pre-existing conditions in writing before you apply. The general rule is on health insurance for a residence permit.
Which permits work for Britons moving to Austria?
Britons moving to Austria use the same permits as any non-EU citizen, for a job, studies, family or own means. The passport only changes where and how you file. Your UK passport lets you enter visa-free and file some permits in Austria; it does not give you a shortcut through the conditions.
| Situation | Permit | Key condition | Health insurance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skilled job offer | Red-White-Red Card (€218) | Points and a positive AMS check | Job with compulsory insurance: ÖGK from the first working day (a marginal job up to €551.10 a month gives accident insurance only) |
| Graduate job, high salary | EU Blue Card | At least €55,678 gross a year (2026) | Job with compulsory insurance: ÖGK from the first working day (a marginal job up to €551.10 a month gives accident insurance only) |
| Retired / own means | Settlement permit except gainful employment | Quota; €2,616.78 single / €4,128.24 couple a month (base; + regular costs above €386.43 a month); German A1 unless exempt (§ 21a NAG); no work | Private all-risk for the first permit; GHIC not valid |
| Degree studies | Residence Permit – Student | Admission; €722.58 a month under 24 or €1,308.39 from 24, for 12 months (base; + regular costs above €386.43 a month) | All-risk (or the OeAD route: written statement on later ÖGK student insurance, travel insurance only until it starts; ask your authority); Care Austria Education €56 (12–35) |
| Spouse of an Austrian or a card holder | Family permits | German A1 with the first application unless exempt (§ 21a NAG); spouse at least 21 (national routes; spouses of EU citizens using free movement, or of Austrians returning from another EEA state or Switzerland, § 57 NAG, apply under EU law: Aufenthaltskarte) | Own proof; co-insurance once resident, if the ÖGK conditions are met |
| Dependent parent of a non-Austrian EU citizen living in Austria under EU law | Aufenthaltskarte (EU law) | Maintained by the child; the child meets § 51 NAG; no quota | Depends on the child’s status |
More detail is on Red-White-Red Card, study in Austria and family reunification. Americans follow the same visa-free logic, explained on moving to Austria from the US.
What happens in the first weeks after moving to Vienna from the UK?
In the first weeks after moving to Vienna from the UK, you register your address, collect your permit card and sort out insurance and your driving licence. In Vienna the City’s MA 35 handles residence applications, including from people who may enter visa-free (wien.gv.at; see MA 35 Vienna in English). gov.uk’s Living in Austria guide tells Britons to register their address within 3 days and to exchange their UK driving licence to keep driving after six months (the steps are on foreign driving licence in Austria). It also notes that “Mountain rescue is not covered by standard Austrian health insurance”. General first steps for every newcomer are on moving to Austria, and living costs on cost of living in Austria. Once you are insured, health care in Austria explains how public care works.
A British couple retiring to Salzburg, step by step
Illustrative example: Helen, 61, and David, 63, from Leeds, want to retire to Salzburg on their pensions. They never lived in Austria, so the Article 50 card is not open to them. Their joint regular income must reach €4,128.24 a month (2026; base; more if regular costs such as rent exceed €386.43 a month, § 11 (5) NAG), and they also need a flat, German A1 certificates and a quota place. They get pre-registration codes at the Embassy London between 2 and 8 November 2026, book their appointment in December and file in London (as British citizens they could also file in Austria during their visa-free stay, § 21 (2) 5 NAG), paying €218 each in pounds.
David will draw his UK State Pension and may later get an S1, but that only helps once they live in Austria and he has registered it with the ÖGK; Helen’s pension starts later. For the application they need all-risk cover that pays in Austria. With Care Austria Standard unlimited at €222 each (1-year minimum term, AVB § 3), they pay €444 a month in 2027. On 1 January 2028 Helen’s 50–64 rate rises to €268 under the policy terms, and David enters the 65–74 band (2028 − 1963 = 65) at the 2028 price of €617. That makes €885 a month together.
Health insurance for your move from the UK
- In 2026 Care Austria Standard unlimited costs €155 a month under 50, €222 at 50–64 and €510 at 65–74, with a minimum term of 1 year (AVB § 3).
- Cover cannot start before entry.
- The 364-day tariff (€95 a month in 2026, under 65) is possible only with an extra MA 35 declaration.
- Care Concept AG is on Vienna's MA 35 list: unlimited Care Austria tariffs need no extra declaration, 364-day ones do (checked 30 October 2026)
HanseMerkur Versicherungsgruppe (Advigon Versicherung AG) is the insurer behind the plan, and Care Concept AG sells it. Read the full plan and limits first, then ask about pre-existing conditions in writing before you apply.
Go to Care Concept’s application
Referral link: we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you (how we are paid).
Frequently asked questions
Can I move to Austria from the UK?
Yes, but since Brexit you need a residence permit for a purpose — a job, studies, family or your own means — if you want to stay longer than six months (Austrian Embassy London). For visits you need no visa: the embassy says you can stay “for up to 90 days in any 180-day period” (bmeia.gv.at). As a rule a permit needs proof of income, housing and qualifying health insurance (as a rule cover for all risks that pays in Austria); the exact conditions depend on the title (bmi.gv.at). Only Britons who already lived in Austria before 2021 keep EU-style rights through the Article 50 card.
Can British citizens apply for the Austrian residence permit while they are in Austria?
Yes, British citizens can apply from inside Austria. The Austrian Embassy London says “UK citizens and all other so-called ‘visa-free’-citizens” may apply at the local authority in Austria during their lawful 90-day visa-free stay (bmeia.gv.at); the legal basis is § 21 (2) 5 NAG (RIS). The catch: if no positive decision arrives before your 90 days end, you must leave Austria and the Schengen area, so the embassy advises applying as soon as possible after arrival. Filing in Austria “does not create a right of residence beyond the visa-free period” (bmeia.gv.at).
Can I use my GHIC if I move to Austria?
A GHIC is not your cover for living in Austria. The UK government’s guidance lists a UK-issued GHIC or EHIC for “temporary stays when studying, or as a ‘posted’ (detached) worker” (gov.uk: Healthcare in Austria, updated 19 January 2024). UK students can apply for a Student GHIC for their course; whether a residence authority accepts it for the student permit is not confirmed to us, so ask. For a residence permit the law asks for all-risk cover that pays in Austria (§ 11 NAG).
Does an S1 form cover me in Austria?
An S1 can cover you, once you live in Austria and if you qualify. gov.uk says you can get an S1 “If you have a UK State Pension or another qualifying exportable benefit”, and that “Once you have an S1 form, you must register it on the Austrian system” — with the ÖGK (gov.uk, “Healthcare in Austria”). We found no Austrian statement that an S1 is enough for the first residence-permit application, which is filed before you are registered as resident. Plan private all-risk cover for the application and ask your authority whether S1 cover counts at renewal.
I moved to Austria before 2021: what is the Article 50 residence card?
The Article 50 residence card is the residence title for Britons covered by the Withdrawal Agreement. Austria’s citizen portal says it is for those who lived and worked in Austria before the transition period ended on 31 December 2020 and applied by 31 December 2021; later applications are only possible with a reasonable cause, such as serious illness (oesterreich.gv.at). The card is valid for five years (ten with permanent residence), costs €91 in 2026 (€39 under 16), and lets you live, work and study in Austria. gov.uk adds that you must renew it every 5 or 10 years, before it expires.
Which health insurance does a British retiree need for an Austrian residence permit?
A British retiree needs private all-risk cover that pays in Austria for the residence permit. A retiree’s settlement permit requires health insurance “covering all risks” (§ 11 NAG); travel insurance “is in any case not sufficient” (bmi.gv.at, our translation). ÖGK self-insurance costs €565.25 a month in 2026 but needs an Austrian residence and a valid permit, with a 6-month waiting period unless waived (oegk.at), so it cannot be used for the first application. Care Austria Standard unlimited costs €222 a month at 50–64 and €510 at 65–74 (2026; 1-year minimum term, AVB § 3).
Do I pay the Austrian residence permit fee in pounds at the embassy in London?
Yes, you pay in pounds at the Austrian Embassy London. The embassy states: “Consular fees have to be paid in British pounds at the current exchange rate”, preferably by card when you submit, and “In the event of rejection, the application fee will not be refunded” (bmeia.gv.at: how to apply). The fee itself is set in euros: €218 for a temporary residence permit card and €275 for a permanent one, from 1 January 2026 (bmeia.gv.at).
Official sources
- Austrian Embassy London: entry requirements and residence permit (visa-free stays and filing in Austria, checked 30 October 2026)
- Embassy London: how to apply, settlement and residence and 2027 quota reservation
- oesterreich.gv.at: Brexit – Aufenthaltstitel Art. 50 EUV (updated 10 August 2026)
- § 21 NAG and § 11 NAG (RIS); Interior Ministry: general requirements
- migration.gv.at: other forms of settlement and permanent immigration
- City of Vienna: immigration and residence; ÖGK: self-insurance
- From the UK government, gov.uk: Healthcare in Austria (updated 19 January 2024) and Living in Austria (updated 11 December 2025)
- Care Austria policy terms (AVB) and tariff page (insurer documents, read 30 October 2026)
For how we work, read our editorial standards or learn more about this site. This page is general information, not legal or immigration advice; the residence authority decides. Referral links may earn us a commission from Care Concept AG at no extra cost to you (affiliate disclosure).
Permit health insurance for your move from the UK
A GHIC covers visits, not a residence permit, and an S1 only starts once you live in Austria. Check Care Austria’s price, its 1-year minimum term and whether your authority accepts it before you file.
Referral link: we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you (how we are paid).
age 0–49: €155/month in 2026 · unlimited, min. 1 year (AVB § 3)
Referral link: we may earn a commission (disclosure)Apply