Living in Austria.
24 practical guides for Americans living in Austria, grouped by topic. Each one lists the official sources it is based on.
Daily life
Schools in Austria for American families
Compulsory schooling, the free kindergarten year, enrolment timing and the family allowance Americans with residence permits can claim in Austria.
Phone, internet and utilities in Austria: getting connected
How SIM registration, 24-month phone contracts, number porting, electricity switching and the ORF household levy work when you set up a home in Austria.
Living in Vienna: the Meldezettel, the Gebühren and daily services
The routine paperwork of life in Vienna for US citizens: address registration, the ORF household levy, transit passes, a basic bank account and health numbers.
Documents and ID
Getting your tax ID in Austria
What the nine-digit Austrian Steuernummer is, who receives one automatically, how FinanzOnline access works with ID Austria, and filing windows to know.
Registering in Austria after you arrive: Meldezettel first
The three-day address registration that unlocks everything else in Austria, what to bring, what late filing costs, and the steps that follow it in order.
Getting around
Public transport in Austria: trains, buses and resident passes
How Vienna's annual pass, single tickets and core zone work, what the ÖBB Vorteilscard saves on trains, and which trips your pass does not cover.
The Austrian Klimaticket and trains for residents
What the KlimaTicket Ö covers, the 2026 prices, cancellation rules and how it compares with a city pass, for Americans who live in Austria or stay long term.
Health
Health insurance requirements for a residence permit in Austria
Americans applying for Austrian residence must prove health cover. How employment insurance, ÖGK self-insurance and student cover meet the requirement.
How healthcare works in Austria for foreign residents
How Austrian public health insurance, the e-card, contracted and private doctors, prescriptions and the 1450 hotline work for Americans living in Austria.
Housing
Renting an apartment in Austria as an American
How Austrian leases work for Americans: fixed terms, deposits, broker fees, giving notice, getting the deposit back, and the paperwork after you move in.
Renting in Vienna: Altbau, rent rules and the Maklerprovision
How the Vienna rental market works for newcomers from the US: main leases versus sublets, Altbau rent caps, the 2023 broker fee rule and registering on move-in.
Language and culture
Etiquette in Austria: greetings, meals and everyday manners
The everyday rules and rhythms Americans notice in Austria: closed Sundays, 13 public holidays, school breaks, strict waste separation and bottle deposits.
Learning German for daily life in Austria
Which German levels Austria requires of Americans for permits, long-term residence and citizenship, how the integration exams work, and where to study.
Money
Cost of living in Austria: building an honest monthly budget
The regulated and official costs Americans face in Austria, from transit passes and the ORF fee to health charges, plus what current inflation data shows.
Opening a bank account in Austria as a US citizen
How Americans open an Austrian bank account, the legal right to a basic account, why banks ask for your SSN, and the US reports your account triggers.
US taxes and admin
Social Security, pensions and the US-Austria totalization agreement
How US Social Security works for Americans retiring in Austria, the US-Austria totalization agreement, Austrian pension rules and how benefits are taxed.
When Austria treats you as a tax resident
When an American becomes an Austrian tax resident, the six-month rule, limited versus unlimited liability, treaty tie-breakers and foreign income forms.
US taxes while living in Austria: FBAR, FEIE and foreign tax credits
What US citizens in Austria still owe the IRS: filing dates, the earned income exclusion, foreign tax credits, the US-Austria treaty, and FBAR rules.
Visas and residency
Retiring to Austria: the settlement permit without work
How American retirees qualify for Austria's Settlement Permit except gainful employment: the quota, the 2026 income figures, German, insurance and renewals.
Moving to Austria from the US: which residence permit fits
The main Austrian residence routes for US citizens, from the Red-White-Red Card to the settlement permit for retirees, with the income tests and where to apply.
