If you apply from abroad to live with a family member in Austria, the first application must include proof of basic German at level A1. Austria calls this rule "German before immigration" (Deutsch vor Zuzug). Only four certificate providers count, and the certificate must not be more than one year old when you hand it in.
Family reunification in Austria requires A1 German before you move ("Deutsch vor Zuzug"); only ÖSD, Goethe, telc and ÖIF count. The certificate must be under a year old; for Austrian citizenship Goethe and telc are accepted only from B2.
Source: bmi.gv.at ·
Austria asks people from outside the EU (third-country nationals) to show basic German before they arrive, not after. The proof belongs to your first application for the residence permit. The level is A1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), the most basic level: you can introduce yourself, understand simple questions and fill in a short form. The rule covers the permits most families use, and a few more:
In practice this means the husband, wife or partner of someone already living in Austria sits a German exam before moving. Plan the exam date around your application: a certificate that is too old at the moment you submit it will not be accepted, even if you passed it well.
Austria does not accept every German certificate. For this rule the list is short: a language diploma from one of the four providers below. A certificate from any other exam body, or a letter saying you attended a course, does not count.
| Provider | Level needed | Maximum age when you submit |
|---|---|---|
| Goethe-Institut (Goethe-Zertifikat A1) | A1 | 1 year |
| telc (telc Deutsch A1) | A1 | 1 year |
| Austrian German Diploma (Österreichisches Sprachdiplom Deutsch, ÖSD) | A1 | 1 year |
| Austrian Integration Fund (Österreichischer Integrationsfonds, ÖIF) | A1 | 1 year |
There is one other way to meet the rule: if you have already completed Module 1 (A2) or Module 2 (B1) of Austria's Integration Agreement (Integrationsvereinbarung), that also counts as proof. For most people applying from abroad, though, the realistic choice is a Goethe or telc A1 exam, because both are offered in many countries. Exam fees are set locally by each exam centre, so check the price list where you plan to sit the exam.
A child who is not yet 14 on the day of the application does not have to show any German.
If a physical or mental condition makes the exam impossible, you can be exempted. You need a medical report from a doctor to prove it.
Family members of people holding a Red-White-Red Card for very highly qualified workers, an EU Blue Card or a settlement permit for researchers are exempt, and so are family members of people granted asylum or subsidiary protection who apply for a Red-White-Red Card plus.
The authority can also waive the rule in hardship cases, for example for an unaccompanied minor or where refusing the permit would harm private and family life protected by European human rights law. This is a decision for each case, not a right you can count on. If none of these points clearly fits you, prepare for the exam.
The Goethe exam at this level is called Start Deutsch 1. It is not modular: you sit all four parts on one day and pass with at least 60 out of 100 points overall. Reading and writing are done together on one 45-minute paper.
3 parts, 15 items, about 25 minutes.
3 parts, 15 items, about 20 minutes.
2 parts, about 20 minutes: a form with 5 gaps and a short personal text.
3 parts, about 15 minutes, in a group of up to 4 candidates.
telc Deutsch A1 covers the same four skills and is also taken as one exam, with one total score out of 60 points. The oral part is held in a group of up to 4 candidates. Either certificate is valid for the Austrian rule, so choose the exam with the nearest centre and the earliest date that still fits inside the one-year window.
A1 opens the door; it is not the last German requirement. If you later apply for Austrian citizenship (Staatsbürgerschaft), you need German at level B1. Be careful here, because Austria reads certificates differently from Germany. For B1, the only language certificate the City of Vienna lists is the Module 2 integration exam of the ÖIF (an ÖSD integration exam counts only if you took it between 29 May 2018 and 30 May 2021). Goethe and telc certificates are named only from B2 upwards. So a Goethe-Zertifikat B1 or telc Deutsch B1, which is enough for many purposes in Germany, is not on the Vienna list for Austrian citizenship. If you prefer Goethe or telc, aim for B2 when that time comes.
A1, the most basic level of the European framework. You show it with your first application for the residence permit, before you move. Austria calls this rule German before immigration (Deutsch vor Zuzug).
Only language diplomas from four providers: the Goethe-Institut, telc, the Austrian German Diploma (ÖSD) and the Austrian Integration Fund (ÖIF). A completed Module 1 or Module 2 of the Integration Agreement also counts.
It must not be more than one year old on the day you submit it. Book the exam with your application date in mind, so the certificate is still valid when the file goes in.
Not if they are under 14. Older children are treated like adults unless another exemption applies, such as a medical reason confirmed by a doctor.
Both are accepted, and both test reading, listening, writing and speaking in one exam. Goethe Start Deutsch 1 needs 60 out of 100 points overall; telc Deutsch A1 is scored out of 60 points, with the oral part held in a group of up to 4. Choose the centre and date that suit you best.
Fees are set locally by each Goethe-Institut, telc or ÖSD exam centre and differ from country to country. Check the current price list at the centre where you want to sit the exam.
Not according to the City of Vienna. Citizenship needs B1, but at B1 the only certificate Vienna lists is the ÖIF integration exam (Module 2); an ÖSD integration exam counts only if taken between 29 May 2018 and 30 May 2021. Goethe and telc certificates appear on its list only from B2 upwards.