Can I apply at MA 35 in Vienna instead?

No — your residence permit is tied to your registered address. If your dorm is in the city of Salzburg, you go to Schwarzstraße 44. MA 35 only handles Vienna.

Is it easier or harder than in Vienna?

The rules are the same across Austria, and the authority has up to 90 days here too. What differs is how quickly appointment slots free up — book as soon as your place is confirmed.

Can family members join?

Yes — spouses and minor children can apply for an Aufenthaltsbewilligung – Familiengemeinschaft. Each needs their own permit, and the proof of funds has to cover everyone.

Visa & residence

Austria's visa and residence rules are the same nationwide — the Vienna guide lists every document. What changes in Salzburg is where you go.

EU/EEA/Swiss

Register your address (Meldezettel) within 3 days at the Meldeamt, Saint-Julien-Straße 20, 5020 Salzburg (Kiesel building; Mon–Thu 7:30–16:00, Fri 7:30–13:00), or at your municipal office outside the city
Anmeldebescheinigung (€44, 2026) within 4 months at the Magistrat's residence office, Schwarzstraße 44
Family members from outside the EU get a residence card valid for 5 years

Third-country students

Apply for the Aufenthaltsbewilligung – Student at the Austrian embassy or consulate for the country you live in, before you travel, and wait there for the decision (the authority has up to 90 days)
Once it is approved, a visa D lets you travel in and collect the card at Schwarzstraße 44, 5020 Salzburg; extensions are filed there too
Documents: admission letter, accommodation, proof of funds for 12 months (2026: €722.58 a month under 24, €1,308.39 from 24, plus rent above €386.43), health insurance covering all risks, passport photo, birth certificate
Fee: €218
Details and appointments: stadt-salzburg.at

Already in Austria legally, visa-free or on a visa D? You may file a first application in Salzburg instead — but filing does not extend the stay your visa allows, so plan for the decision to come first.