Settling In 83A chimneysweep comes four times a year to clean out the
gas or coal heating system. His schedule is posted in your
apartment building or in your mailbox if you live in a house.
You must be available to let him in one of the four times.
The electricity/gas man (Strom/Gas) will also send you notice
of when you must be home to let him in to read the meter.
Houses built after 1930 have the meter outside; for these, meter
inspection does not require the presence of the occupant.
Registering with the Police
If you are living in an apartment or house, you should register
with the police at a police station or municipal office within
three days of arrival by filling out a Meldezettel (registration
form). If you are staying in a hotel or hostel for up to 60 days,
the hotel or hostel reception will fill out the necessary forms;
if you are staying longer than 60 days, you must register
personally. A form can be purchased at any Tabak-Trafik.
(Originally a smoke shop or tobacconist, it now carries a
variety of goods besides.) Unless you read German, find
someone to help you fill out the form, and make sure your
landlord signs it too.
In the form, there is a section regarding your religion. If
you don’t plan on paying into a church, do not fill out this
section, or write ‘O.B.’ (Ohne Bekenntnis).
Bring the form with your passport to the police station in
your district (Bezirkspolizeikommissariat, signified by a blue
and white shield on a map of your district). At the police
station, look for a sign on the directory that says Meldeamt
(registration office). Take a number and wait your turn.
Remember to arrive between 8:00 am and 1:00 pm (the
earlier the better), Monday through Friday. If you don’t have
a visa in your passport and plan on staying longer than six
months, make sure you go back to the Meldeamt and show
them your visa or residence permit when you get it.
VISA
If you plan on staying in Austria for a while, remember that
a visa is not necessary if you are from an EU country or the
European Economic Area (EEA). However, you will still need