Hi everyone, my name is Anh. I'm from Vietnam and I am fighting for my dream to study in Austria, as well as to stay with my 8-month boyfriend, but strict bureaucratic rules are threatening to tear us apart.

I came to Austria in December 2025 through the Au Pair program. I lived with a host family near Vienna, taking care of their child and doing housework, before moving to a second family in Tyrol (a state in Austria). During this time, my boyfriend Moritz and I maintained a long-distance relationship, traveling back and forth just to see each other. Finally, we decided to close the distance, and I moved in with him in Vienna since middle of July to prepare for the uni starting in August (images attached below)

Everything seemed perfect when I was officially accepted into the University of Wiener Neustadt! But to start my studies, I had to switch my visa from an "Au Pair" to a "Student Residence Permit" which I already submitted the residence application in June 15th in Tirol.

This is where our nightmare began.

I had to terminate my Aupair contract to move to Vienna because only when my Anmeldung aka "Permanent address" is in Vienna, they can officially process my application. The Austrian government requires international students from third countries to prove they have about €8,600 ($10,048) upfront in a bank account to guarantee they can survive for the next 12 months.

Because I live rent-free with Moritz, we were told by others that the housing costs would be deducted from this massive amount. Based on this, we thought we needed to prove about €5,400. Unfortunately, after 2 months of waiting in a highly complex bureaucratic system, the authority informed us that no deductions are allowed. We still legally need the full €8,600.

During this period, we had to use our savings to survive: paying for my university tuition fees, moving costs, food, and daily bills. Moritz is a student himself, and while he works hard to support us both, his income alone isn't enough to magically produce the missing thousands of Euros.

We still have around 1 month maximum to show the full amount in my bank account and we could do the financial proof immediately.

If Moritz and I cannot raise this money, my visa application will be denied. I would lose the chance to participate in this first uni semester and more likely get sent back to Vietnam, which would make things much harder for me.

I am so grateful for every donation, no matter how small. Even if you can only share this link, it means the world to us. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for helping us stay together.

Have a wonderful day,

Anh & Moritz