There are several reasons why people visit Austria, but no matter what the reason for your visit, if you are a foreigner planning to go to Austria you’ll probably need a visa.
Whether an Austria visa is required or not depends on several factors, such as your nationality, the duration of your stay, or the purpose of the visit. Here you can find out if you are required to apply for a visa, what kind of visas are there, what documents are necessary, and how to apply for a visa.
Do I Need A Visa to Visit Austria?
You won’t need a visa to visit Austria if:
- You are a citizen from any of the countries in the Schengen Area or EU/EEA.
- You are from a country that has a visa liberalization agreement with the Schengen Area.
- You’re from the US, New Zealand, Australia, Canada, and your stay won’t pass over 90 days
Other than this you’ll probably need a visa. You can check the list of countries whose citizens need a visa to Austria here.
*Please keep in mind that not all embassies are issuing visas due to COVID restrictions. Please make sure to check with your local office.
Related article: Visa Free Countries for Austrian Passport Holders
Types of Austrian Visas
There are two different types of visas for Austria: short-term and long-term visas. These depend on the purpose of your visit.
- A Visa– this is also known as a transit visa. This type of visa is issued to a person who is traveling through Austria and they need to make a transit stop until they can travel to their destination. A transit visa is always issued from your country of origin, you won’t be able to get a visa at the border so please make sure to check if you’ll need one before you plan your trip.
- C Visa – Schengen visa. This is a short-term visa that allows you to stay in Austria for up to 90 days within a period of 180 days. A Schengen Austria visa can be of different types:
- Austria Tourist Visa.
- Austria Business Visa.
- Austria Short Stay Student Visa.
- Austria Medical Visa.
- D Visa – also known as a resident visa since it’s a long term visa. It allows you to stay in Austria from 91 days up to six months. Within those six months, the D Visa allows you to apply for an Austria Residence Permit and settle in Austria long-term. Types of D visas for Austria include:
Highly skilled workers can apply for an EU Blue Card to work in Austria.
Austria Visa Requirements
In order to apply for an Austria visa you need to prepare a few documents:
- Passport/ Traveling Document. Your passport needs to have at least two blank pages and it needs to be valid for at least six months and issued within the last decade.
- Visa Application Form. You need to fill this in and get it signed. You can find the form here. Make sure to follow the instructions on how to fill in the application form.
- Recent Pictures. These photos need to follow the Schengen visa photo rules as set by ICAO.
- Visa Fee. You need to pay a certain amount in order to apply for your visa. The fee depends on the type of visa (see below).
- A Letter of Purpose. You need to present a cover letter, in which you should clearly state the reason for your visit.
- An Itinerary. You must provide correct dates for your flights and your plans during the trip.
- Travel Insurance. You must have Schengen travel insurance that covers any medical and emergency issues up to 30,000€.
- Civil Status Documents. This can include birth certificates or your marriage license.
- Proof of Accommodation. You need to provide your hotel reservation or proof for any other type of accommodations you’ve secured.
- Proof of Financial Means. You need to provide proof that you have enough means to finance your travels to Austria.
- Copies of Previous Schengen Visa. Applicable only if you’ve had a Schengen visa before.
Depending on your visa and the reason for your visit you may need additional documents:
- University records (if you’re a student).
- Employment contract.
- Bank statement.
- Proof of pension (if you’re retired).
- Business license (if you’re self-employed).
- Proof of invitation (if you’re visiting family or applying for a residence permit for reunification purposes).
- Medical records (if you’re seeking medical help).
For a minor traveling to Austria you’ll need a few other documents:
- Birth certificate.
- Copies of travel documents (both parents).
- Austria application form (signed by both parents).
- Family court permission (if one parent has custody).
- Official parental authorization (if the child is traveling alone).
How to Apply for a Visa to Austria?
The steps for applying for an Austria visa are:
- Make sure you have a clear idea of what type of visa you need. Even though the application process is the same, the required documents differ depending on the visa.
- Find an embassy/consulate or official representative of the Austrian government in your country.
- Call the embassy to set a date for your application.
- Prepare all the necessary documents.
- After you’ve prepared all the documents, hand them over at the embassy/consulate.
Where Do I Apply for An Austria Visa?
For an Austria visa, you need to apply in your local embassy or consulate. Visas are issued by an institution of the Austrian government in your country. You can find them through the online generator.
When Do I Apply for an Austria Visa?
It’s best to apply two weeks before you’re planning to travel. Be sure not to apply three months prior, since applications that early will not be considered.
Austria Visa Fees
Here are the fees that you need to pay when applying for an Austrian visa:
- Schengen Visa for adults: 80€
- Schengen Visa for children between ages 6 and 12: 40€
- Schengen Visa for children under the age of 6: free
- Schengen Visa Fee for citizens of Russian Federation, Ukraine, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Moldova, and Georgia: 35€
- Transit Visa (A visa): 80 €
- Transit Visa for children between ages 6 and 12: 40€
- Transit Visa for children under the age of 6: free
- D Visa for individuals under the age of 6: 75€
- D Visa for individuals over the age of 6: 150€
- Visa for individuals under the age of 35 but over the age of 6 of family members who have sought asylum in Austria: 200€
- Visa for individuals under the age of 6 of a family member who has sought asylum in Austria: 100€
How Long Does It Take to Process the Visa Application?
As a rule of thumb, it takes up to 15 business days to process your application. However, sometimes it may take up to 30 days or 60 days.
What if my Visa Application Is Rejected?
Your visa application may be rejected for a number of reasons. You might have missed a few documents, your passport may be outdated, or some of your documents are not in order. Whatever the reason for the rejection, you can appeal against the decision.
You can also re-apply again after your visa has been rejected but take note of the previous reasons for your rejection. For the most part the embassy/consulate will notify you why your visa was refused but they might not do so, it’s best you contact the embassy after you’re notified of their decision.
Keep in mind that the fee you paid is non-refundable.
How Long Can I Stay in Austria with a Visa?
With an Austria Schengen Visa, you can stay for 90 days during any rolling 180 day period. You can also move freely within any country in the Schengen Area during this time.
With a long-term visa, you can stay from 6 months up to a year. Depending on the type of long-term visa you may also stay up to two years.
If you’re not sure how much time you’ve got left you can use the Visa Calculator.
Can You Extend an Austria Visa?
The short answer is yes. You technically can extend a visa but it’s not that simple. In order to get an extension on your visa, you need to prove that you have a really good reason for the extension.
You can extend an Austria visa if:
- You entered the country later than the date you were supposed to. Meaning if your visa was valid 1 week prior to when you entered the country you can apply for an extension for the same amount of time.
- You faced a force majeure. For instance, during your stay, there was an unexpected natural disaster or for example, a border lockdown due to a pandemic, you can apply for an extension.
- You have strong personal reasons. You can ask for an extension if you have a previous personal engagement that you need to take part in, for example, a family wedding.
- You have humanitarian reasons for staying. The Schengen visa policy allows for an extension if you can prove that you are staying to help someone. This can be any kind of help, such as emotional support for a loved one, medical support, or financial support.