In order to apply for an Austria visa, there are a few documents you need to prepare. Austria visa requirements depend on several factors, such as your visa type, the profile of the visitor, whether you have an invitation or not. There are a few basic requirements, but you’ll find for some visas specific documents are necessary.
You can find the Austria visa requirements in more detail below.
Austria Visa Requirements
You’ll need these basic documents when you apply for an Austria visa:
- Passport
- Austria Visa Application Form
- Pictures
- Visa Fee
- Travel insurance
- A cover letter
- An itinerary
- Proof of accommodation
- Proof of financial means
- Civil Status Documents
- Copies of previous Schengen Visa
- Proof of employment
- Letter of invitation (if applicable)
Passport
You need to have your passport ready when you apply for a visa. Your passport has to be up to date, meaning it must have been issued within the last 10 years and it must be valid for at least six months when you apply. Please check your passport and make sure it is not expired, otherwise you wont be able to travel and to get your visa.
Your passport needs to have two blank pages available when you apply.
Austria Visa Application Form
Before you apply for the visa, you must fill in the Austria Visa Application Form. You can find the form online here. You have to fill in the form in the correct way with personal information and sign it.
If you’re traveling with someone they also need to fill in the form individually.
Pictures
You also need to provide recent identity pictures. Please make sure you follow the Schengen Visa rules when you take the pictures.
Visa Fee
You have to pay a fee for your visa application. The visa fee depends on the type of visa, the age of the person, or the reason for visiting. But, the usual fee for an Austria Schengen visa is around 80€ for an adult.
After you’ve paid the fee you’ll have to submit the receipt with the rest of the documents.
Remember: You have to pay an additional service fee if you are submitting the documents through the office of a service provider, such as a private visa application center. The fee depends on the service provider.
Travel Insurance
Before you apply for an Austria visa you need to purchase travel insurance, otherwise, you won’t be granted a visa. The travel insurance for Schengen needs to follow a certain guideline:
- It needs to be at least 30,000€.
- It needs to cover any type of medical issues and emergencies that may come up when you travel.
- It needs to cover the cost of sending you back to your country in case of emergencies, including death.
- It needs to be valid in all of the countries within the Schengen Area.
Cover Letter
You must provide a cover letter for a visa application. Please keep in mind that the writing needs to be formal and well structured. Your letter must contain important information such as:
- the purpose of your visit.
- the duration of your visit.
- your employment status.
- your plans to visit any other country within the Schengen Area other than Austria.
Travel Itinerary
A visa travel itinerary contains details about your flight such as the flight name, departure date, arrival date, flight code, and flight booking numbers. You don’t have to actually purchase the tickets without having a visa; you can just book them as proof of your travel plans.
Proof of Accommodation
Alongside your application, you must submit proof of accommodation. These include hotel bookings, rental agreements, airbnb bookings, or any other type of accommodation you’ve made.
Proof of Financial Means
You’ll have to provide proof that you can financially support yourself during your visit to Austria.
This includes:
- Bank statements. These need to be statements from the last three months and not older than three days.
- Sponsorship statement. If another person is financing your stay you’ll need to provide a sponsorship letter.
- A mixture of both bank statements plus a sponsorship letter.
Civil Status Documents
You’ll also need to provide civil status documents that could either be a birth certificate or a marriage certificate.
Copies of Previous Schengen Visas
If you’ve gotten a previous Schengen visa, you’ll have to provide copies of those too.
Proof of Employment
If you are employed you may also be asked to provide:
- Employment contract
- Permission to travel from your employer
- Bank statement
- Income tax return
If you are self-employed you’ll need to provide:
- Bank statement
- Business license
- Income tax return
If you are a student, you have to submit a Letter of Confirmation from your school, whereas pensioners have to submit proof of their pension.
Letter of Invitation
If you are applying for a visa as an invited visitor you need to ensure these documents are attached to the application:
- Invitation letter from your family member, friend, or anyone who is inviting you to Austria.
- A copy of your host’s passport
- Electronic Declaration of Commitment (EVE) stating that your inviter will help fund your trip.
Please note that your inviter should apply for EVE at their local aliens police. The local office will forward the information to your local embassy within two days.
Austria Visa Requirements for Minors
When minors are traveling they’re required to have their own passports. The previous documents where children’s personal information was added to the parents’/legal guardians’ passports are no longer valid. Please make sure your child has their up to date personal passport.
Alongside the passport you’ll also need:
- Austria Visa Application Form, signed by both parents.
- Birth Certificate (the child’s birth certificate).
- Certified copies of both parents/legal guardians passport.
If the child is traveling alone:
- A signed letter of consent that clearly expresses permission by the parents/legal guardians allowing the minor to travel alone.
- A copy of the birth certificate.
- A copy of parents’/legal guardians’ passports.
- A copy of parents’/legal guardians’ marriage certificate (only if the child and the legal guardian have different surnames).
If only one parent has custody:
- Family court order that states explicit permission to travel with the minor.
If you’re traveling with a foster child please make sure to check with your local embassy/consulate if additional documents will be necessary.
Requirements for Specific Visa Types
Depending on the type of visa you’re applying for you might need a few extra documents alongside the basic requirements.
If you’re applying for a student visa you also need:
- University records from a previous university (if applicable).
- Proof of enrollment in an Austrian university.
If you’re applying for a work visa you also need:
- Proof of employment (employment contract from Austria).
- Proof of financial stability.
- Proof of academic achievement (university degree).
If you’re applying for a medical visa you need:
- A local diagnosis confirmation from your doctor clearly stating your health status.
- A declaration from your doctor/hospital in Austria confirming your appointment.
- A receipt proving your payments.
- Proof that you’ll be able to finance your medical expenses.
If you’re applying for a family reunification visa you also need:
- Marriage certificate (if seeking reunification with a spouse).
From the Austrian resident you’re applying reunification for you’ll also need:
- Copy of their passport.
- Proof of their citizenship “Staatsbürgerschaftsnachweis”.
- Proof of income from the last three months.
- Copy of Registration form “Meldezettel”.
- Copy of lease contract.
If you’re applying for a business visa you also need:
- Business Bank Statements (at least from the last six months).
- A letter of purpose from your employer stating why you are traveling to Austria.
- An invitation from the Austrian company you’ll be conducting business with (please make sure the invitation states the dates of your visit and the company’s detailed address).
- An affidavit of liability from the Austrian Company.
- A family card or marriage license (in case of accompanying your spouse on the trip).
Where Do I Submit the Required Documents?
All the documents need to be submitted to a representative authority within your country. Please keep in mind that your nearest local office, either an embassy or consulate, is in charge of issuing the visas.
If you are planning on traveling to several Schengen countries then the representative authority is that of the country where you will spend most of your time or is the main destination of your travels.
You can search for a local authority here.
Should I Translate the Required Documents?
If your documents are not in English or German then you need to have them translated. You can do so at a court-certified translator within your country.
*Please note that the embassy does not provide translation services.
Should I Legalize the Required Documents?
Depending on your country of origin it’s most likely you’ll have to legalize a few documents. Countries that belong to the Hague Convention only need an Apostille stamp. The Hague Convention stated that all public documents between its members are legally recognized.
Such documents include:
- Birth Certificate
- Marriage Certificate
- Divorce Papers
- Police Clearance Certification
Despite being officially recognized these documents still need an Apostille stamp. An Apostille stamp is a form of notarization that makes your documents valid from a country to another country.
An Apostille stamp can be issued by various institutions depending on your country. Though you’ll find that it’s usually issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
If you are from a country that does not belong to the Hague Convention you’ll have to contact the Austrian embassy to find out how to legalize your documents.