Overview

Austria, officially the Republic of Austria, is a nation located in the Eastern Alps in southern Central Europe. It is a federation of nine states, the most populated of which is Vienna, the capital and largest metropolis.

It is a landlocked nation that is bordered to the northwest by Germany and to the north by the Czech Republic. In the northeast, it is bordered by Slovakia, to the east by Hungary, to the south by Slovenia and Italy, and to the west by Switzerland and Liechtenstein. Some travelers intending to visit the country will need to obtain an Austria visa first while visa-exempt visitors from 2024 will require an ETIAS for Austria.

Processing Steps

Online Application

Form is received and reviewed for approval.

Receive Document

Receive the approved document via e-mail.

Arrive in Austria

Present the document upon arrival.

Austria Visa Details

Visa Free Entry to Austria

Visa for Austria is not necessary for Swiss nationals or those belonging to European Economic Area (European Union Member States, Liechtenstein, Iceland, and Norway) passport holders. Nationals of the European nations, Liechtenstein and Switzerland, are permitted to stay indefinitely. According to Austrian visa regulations, citizens of a select few nations are exempt from obtaining a visa in order to travel by air, land, or sea into the Schengen Area for up to ninety days during the 180-day period.

Travelers from Britain, the United States, and other permitted nations can visit Austria and nations in the Schengen region without a visa for up to ninety days in any one-hundred-and-eighty-day period. This is true whether travelers are going on vacation, on business, for short-term study or training, to meet family or friends, for athletic or cultural events, or to attend corporate meetings. If such visitors are entering Austria and other Schengen countries without a visa, they need to be sure the entire stay is within the ninety-day limit. Visits to Schengen nations made within one hundred and eighty days before departure to Austria are deducted from the ninety days.

Travelers must adhere to Austrian government entry criteria if they intend to stay longer, work or study there, do business, or for any other reason. They can find out what kind of visa and/or work permit might be required by contacting the Austrian Embassy. It is advised to get information about visas and permissions from the Austrian Embassy if tourists are traveling to Austria for business. The 90-day visa-free period will not be affected if visitors stay in Austria while in possession of a residence permit or long-stay visa.

Austria Visa Types

The Austria visa policy includes various types of visas, including the Austria Visa C, the standard tourist visa. Visa D for Austria is a long-term visa for study, work, or family reunification purposes. Other types of visas include the Austria Visa A, which is the airport transit visa, and the Austria Visa B, which is the transit visa. Additionally, there are specific visa categories for work, business, investment (Golden visa for Austria), and humanitarian purposes. To obtain an Austrian visa, applicants must meet certain requirements and submit a completed visa application form to the Austrian Embassy or consulate in their country of residence.

In short, three specific types of visas are available for Austria:

the Schengen Visa or short-stay visa (VISA-C). It is also known as a tourist visa for Austria.
the Austrian National Visa (VISA-D)
the Airport Transit Visa (VISA-A)

As a result, those deciding to visit Austria must first decide why they are visiting the country before filing for the appropriate visa. In general, the Austria visa policy includes a range of visa types for various purposes, such as tourism, business, study, and work. Visitors to Austria from certain countries may require a visa to enter the country.

To obtain an Austrian visa, applicants must meet certain requirements and submit a completed visa application form to the Austrian Embassy or consulate in their country of residence. The visa fees, processing time, and validity can vary depending on the type of visa issued. Austria offers different visa options for both EU and non-EU citizens, making it an attractive destination for visitors and migrants alike.

ETIAS for Austria

Foreign nationals will need to provide a few documents, typically identity and travel documents, in order to enter Austria and the entire Schengen region once the ETIAS comes into effect in November 2023. Each candidate must meet the following Austria ETIAS conditions in order to enter the country:

A current, three-months-or-more-valid passport or other kinds of travel authorization for admission into Austria.

A visa that is valid.
A ticket for further travel as well as a return flight ticket.
Proof of having enough money to finance a visitor’s stay in Austria.

Before allowing visitors to enter Austria, border agents may inquire about their reason for visiting. The following are some examples of probable inquiries:

Why are they in Austria?
How long do they plan to stay?
Where would a visitor be staying for the duration of their visit?
Would they be staying at an Airbnb or a hotel?

After carrying out the identification process and asking visitors a few questions, the Austrian border agents usually decide whether or not to let a visitor in. It is essential to make sure the officers at the border stamp the passport. If the passport is not stamped, travelers could incur a fine or be imprisoned.

Austria Visa (Schengen)

A Schengen visa ( tourist visa) is currently required for travelers from over sixty countries in order to enter Austria or any of the other 26 Schengen member states. They are split into two groups:

Visitors from third countries with which the Schengen region does not have visa liberalization arrangements. The third country is a country or territory whose residents do not have access to the European Union’s right to free movement as well as a nation or territory that is not a member of the EU.
Visitors from non-Schengen member states who had previously been turned away from Austria or another Schengen country for a variety of reasons. At the same time, such countries also have visa liberalization agreements with the Schengen region.

The following are a few of the nations whose citizens require a Schengen or a tourist visa to enter Austria and other Schengen nations:

Northern Marianas
Papua New Guinea
The Central African Republic
Dominican Republic
Sierra Leone
Burkina Faso
Congo (Democratic Republic)
Nigeria
Equatorial Guinea
Ivory Coast

Austria Visa Fees

Austria visa fees and legalization costs are determined at the government’s discretion in every case.

1. Visa D for Austria costs Euro 150 (162.41 USD) for those older than six. The cost of a Visa D for a kid under the age of six is Euro 75 (81.21 USD).

2. Family members of an alien (under 35 (5) of the Asylum Act, 2005) that are older than six years old and who have been given the status of a person entitled to asylum or subsidiary protection.

They can request entry permission for Euro 200 (216.51 USD). Such individuals can submit an application for international protection in accordance with sections 34 (1) and 2 (1) (13) of the 2005 Asylum Act.

3. Children under the age of six of aliens who have been granted subsidiary protection or asylum status. They can seek an entry visa for Euro 100 (108.25 USD) in order to submit an application for international protection in line with Sections 34 (1) and 2 (1) (13) of the 2005 Asylum Act.

For the following individuals, no visa fees for Austria is required:

1. According to Directive (EU) 2016/801 of the European Parliament and of the Council of May 11, 2016, researchers from third countries.

2. Members of non-profit organizations under the age of eighteen attending seminars, conferences, sporting events, cultural events, or educational activities.

3. Favored Third-Country Nationals and their Family Members- as defined under Federal Law Gazette I No. 100/2005, as per the 2005 Aliens’ Police Act.

Third-country national is a phrase that is frequently used in the European Union, along with "non-EU foreign national" and "foreign national." It is to describe people who are neither citizens of the EU country in which they are presently residing nor of another member state of the European Union.

Austria International Airports

There are six large airports in Austria. They are as follows:

Vienna International Airport
Graz Airport
Linz Airport
Klagenfurt Airport
Innsbruck Airport
Salzburg Airport

EasyJet Europe is the largest airline in the nation, both in terms of fleet size and scheduled passenger volume. There are now 113 aircraft in its fleet. In Austria, the top airlines for civil passenger traffic are:

Simple Jet Europe
Vienna Airlines
People’s (PE)

Passport Validity & Conditions

A valid passport with at least 3 or 6 months remaining (depending on the traveler’s nationality) is required. To enter Austria, it should be issued within the last 10 years. Travelers must adhere to the Schengen area passport rules if they intend to visit Austria or any other EU nation (other than Ireland), as well as Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Andorra, Monaco, San Marino, or the Vatican City.

Travelers should ensure that their passport is valid for at least three months after the day travelers intend to depart (check the "expiry date"). Before departing, make sure the passport satisfies these conditions. If tourists believe that their passport does not satisfy any of these conditions, get in touch with the Embassy of Austria before planning a visit. Additionally, passports should be renewed whenever necessary.

Passport Stamping

If travelers enter or leave the Schengen region through Austria as a visitor, they must ensure that their passport has been stamped. Compliance with the 90-day visa-free stay restriction for brief stays in the Schengen region will be verified by border guards by checking the stamps on the traveler’s passport. Border officers will assume travelers have exceeded the allowed number of days without a visa if the appropriate entrance or exit stamps are missing from the passport.

Therefore, visitors must provide proof of the date and location they entered or left the Schengen region. Moreover, they can ask the border guards to record these details in their passports (for example, acceptable documentation, including tickets and boarding cards).

High and Low Travel Seasons

Austria has great weather and plenty of sunshine during the peak tourist season from June to August. Therefore, expect greater travel and lodging costs, as well as a tourist rush in all well-known locations during this time of the year. Between November and March, when many of the smaller towns close for the winter. This is why it is considered the low season.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an Austria Type D visa?

The typical length of stay allowed on a Type D Austria visa is between ninety-one and 6 months. A type D visa may, in exceptional circumstances, be granted with a validity duration of up to 12 months, as in the case of an international agreement.

What is the Austria Type C Visa?

It is the typical tourist visa and is also called a short-stay visa. A type C visa allows the holder to enter and reside in the Schengen region for a maximum stay of ninety days within a one-hundred-and-eighty-day term.

Is obtaining an Austrian visa easy?

To obtain an Austrian visa easily, travelers need to be prepared with a few documents, such as a valid passport or travel document. The passport must have two blank pages and it must be valid for at least six months.

In addition to filling out a visa application form, travelers are required to have health insurance, a passport photo, proof of finances, airline tickets, hotel reservations, and the lack of any other grounds for rejection.

Who requires ETIAS to visit Austria?

ETIAS, a new system, will monitor non-EU travelers who enter Austria and the Schengen Area. All applicants who want to enter Austria or other Schengen nations will have to apply for ETIAS Austria, which updates, monitors, and screens them all (once implemented).

Those non-EU nations that are presently permitted to enter Austria without a visa will need to apply for ETIAS once the system is in force.

How long does it take to get an Austrian visa?

The processing period for a valid Austria Schengen visa application should typically not go over fifteen calendar days. The processing period could extend to forty-five calendar days if additional checks are required.

The time allotted for reviewing and making decisions on Austria visa D applications cannot exceed six months.

More on Austria

Austria Embassies