Visa (Entry Permit)

ALL visa applicants must apply at the Austrian Embassy or Consulate General in person.

If you come to Austria as a tourist, pass through Austria in transit, visit friends and/or relatives in Austria, or if you are on a business trip AND are a citizen of one of the visa-exempt countries (see below) you do NOT need to apply for a visa to enter Austria (and the Schengen zone) for a stay up to 90 days. Please note that you are generally NOT allowed to take up any employment during you visafree stay.

However, while a visa is not automatically a work permit, there are specific and clearly defined circumstances under which the holder of a valid visa may temporarily work in Austria.

In any case, your passport must be valid for three more months after the departure date when leaving Austria (and the Schengen zone).

Please note that both your nationality (= citizenship) and the passport you hold determine whether or not you must apply for a visa.

• Holders of Alien Passports, issued by the United States (USA), need a visa for Austria.
• Holders of Refugee Passports, Alien Passports, and Permits to Re-Enter NEED a visa for Austria.

Due to bi- and multilateral agreements, individuals who hold a valid regular passport of one of the following countries are visa-exempt and do NOT need to apply for a visa to enter Austria for stays of up to 90 days. The possibility of entering Austria without a visa does not grant you the right to work there.

All EU member countries and the following countries are exempt from the obligation of obtaining a visa: Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Iceland, Israel, Japan, Liechtenstein, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, San Marino, Seychelles, Singapore, St. Christoph and Nevis, Switzerland, South Korea, United States (USA), Uruguay, Venezuela.

Schengen Agreement
Austria is a signatory state of the Schengen Agreement, which has lead to the abolition of internal border controls. With a Schengen visa, you may travel freely throughout the entire Schengen zone.

The following countries are members of the Schengen Agreement:
Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.

I) Airport Transit Visa (Visa A)

Passengers who are not visa-exempt under the Visa Waiver Program and travel from the US (or any other non-Schengen country) via Austria to another non-Schengen country do not need a visa if they do not leave the transit area of the airport. If travelling from Austria via other Schengen countries (even if only to change planes), passengers from the countries (without a Green Card) mentioned below, will have to leave the transit area of the airport and therefore do need an airport transit visa (Visa A) or a Schengen visa (Visa C). This means passengers must have a direct connection flight from Austria to a non-Schengen country.

Holders of passports of one the countries listed below who do not have a valid "Green Card" must apply for an airport transit visa (Visa A) even if they merely change planes in Austria without actually leaving the transit area of the airport:

• Afghanistan
• Bangladesh
• Dem. Rep. of Congo
• Eritrea
• Ethiopia
• Ghana
• Iran
• Iraq
• Liberia
• Nigeria
• Pakistan
• Somalia
• Sri Lanka

II) Travel Visa (Visa C)

If you intend to go to Austria as a tourist, to visit friends or on a business trip for a period not exceeding 90 days and your country does not participate in the Visa Waiver Program, you need a Schengen travel visa (Visa C). This visa is not a work permit.

Please note that in order to apply for a travel visa at the Austrian Embassy or Consulate, your only destination (longest duration of stay) must be Austria. In absence of a main destination, Austria must be your first point of entry into the Schengen zone.

III) Visitor Visa (Visa D)

If you intend to stay in Austria for more than 90 but less than 180 days as a tourist, student, on a business trip, to visit friends or relatives, or you intend to take up short-term employment (less than 6 months) AND you are neither an EU nor an EFTA citizen, you need a national Austrian visitor visa (Visa D). The Visa D entitles you to stay up to 90 days within 6 months in the other Schengen countries.  A Visa D will allow you to work temporarily under clearly specified circumstances (e.g. if you are an artist or entertainer on a short-term employent/contractor) in Austria. It is not a work permit per se and, as such, does not allow you to take up any employment you like. Please note that you need the visa D to legally take up your temporary employment (as outlined above) even if you are allowed to enter Austria without a visa and your stay does not exceed three months.

You must provide the Embassy or Consulate with all documents and additional authorizations required; otherwise, the visa will not be issued.

Application procedure:

Before you file a visa application, please make sure that you need not apply for a residence permit to go to Austria. Please note: The Austrian Embassy or Consulate General will accept only complete visa applications:

• The consular fee has to be paid at the time you submit your application and is non-refundable if the Visa application has been accepted.  
• According to the Visakodex, the application process can take up to 15 calendar days. Inquiries about the status will not be answered earlier.
• Visa applications should ideally be submitted at least 3-4 weeks prior to departure. If the application is filed less than 15 calendar days before departure, the issuance of the visa on time cannot be guaranteed.
• Applications cannot be submitted more than 3 months prior to departure.
• ALL visa applicants must appear in person at the Austrian Embassy/Consulate. The Austrian Embassy and Consulates General do not accept visa applications by mail.

If you wish to have your documents returned by US mail, please enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope (including the Certified Mail Receipt) with your application. The Austrian Embassy or Consulate General will not be responsible for documents after they were mailed.

Please note that there is no legal claim on obtaining the visa you applied for. In the event that changes are made to the application after it was received, additional fees may apply.

If you do not reside in the United States of America (e.g. being in the U.S. as a tourist), you cannot apply for a visa at the Austrian Embassy or Consulate General in the United States. You must apply for the visa at the Austrian Embassy or Consulate in your country of residence.

The following documents (if applicable) must be presented when applying for a visa:

1. a valid and signed passport or travel document (Passport/travel document must be valid for at least three months after the date of departure from the Schengen zone. Further, the first issue date of your passport must not be more than 10 years ago, and it must provide at least two empty pages. In the case of minors, a notarized signature of parent or guardian is required.)
2. the visa application form, completed and signed (download application form here)
3. two recent passport pictures. They strictly have to meet the following criteria: Max. head size 1.4 inch (36 mm), min. eye distance 0.3 inch (8mm)
4. travel itinerary/ airline reservation (showing dates of travel) for entire journey
5. hotel reservation
6. letter of employment in the U.S.
7. proof of travel insurance or health/accident insurance providing coverage in the Schengen countries: stating name of insurance company, type of coverage (medical emergencies including repatriation) and amount of coverage (minimum USD 50,000), including extra coverage of min. 15 calendar days before your arrival or after your departure
8. original "Green Card" (notarized copy not accepted) or US visa with I-94 affixed to passport (must be valid for at least three more months beyond the date of departure from the Schengen zone.)
9. proof of financial means (e.g. scholarship, letter of grants, bank statement of last two months, other proof of income)
10. visas of countries you intend to visit after your stay in Austria
11. one set of fotocopies of all supporting documents, including copy of the passport and copy of the "Green Card" or US visa (without application form)

Visa application form English (pdf, 106.05 kb)

In addition to the above mentioned documents, the following items must be submitted:

If you are visiting friends or family without sufficient financial means of your own:

• Electronic declaration of liability (*Elektronische Verpflichtungserklaerung*), which the host has to file with the Austrian Aliens Branch of the Police (Fremdenpolizei) and which will be sent to the Austrian Embassy electronically (no additional documents from host necessary).

If you are visiting friends or familiy with sufficient financial means of your own:

• passport copy of host (if they are not Austrian, an additional permit of stay for Austria in required)
• proof of accommodation: rent (lease contract) or proof of property
• written invitation letter of host person

If you are traveling on business:

If you cannot provide proof of sufficient financial means of your own:

• electronic declaration of liability (*Elektronische Verpflichtungserklaerung*), which the host has to file with the Austrian Aliens Branch of the Police (Fremdenpolizei), and which will be sent to the Austrian Embassy electronically (no additional documents of the host necessary).
• original letter issued by your company (mentioning the name, position and passport details of the individual concerned; explaining the purpose of the trip; mentioning their contact details; detailed itinerary/business schedule; duration)

If you can provide proof of sufficient financial means of your own:

• original letter issued by your company (mentioning the name, position and passport details of the indivual concerned; explaining the purpose of the trip; mentioning their contact details; detailed itinerary/business schedule; duration)
• original invitation letter from the Austrian company (mentioning the name, position and passport details of the invitee; explaining the purpose of the trip, mentioning their contact details; detailed itinerary/business schedule; duration

If you are attending a conference:

• original invitation to the conference
• original proof of registration (payment of the registration fee, if applicable)
• proof of accommodation
• proof of sufficient financial means or an Electronic declaration of liability (*)

If you are participating in a student progam (less than six months):

• original letter issued by your educational institution
• original proof of registration
• proof of sufficient financial means (e.g. scholarship, letter of grants, bank statement of last two months [parent's account accepted including supporting letter], other proof of income)
• proof of lodging in Austria (e.g. lease contract, ownership papers)
• Elektronische Verpflichtungserklaerung* - Electronic declaration of liability:

Electronic transmission of data to the Embassy/Consulate by the Austrian authority: An individual legally residing in Austria can approach the local authority responsible for visa and residence permits ((Bundespolizeidirektion, Bezirkshauptmannschaft, Polizeikommissariat) in order to sign a declaration of liability for his guest(s).

For business invitations, a representative of the host company/organization in Austria has to file an application with the local authority responsible for visas and residence permits for Austria (Bundespolizeidirektion, Bezirkshauptmannschaft, Polizeikommissariat). The Austrian authority will verify the identity of the host and review his/her financial status. Upon completion of the verification process and after signing the declaration of liability, an 8-digit ID-number will be issued to the host. This ID-number is required by the Embassy or Consulate at the time of the application.

Note: The Embassy or Consulate can access the data only 48 hours after the verification process, thus an application should be filed 2 days later only.

FURTHER DOCUMENTATION MAY BE REQUIRED ON A CASE-TO-CASE BASIS

DO NOT CALL THE EMBASSY TO INQUIRE ABOUT THE STATUS OF YOUR APPLICATION.
The Embassy will not provide any information about the status of your application via phone or e-mail. A consular officer will let you know as soon as your visa is issued. Otherwise, the Embassy will contact you if additional documentation is required.

Embassy of Austria
Consular Section
3524 International Court, NW
Washington, D.C., 20008

Consulate Office Hours:
Monday through Friday,10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
(except Austrian and U.S. holidays )

E-mail: consularsection[at]austria.org