Austria Visa Policy

Visa Policy for Austria

Foreign visitors planning a trip need to familiarize themselves with the restrictions and requirements established in the visa policy of each country and check if they need any type of visa or authorization to travel.

The immigration policy of Austria is the same as for the rest of European countries that have signed the Schengen Agreement for passport-free travel. Austria is one of the 26 Schengen Area countries, and so shares the same visa policy.

The visa requirements that the Schengen visa policy establishes for foreign travelers differ depending on nationality, the purpose of the visit, and the expected duration of stay.

Currently, Schengen visa law states that all third-country nationals are either visa-exempt for Austria, or they need to obtain an embassy visa, also known as a Schengen visa, to visit the country.

However, by November of 2023, the European Commission will implement a electronic visa waiver, ETIAS, which will be a mandatory requirement to travel to Austria and the Schengen countries for all current visa-free countries who are not inside the Schengen Area.

The ETIAS travel authorization for Austria will be available through an easy online registration form and is being introduced to increase the security of the Schengen passport-free zone, by pre-screening all visa-exempt travelers against European security databases.

Eligible citizens will be required to complete a simple online application with basic personal, passport, and travel information.

ETIAS is approved as a multiple entry travel authorization which allows the holder a stay of up to 90 days in all of the 26 Schengen countries with each entry, for purposes of tourism, transit, business, or medical treatment.

Individuals who are not visa-exempt for Austria are required to submit an embassy visa application, no matter the length or purpose of the stay. This must be approved before departure from the nearest Austrian embassy or consulate.

Read more information about the visa requirements for each nationality in the boxes below.

Tourist Visa Policy for Austria

If travelers are planning to visit Austria for tourism purposes, different visa requirements will need to be met depending on their nationality.

At the moment, over 90 nationalities are allowed to enter Austria without holding a visa for short length stays, for purposes of tourism, business, transit, and medical treatment. However, this will change in the near future.

However, by 2023, visa-exempt tourist travelers to Austria from outside the Schengen Area, will need to pre-register for an ETIAS electronic travel authorization through an online application. Once approved, it will be electronically linked to the traveler’s passport and is valid for 3 years to visit all 26 Schengen countries for short stays.

This will not be a requirement for visitors holding a passport or ID Card issued from one of the Schengen Area countries, whose residents can travel visa-free to Austria for tourism.

However, there are around 150 other countries that are required to apply for a Schengen visa to gain entry to Austria for tourism. Eligible individuals are requested to obtain this travel document well in advance of their travel dates, from the nearest embassy or consulate of Austria.

Familiarize yourself with the visa law of Austria by browsing the comprehensive information in the boxes below.

ETIAS for Austria

By 2023, travelers from several countries planning a trip to Austria will be requested to apply for an ETIAS visa waiver before they travel to the Schengen Area.

The European Commission is implementing this new electronic travel authorization for all third-national individuals who are visa-exempt for the 26 Schengen countries. The online registration program will allow visa-free travelers to be screened for any potential security or health risks before they arrive at Austrian borders.

ETIAS will be a multiple entry travel authorization that will allow holders to visit all of the Schengen countries for a total stay of 90 days with each entry for purposes of tourism, transit, business, and medical treatment.

To obtain ETIAS for Austria, individuals will have to complete an online application form with personal, passport, and travel information, as well as answer some security and health-related questions. This information will then be checked against European security databases.

Once approved, the ETIAS travel authorization will be electronically linked to the individual’s passport, which should be valid for least 3 months from the intended entry date to the Schengen zone. An approved ETIAS Austria will be valid for 3 years from the date of issue.

Please note that an ETIAS visa waiver for Austria is not a visa and will not substitute a student or working visa. If travelers need to visit the Schengen Area for these purposes, or for a period of stay longer than 90 consecutive days, they will need to apply for an embassy visa at an Austrian overseas diplomatic mission.

Travelers planning to visit Austria are recommended to check this page regularly for updates until the ETIAS system is implemented.

Embassy or Consular Visa Required

Citizens of around 150 countries are required to obtain an Austrian Schengen visa in advance of the visit.

Nationals of these countries need to hold a correctly processed embassy visa no matter the purpose and duration of the travel to Austria.

It usually takes several weeks to obtain a consular visa from the nearest overseas diplomatic government office of Austria, so travelers are recommended to apply well in advance of the expected departure date. The exact processing time may be confirmed by the individual embassy or consulate.

The first step to applying for a Schengen visa is to schedule a visa appointment at the nearest Austrian embassy or consulate. Once confirmed, the applicant will need to download, print, and complete an embassy visa form to bring to the consular interview.

Austrian embassy visa requirements state that it is necessary for applicants to hold a passport valid for at least 3 months from the expected arrival date in the Schengen Area.

Applicants are also required to select the correct visa type, according to the duration and purpose of the trip, and provide a range of supporting documentation which varies depending on the chosen visa option.

Check the list below to see if your nationality requires a consular visa to travel to Austria.

Afghanistan
Aland Islands
Algeria
American Samoa
Angola
Anguilla
Antarctica
Armenia
Aruba
Azerbaijan
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Belarus
Belize
Benin
Bermuda
Bhutan
Bolivia
Bonaire
Botswana
British Indian Ocean Territory
British Virgin Islands
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Cambodia
Cameroon
Cape Verde
Cayman Islands
Central African Republic
Chad
China
Christmas Island
Cocos Islands
Comoros
Congo
Cook Islands
Cuba
Curacao
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Djibouti
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
Egypt
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Ethiopia
Falkland Islands
Faroe Islands
Fiji
French Guiana
French Polynesia
Gabon
Gambia
Ghana
Gibraltar
Greenland
Guadeloupe
Guam
Guernsey
Guinea
Guinea Bissau
Guyana
Haiti
India
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Isle of Man
Ivory Coast
Jamaica
Jersey
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Kuwait
Kyrgyzstan
Laos
Lebanon
Lesotho
Liberia
Libya
Madagascar
Malawi
Maldives
Mali
Martinique
Mauritania
Mayotte
Mongolia
Montserrat
Morocco
Mozambique
Myanmar
Namibia
Nauru
Nepal
New Caledonia
Niger
Nigeria
Niue
Norfolk Island
North Korea
Northern Mariana Islands
Oman
Pakistan
Palestinian Territory
Papua New Guinea
Philippines
Pitcairn Islands
Puerto Rico
Qatar
Reunion
Russian Federation
Rwanda
Saint Barthelemy
Saint Helena
Saint Martin
Saint Pierre and Miquelon
Sao Tome and Principe
Saudi Arabia
Senegal
Sierra Leone
Sint Maarten
Somalia
South Africa
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
South Sudan
Sri Lanka
Sudan
Suriname
Svalbard and Jan Mayen
Swaziland
Syrian Arab Republic
Tajikistan
Tanzania
Thailand
Togo
Tokelau
Tunisia
Turkey
Turkmenistan
Turks and Caicos Islands
Uganda
United States Virgin Islands
Uzbekistan
Vietnam
Wallis and Futuna
Yemen
Zambia
Zimbabwe

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Visa Not Required

The current Austrian visa law establishes that certain nationalities do not need a visa to travel to, enter, and remain in the state.

At the moment, there are over 90 countries whose residents are not required to obtain any kind of visa to travel to Austria.

Individuals holding a passport or ID Card issued by one of the European countries that form the Schengen Area are granted unlimited freedom of movement to Austria.

Other visa-exempt citizens are able to travel to the Schengen Area for short stays and for tourism, business, or transit purposes, simply by presenting a passport valid for at least 3 months of the expected arrival date.

However, by November of 2023, a visa waiver program will be implemented for Austria and the other Schengen countries. Once introduced, all non-European countries that are currently visa-exempt for Austria will be required to apply for an ETIAS travel authorization. This will include countries like United States, Australia, Canada, and Japan, among others.

If the traveler requires a longer stay or wishes to visit Austria for purposes other than those permitted visa-free, they will need to apply for a consular visa at the nearest overseas government diplomatic office.

See below for an up-to-date list of the countries whose citizens are not required to hold a visa to travel to Austria.