The new visa waiver program for Europe’s Schengen Area will be arriving later than expected. The latest announcement from the European Union (EU) has stated that the ETIAS system will now be launched in 2025 instead of 2024. The European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) has been in the works for several years. It
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 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, in 2025, the European Commission will implement an 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 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.