Transit Visa Requirements: Austria And Your Stopover

Austria is a member of the European Union and follows the Schengen Area rules, which allow residents to travel freely without restrictions within their borders. If you are a resident of a country within the Schengen Area, you won't need a visa to enter Austria. However, if you are a citizen of a different country, you may need to obtain a visa, depending on your nationality, the duration of your stay, and the purpose of your visit.

For example, citizens of the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada can generally enter Austria without a visa for stays of up to 90 days, provided they meet certain requirements, such as having a valid passport and proof of sufficient financial means. On the other hand, citizens of countries like Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Congo, and Ethiopia are required to obtain a transit visa even if they don't leave the international transit zone of an Austrian airport.

Do UK citizens need a transit visa for Austria?

UK citizens do not need a transit visa to pass through Austria, as long as they do not leave the international transit zone of the airport. However, if you are planning to stay in Austria for more than 90 days within a 180-day period, you will need to apply for a visa.

If you are a holder of a British passport, you do not need a visa for tourist travel, visiting friends and family, or business travel (without paid work in Austria) for up to 90 days within a 180-day period. This is because Austria is part of the Schengen Area, which allows residents to travel freely without restrictions within their borders.

If you are planning to work in Austria, you will need to apply for a work visa and a work permit. For stays of more than six months, you will need to apply for a residence permit.

To enter Austria, your passport must:

• Have a 'date of issue' less than 10 years before the date you arrive.
• Have an 'expiry date' at least three months after the day you plan to leave the Schengen area.
• Be valid for more than three months from the expected time of arrival in Austria.

You will also need to show proof of:

• Travel insurance
• A return or onward ticket
• Accommodation, such as a hotel booking confirmation
• Sufficient funds for your stay

Do US citizens need a transit visa for Austria?

US citizens do not need a transit visa to pass through Austria, as long as they remain within the international transit zone of the airport. This is because Austria is one of the 26 countries in the Schengen Area, which allows residents to travel freely without restrictions within their borders.

However, there are some exceptions to this rule. If you are a citizen of the following countries, you will need a transit visa to pass through Austria, even if you are just staying in the international transit zone: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Iran, Iraq, Nigeria, Pakistan, Somalia, and Sri Lanka. Syria is the only additional country that Austria mandates an airport transit visa for its citizens.

It is important to note that if you are planning to stay in Austria for more than 90 days, you will need to apply for a residence permit. Additionally, if you are planning to work in Austria during your stay, you will need a visa and a work permit.

Do Canadian citizens need a transit visa for Austria?

Canadian citizens do not need a visa to enter Austria for business, tourist, or visitor purposes if their stay is under 90 days within a period of 180 days. This is because Austria is a Schengen area country, and Canadian citizens do not need a visa for travel to countries within the Schengen area for stays of up to 90 days. However, if Canadian citizens wish to stay in the Schengen area for longer than 90 days, they will need to apply for a visa.

If Canadian citizens are only transiting through Austria, they do not need a transit visa if they are not leaving the international transit zone of the airport. However, if they are transiting through two or more airports in Austria or other Schengen countries, they will need a transit visa. Additionally, Canadian citizens who hold a valid Canadian permanent resident card or temporary resident visa do not need an airport transit visa.

Do Australian citizens need a transit visa for Austria?

Australian citizens do not need a transit visa to enter Austria. Nationals of EU, EEA countries, Switzerland, and others (e.g. Australia, Japan, Canada, US) do not need a visa to enter Austria. However, Australian citizens will need an ETIAS travel authorisation from spring 2025.

If you are an Australian citizen, you will not need a visa to travel to Austria for a holiday (up to 90 days in any 180-day period). At border control, you may need to show a return or onward ticket or prove that you have enough money for your stay. You may need a visa or permit to stay for longer, to work or study, or for business travel.

If you are planning to stay in Austria for more than 90 days but less than six months (for tourism, business trip, conference, student exchange, visiting family members, work), and you are neither an EU nor an EFTA citizen, you need an Austrian National Visa D. The Austrian National Visa D entitles you to reside in Austria for up to six months. Within the validity of your Visa D, you may travel for up to 90 days within a 180-day period in other Schengen countries. The Austrian National Visa D per se is not a work permit and, as such, does not allow you to take up employment in Austria! When travelling to Austria for work, the original employment contract for the proposed work in Austria as well as a work permit from the Austrian Employment Service (AMS), which needs to be obtained by the employer in Austria, has to be provided when applying for the Austrian National Visa D.

Under the Work and Holiday Visa (WHV) Arrangement between Austria and Australia, Australian citizens aged between 18 and 30 years have the opportunity to work and holiday in Austria for up to one year.

To be eligible, you must:

• Have the primary intention to holiday in Austria, with employment and study being incidental rather than primary reasons for the visit.
• Hold an Australian passport that is valid for at least three months after your departure from Austria.
• Be aged between 18 and 30 years, both inclusive, at the time of application.
• Hold tertiary qualifications or have successfully completed at least two years of higher education.
• Have sufficient funds for your maintenance during the initial period of stay in Austria.
• Hold a return ticket or show sufficient funds to purchase such a ticket.
• Have adequate travel and health insurance that covers all risks and is effective for the entire period of stay in Austria.
• Not be accompanied by children or other dependents.
• Not have previously held a WHV under an Austrian working holiday scheme.
• Not have previously been expelled by a Schengen country and/or be considered as a threat to public order, internal security or public health.

Do New Zealand citizens need a transit visa for Austria?

New Zealand citizens do not need a transit visa to enter Austria. They are granted visa-free access to Austria for up to 90 days within any 180-day period in the Schengen Area. This means that New Zealand citizens can enter Austria and other countries in the Schengen Area without a visa for tourism, business, or transit purposes, and they can stay for up to 90 days within a 180-day period.

However, it is important to note that New Zealand citizens will need to present a valid New Zealand passport upon entry to Austria. The passport must also have at least six months of validity remaining from the date of travel and at least two blank visa pages. Additionally, New Zealand citizens may need to provide proof of sufficient funds and travel insurance for their stay in Austria.

Frequently asked questions