Visa Requirements For Austria: What You Need To Know

Austria is a member of the Schengen Agreement, which allows citizens of the Schengen zone to travel passport-free to any member state for an indefinite period. However, visitors to Austria who are not from the Schengen zone may need a visa to enter the country. Whether or not a visa is required depends on the visitor's nationality, purpose, and duration of stay.

Citizens of EU member states, the European Economic Area (EEA), and Switzerland do not need a visa to enter Austria. Nationals of other countries may require a visa, depending on their purpose and duration of stay.

For stays of up to 90 days within a 180-day period, citizens of certain countries, including the United States, do not need a visa to enter Austria. However, for stays exceeding 90 days or for gainful employment, a visa is required.

The type of visa required depends on the purpose of the visit. A short-stay visa, or Visa C, is intended for touristic, business, or visiting purposes of up to 90 days. For stays of more than 90 days, a Visa D is required, which allows the holder to stay in Austria for up to six months.

Do US citizens need a visa for Austria?

US citizens with a US passport do not need a visa to visit Austria for tourism or business purposes for up to 90 days within a 180-day period. However, it is not permitted to take up any employment during this time.

From 2025, US citizens will need to apply for ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorization System) before travelling to Austria. This will allow US citizens to visit Austria for up to 90 days in any 180-day period for tourism, business, or short-term study. ETIAS is valid for multiple trips over 3 years and can be applied for online.

If you are staying in Austria for longer than 90 days, you will need to apply for a residence permit or an Austrian National Visa. This can be done by scheduling an appointment with the Austrian Consulate General by email. You will need to provide various documents, including proof of legal residence in the USA, accommodation confirmation, proof of travel insurance, and proof of financial means to cover the costs of your stay.

It is important to note that US citizens need a visa or permit to work in Austria, regardless of the length of their stay.

What is the Schengen Agreement?

The Schengen Agreement is a treaty that led to the creation of Europe's Schengen Area, which covers over 4 million square kilometres with a population of almost 420 million people. The Schengen Area guarantees free movement to more than 400 million people, allowing them to travel, work, and live in any of the member countries without needing to go through border controls or having a visa. This area currently consists of 29 European countries, including Austria, and operates very much like a single state for international travel purposes.

The Agreement was signed on 14 June 1985 near the town of Schengen, Luxembourg, by five of the ten member states of the then European Economic Community: Belgium, France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and West Germany. It proposed measures to gradually abolish border checks at the signatories' common borders, including reduced-speed vehicle checks and allowing residents in border areas freedom to cross borders away from fixed checkpoints.

In 1990, the Agreement was supplemented by the Schengen Convention, which proposed the complete abolition of systematic internal border controls and the implementation of a common visa policy. The Schengen Area was established in 1995, initially involving seven EU countries. Today, it includes 25 of the 27 EU member states and all members of the European Free Trade Association (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland).

The set of rules governing the Schengen Area is called the Schengen Borders Code. This code includes provisions for crossing external borders, harmonisation of entry conditions and short-stay visa rules, cross-border police cooperation, and stronger judicial cooperation.

While the Schengen Agreement was originally independent of the European Union, it was incorporated into EU law by the Amsterdam Treaty in 1999. All EU member states that have not already joined the Schengen Area are legally obliged to do so when they meet the technical requirements. Several non-EU countries are also included in the area through special association agreements.

The benefits of the Schengen Area include significant economic advantages for citizens and businesses in participating states, and it is designed to be the bedrock of the European Union and the single market as a whole. The area also enhances security in the EU through increased cooperation between police forces, customs authorities, and external border control authorities of all member states.

How long can you stay in Austria without a visa?

Austria is a member of the Schengen Agreement, which allows citizens of specific countries to travel to any member state without a visa for a limited period. If you are a citizen of a country that is not a member of the European Union or the European Economic Area, you can stay in Austria for up to 90 days in a 180-day period without a visa. This period starts from the first day you enter any Schengen country.

However, you must ensure that your passport is valid for at least three months beyond the period of your stay. Additionally, you will need to provide proof of sufficient funds and a return plane ticket. It is also mandatory to have travel insurance with a minimum coverage of €30,000 for emergency medical aid and hospital treatment during your stay.

If you intend to stay in Austria for more than 90 days, you will need to apply for a visa. The type of visa you require depends on the purpose and duration of your stay. For instance, if you plan to stay for more than 90 days but not more than six months, you can apply for a Visa D. On the other hand, if you are seeking employment in Austria, you will need to obtain a Red-White-Red Card.

What is the ETIAS?

The ETIAS, or European Travel Information and Authorisation System, is an electronic screening system for passport holders granted visa-free access to the European Union (EU) and Schengen Area. It is designed for short-term visits (up to 90 days) to the EU and will be required for entry to the EU and Schengen Area from 2025. The ETIAS is not a visa or a stamp but an electronic code linked to your passport. It is valid for three years or until your passport expires, whichever comes first.

The ETIAS application process is straightforward and can be completed in around 10-15 minutes. It requires some basic information, such as personal biometric data (name, date of birth, etc.), valid passport data, destination within the EU, general background information, and history of immigration to the EU (if applicable). The fee for the ETIAS application is €7, and it is waived for travellers under 18 or over 70. Most applications are processed within minutes, but it can take up to 96 hours in some cases. If additional information is required, the approval process may take up to four weeks.

The ETIAS is mandatory for non-EU citizens from visa-exempt countries who wish to enter the Schengen Area. This includes citizens of the United States, Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, and many other countries. The ETIAS allows travellers to visit any country within the Schengen Area for up to 90 days within any 180-day period. It is important to note that the ETIAS is not a substitute for a visa and does not grant the right to work or study long-term in the EU.

What is a Schengen Visa?

The Schengen Area is a territory of over 400 million square miles comprising over two dozen nations, mostly within mainland Europe. It was established with the implementation of the Schengen Agreement, which was signed in 1985. The Schengen Area currently consists of 29 member states: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.

Per the Schengen Agreement, nationals of the Schengen Zone (and the European Union) are permitted to travel to, from, and throughout the Schengen Area without a visa. However, most visitors from outside the Schengen Zone need a visa to cross any of its borders, and this visa is known as a Schengen visa.

A traditional visa typically refers to a visa issued for entry into a single country and, therefore, usually restricts travel anywhere beyond that one nation. In contrast, a Schengen visa allows travel within all Schengen Area countries. In other words, a Schengen visa simplifies travel to, from, within, and between dozens of European countries on a single permit. Any and all Schengen Area member states can issue a Schengen visa, and once a Schengen member nation issues the visa, it is universally valid for any and all the other countries within this European zone. This makes the Schengen the largest area in the world that allows free movement without internal border controls.

There are four basic types of Schengen visa: business, work, student, and short-stay. The short-stay (aka "Type C" or "tourist") visa is the most common one, and it allows travel to (and throughout) all Schengen countries for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. However, if you're planning more than one trip, you'll need a multiple-entry visa. And if you're planning to stay in a particular country for more than three months, you'll have to opt not necessarily for a Schengen visa but rather a national (aka Type D) visa—that is, with that particular nation. Meanwhile, if you have connecting flights at a Schengen airport or two, you might need to apply for the Type A (aka "airport transit" or ATV) visa. The Type A visa only applies to certain nationalities. Nevertheless, those travelers that it does apply to may need one whenever transiting through an airport in a Schengen Area country (en route to a non-Schengen country) even if they remain in the international zone.

To get a Schengen visa, applicants must generally provide a completed visa application form, a valid passport, and two recent passport-sized photos. Proof of travel (i.e., your itinerary and/or flight reservation) and proof of accommodation (like hotel bookings) are also required. Additionally, applicants will usually need to show proof of sufficient financial means to cover their stay in their Schengen destination country—typically through bank statements (and/or a letter of sponsorship). And depending on the nature of your trip (e.g. tourism, business, family visit, etc.), additional documents may also be required—such as an invitation letter, proof of employment, proof of enrollment, and so on.

Frequently asked questions