Entry Permits (Visa)

ALL visa applicants must apply at the Austrian Consulate General in person with prior appointment.

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 your visa-free 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 states and the following countries are exempt from the obligation of obtaining a visa:

• Albania (biometric passports only)
• Andorra
• Antigua and Barbuda
• Argentina
• Australia,
• Bahamas
• Barbados
• Bosnia-Herzegovina (biometric passports only)
• Brazil
• Brunei
• Chile
• Costa Rica
• Canada, Croatia
• El Salvador
• Guatemala
• Honduras
• Hong Kong (SAR only)
• Israel
• Japan
• Macao (RAE only)
• Malaysia
• Mauritius
• Macedonia (biometric passports only)
• Mexico
• Monaco
• Montenegro (biometric passports only),
• New Zealand
• Nicaragua
• Panama
• Paraguay
• Serbia (biometric passports only and NOT issued by Koordinacija Uprava)
• Seychelles
• Singapore
• St. Christophe and Nevis
• Taiwan (all passports if they contain the holders identity number)
• Uruguay
• United States of America
• Venezuela
• Vatican

Nationals of countries NOT listed above will need to obtain a visa to travel to Austria.

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
• Syria

II) Schengen 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) Austrian National 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 Consulate with all documents and additional authorizations required; otherwise, the visa will not be issued.

Before you file a visa application, please make sure that you need not apply for a residence permit to go to Austria.

• ALL visa applicants must appear in person at the Austrian Consulate in Los Angeles. The Austrian Consulate General does not accept visa applications by mail.
  Address: Austrian Consulate General, 11859 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 501, Los Angeles, CA 90025
• A prior appointment must be booked through our online calendar
• The Austrian Consulate General will accept only complete visa applications.
• You have to reside in one of these states in order to apply at the Austrian Consulate General in Los Angeles: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming and Pacific Islands.
• 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. In certain cases, when other authorities have to be consulted, processing time can take up to 30 calender days.
• Visa applications should ideally be submitted at least 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:
• If you wish to have your documents returned by mail, please enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope with your application. We advise to use FEDEX or UPS. The Austrian 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.

PLEASE NOTE: Since the information on our website is constantly updated, please refrain from calling to re-confirm the listed requirements by telephone. We value your cooperation.

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 parents or guardian is required.)
2. the visa application form, completed and signed on page 2 and page 3 (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), mouth closed (photo guidelines)
4. travel itinerary/ airline reservation and/or train tickets (showing dates of round trip) for entire journey (inlcuding planned travels to other states in the Schengen area OR if the journey includes destinations outside the Schengen area)
5. hotel reservation for entire stay in Austria, showing confirmation number, address and phone number of hotel (and other Schengen countries)
6. letter of employment in the U.S. (with original signature)
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 40,000), option of direct payment (insurance company must have a service provider in the Schengen area or an arrangement with a service provider in the Schengen area, no deductible, no reimbursement policy accepted). Please note: letters and insurance cards from U.S. health insurance companies cannot be accepted
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 (bank statement with full transactions of last three months including name and address, pay stubs, scholarship, letter of grants, tax returns, proof of pension, other proof of income)
10. visas of countries you intend to visit after your stay in Austria
11. one set of fotocopies of supporting original documents that you need back, including copy of passport, copy of "Green Card" or US visa, copy of previous Schengen visas
12. conuslar fee: payment must be made in US$ per money order, cashier's check (payable to Austrian Consulate General) or cash (exact change only please)

Visa application form English

Visa Antragsformular Deutsch

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 Consulate 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, proof of registration ("Meldezettel")
• 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 Consulate 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 individual 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 three months [parent's account accepted including supporting letter - signed by a notary public], other proof of income)
• proof of lodging in Austria

Elektronische Verpflichtungserklaerung* - Electronic declaration of liability:

Electronic transmission of data to the 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 Consulate at the time of the application.

Note: The 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 CONSULATE TO INQUIRE ABOUT THE STATUS OF YOUR APPLICATION.
The Consulate 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 Consulate will contact you if additional documentation is required.