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Notes on Obtaining an Austrian Visa
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12 MINUTE READ
August 21, 2023

U.S. citizens who intend to remain in Austria for a period exceeding 90 days or who wish to be gainfully employed in Austria must obtain an Austrian visa. Please note that the visa-free travel is limited to 90 days in any 180-day period.

The European Commission has published on its website a software tool, which enables travelers to plan their stay or calculate the remaining days of their authorized length of stay under the framework of the 90 days in any 180-day period rule.

Caveat: The United States Embassy in Vienna, Austria, is not licensed to practice law in Austria or to give legal advice concerning Austrian law and regulation. The following information is provided as a simple guide to assist U.S. citizens in understanding the basic focus of Austrian residence requirements. Neither the authors of this guide nor the U.S. government take any responsibility for any omissions, errors, or misstatements that might be contained herein. Readers of this document are directed to use this information only at their own risk and are counseled to rely upon the guidance of Austrian officials or their own personal attorneys when making decisions involving Austrian residency laws and regulations. Information and forms (“Formulare”) are available on the BMEIA Ministry’s homepage and on the City of Vienna homepage: “Law on Residence and Settlement.”

Information and forms regarding Austrian immigration and residence are available here: Austrian Ministry for European and International Affairs, Law on Residence and Settlement/City of Vienna, Residence of Third-Country Nationals.

You may also wish to consult the Austrian Embassy website for their very useful information.

Austrian Embassy
Consular Section
3524 International Court NW
Washington D.C. 20008-3035
Tel.: (202) 895 6767
Fax: (202) 895 60
Homepage: http://www.austria.org/
E-mail: washington-ob@bmeia.gv.at,
consularsection@austria.org (Consular Section)

List of Austrian Consulates in the U.S.

U.S. citizens may request a visa that will permit them to stay beyond 90 days or to work in Austria by applying for such a visa prior to traveling to Austria at an Austrian Embassy or Consulate General or by applying in Austria before their 90-day stay has expired.* Work is not authorized until the appropriate visa has been obtained.

*) To apply locally in Vienna, see Ansprechpersonen in der MA 35 (PDF 64 KB). For those who wish to take up residence in a different Austrian province, please go to: https://www.help.gv.at/Portal.Node/hlpd/public/behoerdenbundeslaender.

When applying in Austria, please note that the application does not automatically prolong the right of stay beyond the allowed 90 days, if the processing of the residence permit takes longer. (Note: Applications for residence permits may take up to six months to process.) Specifically students attending a college/university in Austria should consult with the Austrian Embassy/Consulate before coming to Austria to find out if they should apply for a residence permit from outside of Austria.

The short-stay calculator can be used for calculating the period of allowed stay:
http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/home-affairs/what-we-do/policies/borders-and-visas/border-crossing/index_en.htm

It is our understanding that once the 90 day period has been used up, the person needs to apply for a residence permit from outside of Austria, at the
respective Austrian Consulate in the country of residence. The Austrian Consulate will accept the application and forward it to
the local visa office in Austria (https://www.help.gv.at/Portal.Node/hlpd/public/content/12/Seite.120401.html#ZustaendigeStellen) for processing.

In the case of overstays, monetary fines and bans on re-entry (including arrest and deportation) will be imposed and will vary depending on
the circumstances.

Austria started collecting fingerprints from all visa applicants in the U.S.  Students who participate in an academic exchange program or a Fulbright program AND who do not reside in Washington, D.C., New York, or Los Angeles may submit their visa application in Munich/Germany, Bratislava/Slovakia, or Ljubljana/Slovenia after arriving in Austria. If the person has no visa, Austria must be the first point of entry into the Schengen area.  For more information, please see https://studyinaustria.at/en. Fulbright students and scholars, should contact the respective program officer at the Fulbright Commission: http://www.fulbright.at/about-us/aaec-staff.html.

Among the documents to be submitted by first-time applicants is a police record certificate. For information on how to obtain a police record from the local police in the U.S. or the FBI, please see Criminal Record Checks for U.S. Citizens and Foreigners.

For criminal record check information, please see Criminal Record Checks for U.S. Citizens and Foreigners.

Proof of health insurance will also be required (Austrian Insurance Association: Current Health- and Accident Insurance for foreigners with visa (pdf/46kb)) or FeelSafe.

Please Note: Austrian government offices will require an “APOSTILLE” authentication on documents presented with visa application, please see Apostille.

Effective July 1, 2011, new legislation set the conditions of entry and residence for the purposes of highly qualified employment and other skilled employment. Under the new Red-White-Red Card model, individuals need a respective job offer; applications will be processed according to specific selection factors and in coordination with the local labor authorities (Arbeitsmarktservice).

Living and Working in Austria (PDF 3MB) (Einreise, Aufenthalt, Arbeitspapiere)
http://www.ams.at/service-arbeitsuchende/download-formulare (Download und Formulare)

More information is available at:

 

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Consular Affairs, Economic Opportunity, Messages For U.S. Citizens, U.S. Citizen Services