Famous football player Alex Morgan said the following words about her visit to Austria: We travelled to Austria to train, and it was so calm. Also, I adore coffee, and the coffee was excellent. It is just a teaser of an unforgettable vacation in Austria. A diverse landscape, streets full of history, biodiversity, and more will mesmerize you. The historical richness and charming nature are two main weapons of the country. More than 30 million travel to Austria per year, and the number of tourists increases each year. So, we decided to give details of the Austria Schengen visa application process for people who want to visit Austria. Some of the questions that will be answered under this title are:
• Is Austria a Schengen country?
• How much does the visa cost?
• How to apply Austria visa?
• Where to apply for a visa?
• What are the Austria Schengen visa requirements?
• How long does it take to get Austria visa?
Austria Visa Policy
Is Austria a Schengen country? Yes, Austria is one of the 26 Schengen area countries. If you have a Schengen area visa for another country or you are from one of the visa-waiver countries, you will not need any visa to visit Austria. On the other hand, all other nationalities must obtain a visa. Depending on the purpose of the visit, applicants can apply for various visas. We can divide them into three categories:
• A Visa: Air Transit Visa. Generally, people do not need a visa if they don't leave the transit zone or the plane. However, some exempt nationalities must apply for a visa.
• C Visa: Travel Visa or Schengen Visa
• D Visa: Residence Visa. It is for people who want to stay for a long time in Austria. Reasons for long-term are education, work, and family reunion.
How to apply Austria Visa?
The Austria Schengen visa application process consists of five steps. All applicants must finish these parts to obtain permission to travel to Austria. The first step is the Austria Schengen visa appointment. After the Austria Schengen visa appointment next steps are:
• Collecting the required documents
• Paying the fee
• Attending interview
• Waiting for processing.
Where to apply for a visa? Applicants can apply for a visa in visa application centres, embassies, or consulates. Depending on the country, the place to make an application may change. If you can't find any of these in your country, you should go to the nearest embassy or consulate.
Schengen Visa
It is a short-term visa that allows its holders to travel between 26 countries without any visa application process and border controls. Those countries are Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.
Furthermore, depending on the purpose of the visit, Schengen Visa has several subcategories:
• Austria Tourist Visa
• Austria Business Visa
• Austria Visiting Family/Friends Visa
• Austria Medical Treatment Visa
• Austria Sports, Scientific or Cultural Activity; Official Exchange Programs Visa
Tourist Visa
It is for people who want to stay in the country as a tourist. Your stay should not exceed 90 days. During this period, you can participate in various tourist activities, travel around the country and visit other Schengen countries. Who can get a visa? Only the applicants who fit all Austria Schengen visa requirements will get a chance to travel to Austria. One of the main requirements is required documents. The document list is almost the same for all subcategories.
• Austria Schengen visa application form. You need to fully complete the Austria Schengen visa application form in English or German, sign, and date (parents must sign for children).
• Photos. You will provide two photos not older than six months. The frontal view of the face must cover 70-80% of the picture, and it should be taken on a white background, with clear facial features and eyes. Finally, try to avoid dressing colours matching the background.
• Passport and copy; Validation of document must be valid at least three months before the date of departure from the Schengen area, and it must have a minimum of two free visa pages. Additionally, applicants will provide a copy of the main page of the document.
• Copy of all the previous Schengen visas
• Identity card. Validity minimum of three months beyond the leaving date from the Schengen area.
• Residence permit/visa copy. Same as in the Identity card, validity must be a minimum of three months beyond the departure (if the applicant's residency and citizenship are different).
• Health insurance. Valid for the entire period of the demanded visa ( all Schengen countries), minimum coverage of 30,000 EURO.
• Record of professional status; employment contract, certificate of employment, school attendance certificate, proof of pension, etc.
• Financial means. You can provide cash, card, or bank statements as proof.
• Accommodation proof
• Itinerary evidence. Flight ticket reservation must show the date of entry and the date of departure.
• Proof of civil status; marriage certificate, birth certificate of children, death certificate of spouse, and so on.
• Documents for children: Birth certificate, copy of the family book, letter of permission from parent/s or legal guardian (if travel alone), etc.
Business Visa
Applicants who want to engage in business activities must obtain a visa. What can I do with a business visa? It gives you a chance to have meetings, make business deals, recruit, train, or do other work-related activities. Also, you can join business-related conferences, seminars, etc. The documentation process is almost the same with a tourist visa, but you will need to show proof of business activities. All applicants are obliged to get a confirmed invitation letter from a business or company based in Austria. If not, they need to apply for a tourist visa and provide needed documents (passport, cover letter for Schengen visa Austria, etc.).
Visiting Family or Friends Visa
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I have a friend (family member) in Austria, can I visit him (her)? Yes, you can visit your family members and friends by getting a visa. Such as in the previous two types, you will need the same documents. The only extra piece of paper is an invitation letter. In the letter, you must mention the contact and address details of your host. Besides, while providing proof of accommodation, you will need a cover letter for Schengen visa Austria.
Medical Treatment Visa
The Healthcare of Austria is famous for its affordability and high quality in Europe and worldwide. People from all over the world travel here for various medical problems. Some of those people need to have a visa. Such as in other subcategories, you will undergo documentation and other visa application steps. The list of documents is the same, but additionally, you will need a medical invitation form issued and signed by the clinic or the attending physician.
Sports, Scientific or Cultural Activity and Official Exchange Programs Visa
Probably, it is the most different type of Schengen visa among all subcategories. As we said before, you will need almost the same papers for all Schengen visas. For Sports, Scientific or Cultural Activity and Official Exchange Programs Visa, you will get some extra papers:
• Invitation to participate in scientific, cultural, and artistic activities
• Language course: Evidence of language school with details, accommodation, financial means, evidence of return
• Invitation from the head of administration and a written request from the head of the mayor for Official Twin City Programs
• Invitation or certificate of enrolment for pupils, students, post-graduate students, and accompanying teachers
• Scholarship student; Proof of scholarship from Austria or EU fund of minimum 659 EURO per month.
• Student exchange: A written request from the inviting school and
• the list of exchange students and their hosts
• Youth exchange programs: Invitation or statement of sponsorship
• Applicants of international sports events and people that accompanied them: Invitation from the host organization or separate record of sponsorship
Austria Schengen Visa Processing Time and the Fee
How long does it take to get Austria visa? Austria Schengen visa processing time changes between 5-25 calendar days. What about the charge? The fee for people over 12 is 80 EURO, and 40 EURO for 6-12 years old. Also, some countries get a special discount. They are Azerbaijan, Russia, and Armenia. Citizens of these countries will pay 35 EURO.
The Visa Fee Free Applicants
Despite the discounts mentioned in the previous headline, some people are completely free from Schengen visa charges. Reasons for these can be age, kinship relations with Austrian citizens, and so on.
• Close relatives (children, parents, grandmothers, grandfathers, grandchildren) of those who are legally living in the Schengen area
• Pensioners
• Members of official delegations and permanent members of official delegations
• Pupils, students, graduate students, and pedagogical staff travelling with them for research and educational purposes as a part of the official educational program
• People who have some disabilities and people who accompany them
• Participants of international sports events and people accompanying those participants
• Journalists and technical staff that make an official visit
