Valuable information about visas in Austria from your lawyer
When it comes to visa issues, many people are overwhelmed. Competent support in this area is therefore often worth its weight in gold. The fact is: Foreigners who are required to have a passport are generally subject to visa requirements when entering and during their stay in Austria! Do you need help with visa matters? Then contact our law firm – we will be happy to help you!
All the facts about the uniform visa ("Visa C") at a glance
This visa entitles you to stay in Austria and all other Schengen states for up to three months. It is therefore also referred to as a "Schengen visa" or "tourist visa".
The maximum stay is three months within six months. In the case of several stays, these may not add up to more than three months within a six-month period, whereby the period is calculated from the first entry. The application must be submitted in person in the home country. Biometric identifications (photographs and fingerprints) are recorded when the application is submitted.
This visa may only be issued if the following requirements are met:
- Valid travel document
- Valid health insurance
- Health insurance must be valid in all Schengen states and, in addition to medical treatment, must also cover the costs of repatriation (minimum cover is 30,000 euros)
- Sufficient financial means for the stay and return journey as well as secure accommodation
- Proof of a permanent family, social and economic anchorage in the home country (permanent residence and job, regular income) and presentation of a paid return ticket
- Positive risk assessment
- Submission of documents on the purpose of the journey (representation authority checks whether these are plausible or whether there is a risk of illegal immigration)
- No threat to public order and security
- No SIS alert
- No entry refusal was issued in the "Schengen Information System"
What you need if you want to apply for a residence visa ("Visa D")
Visa D is a visa for a longer-term stay. In contrast to the uniform visa, its area of validity is limited to Austria, which is why it is also referred to as a "national visa". It authorises a stay in the Schengen area for three months and a maximum of six months in Austria and is therefore the visa with the longest period of validity.
A visa D can be issued for the following purposes:
- For a longer-term stay
- For humanitarian reasons
- For reasons worthy of special consideration
- For gainful employment
- To seek employment
- For the issue of a residence title
- For persons for whom a residence permit is available in Austria but who require a visa to enter the country (the residence permit can subsequently be collected from the domestic authorities)
- For inclusion in family proceedings by the Asylum Act
- For re-entry
The law does not specify when a visa D is issued for the reason of long-term residence. However, practice shows that the mere wish to stay in Austria for longer than three months is not sufficient. It is issued, for example, for course purposes or for study visits that do not exceed six months.
► An application for a visa must be submitted to an Austrian representative authority (embassy or consulate) abroad. The visa may only be applied for by an Austrian representative authority if the main purpose of the journey is in Austria.
► The application may be submitted at the earliest three months before travelling. Admissible visa applications must be decided on within 15 calendar days, at the latest within 60 calendar days.
► The visa fee must be paid in advance and will not be refunded in the event of rejection. A fee of 60 euros is payable for the issue of a uniform visa and 150 euros for a D visa.
