Visas to Austria
- visa A
(transit through the airside of the airport) - issued to persons whose purpose of visit is
transit to third countries through international airports in Austria
. Moreover, this visa gives the right to stay in the airside area of the airport during a transfer from one aircraft to another, but does not allow its holder to leave the transit zone and stay in Austria. - visa C
(short-term stay up to 90 days) - issued to persons whose purpose of visit is
tourism, transit, visiting relatives or friends, business trips
. This visa gives the right to visit countries in the Schengen area. A visa can be single, double or multiple and allows a foreigner, respectively, one, two or an unlimited number of times, during the time specified in the visa, to transit or enter and plan to stay in the territory of the countries participating in the Schengen Agreement. The validity period of a visa can be from several days (usually issued according to the duration of the trip) to several years, however, the duration of the trip or the total number of days of stay in the territory of the Schengen countries should not exceed 90 days for each period of 180 days. - visa D
(national visa) -
valid only in Austria and gives the right to stay in the country from 3 to 6 months
without a temporary residence permit or residence permit. This visa gives the right to travel to Schengen countries for up to 90 days during the validity period of the national visa. For such a visa you must apply directly to the Austrian Embassy in Moscow.
Design features
Who can submit documents:
- the applicant himself, close relatives (relationship must be proven);
- relative – if the applicant has previously received a visa to the Schengen zone;
- minors under 18 years of age submit documents in the presence of parents or guardians.
Submitting documents by proxy from an organization, notary or group of persons is not permitted.
Registration at the visa center
Applications from citizens are accepted by appointment only; attendance is limited strictly to the designated time.
Reception at the centers from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday–Friday.
The visa center allows you to obtain any visa except the “national” one.
Types and validity periods of visas
There is a system of gradation of visa permits for any case: according to the timing, purpose and frequency of trips to Austria. To determine the type of visa requested and the set of documents provided, clearly indicate the purpose of the trip.
How long does it take to get a visa to Austria?
Austrian visas, according to EU standards, are divided into multi-visa, double-entry and single-entry. When you first apply, you will be issued a single-entry visa, valid for the duration of your trip. In subsequent applications, consular services can issue a visa valid from six months to several years.
Austrian visa on your own - processing time
EU regulations have approved the average processing time for applications - 15 days, Austrian visa services state the minimum period is 9 days. If personal visits to the consul are necessary and the consul requests additional papers, it is possible to extend the visa processing for up to 1 month.
It is customary to submit documents in advance, but you cannot apply earlier than 90 days before the trip.
List of documents for obtaining a visa to Austria through a travel agency
An approximate list of documents required to obtain an Austrian visa (different tour operators may require a different set of documents):
- A foreign passport
valid for 3 months after the expiration of the visa; two blank pages are required. The passport must not be damaged, torn, dirty, or have any extraneous entries or marks. All corrections in the passport must be certified by the seal of the issuing authority. The passport must contain the signature of the owner from the age of 14; - Application form for a visa to Austria in two copies. The application form must have an original signature, as in a foreign passport. (signature in paragraph 37 and at the end of page 4)
- “ tourist’s obligation
” with an original signature and a transcript of your signature (last and first names as in the international passport)
Austria visa application form- 2 color photographs
: 3.5x4.5 cm, matte, on a white background, without corners, ovals, stamps, black glasses, in dark clothes, less than 6 months old, head size 3.2-3.6 cm (70-80 % of the entire image). The passport should not contain visas with this photo; - a copy of all completed pages of the international passport
in A4 format, 4 spreads on one sheet (2 spreads on one side of the sheet, 2 spreads on the other); - copies of all Schengen visas
, visas of European countries not included in Schengen, visas of the USA, Canada, Great Britain in valid and canceled international passports, including photocopies of the first pages of international passports - copies of internal passport pages
(only the first page and registration); - certificate from the place of work
with the obligatory indication of the actual address and telephone number of work, position and salary (
minimum salary 45,000 rubles
), indicating the period of paid leave, valid for no more than 1 month at the time of submission of the kit to the consulate,
with translation into German or English - confirmation of sufficient funds
- an original bank account statement with movements for the last 3 months on bank letterhead, confirming that the tourist has sufficient funds, at the rate of
50 euros per day
, but not less than
1000 euros per person
(plus
translation of the statement into English or German language
) or, in case of insufficient funds, a statement from the sponsor (
with translation
) to assume all expenses, indicating the relationship between the sponsor and the sponsored person, and a copy of his international passport (first page) or a copy of the first page and page with registration internal passport, certificate from the sponsor’s place of work and an extract from his account; - for tourists who are married
but have different surnames, it is necessary to attach
a copy of the marriage certificate with a translation - for tourists who are married
but traveling without a spouse, it is necessary to attach
a copy of the marriage certificate with a translation - for tourists who are divorced
, it is necessary to attach
a copy of the divorce certificate with a translation - if the tourist is a widow/widower
, it is necessary to attach
a copy of the death certificate of the spouse with a translation - for children
traveling accompanied by one of the parents or without parents,
a notarized copy of the consent for the child’s departure
from one or two parents
with a translation into English or German - unemployed people
who independently sponsor themselves with an account statement worth at least 100 thousand rubles are required to write a letter in free form
in English or German
with a request to review their documents without a sponsorship letter from relatives - if your own funds are insufficient,
be sure to include
a statement from the sponsor
agreeing to cover all expenses
Additional requirements
for students:
- certificate from the place of study
- a statement from the sponsor
(
with translation
) about accepting all expenses, indicating the relationship between the sponsor and the sponsored person, and a copy of his international passport (first page) or a copy of the first page and the registration page of his internal passport, a certificate from the sponsor’s place of work and an extract from his account
for pensioners:
- copy of pension book
- Those who independently sponsor themselves with an account statement
worth at least 100 thousand rubles are required to write a letter in free form
in English or German
with a request to review their documents without a sponsorship letter from relatives - a statement from the sponsor
(
with translation
) about accepting all expenses, indicating the relationship between the sponsor and the sponsored person, and a copy of his international passport (first page) or a copy of the first page and the registration page of his internal passport, a certificate from the sponsor’s place of work and an extract from his account
for individual entrepreneurs:
- certificate from the place of employment in German or English
with the obligatory indication of the actual address and telephone number of work, position and salary, seal and signature of the individual entrepreneur or chapter. accountant or deputy director (2nd personal income tax with income of at least 45,000 rubles) - a copy of the certificate of registration with the tax authority
(
+ translation into English or German
) - a copy of the certificate of registration of individual entrepreneurs with the tax authority
(
+ translation into English or German
)
for minors:
- for children,
a separate
application form
, signed by both parents in the 37th and last paragraph; for children over 14 years old, 3 signatures (child, mother and father) in the 37th and last paragraph; - “ Tourist obligation
”, both parents sign in the “signature” paragraph and write their last name and first name in the “signature decryption” paragraph - copy of birth certificate
- certificate from the place of study
(if studying) - a statement from the sponsor
(
with translation
) about accepting all expenses, indicating the relationship between the sponsor and the sponsored person, and a copy of his international passport (first page) or a copy of the first page and the registration page of his internal passport, a certificate from the sponsor’s place of work and an extract from his account
The consulate reserves the right to request additional documents and invite the tourist for an interview, regardless of his location
All Russian-language documents
, such as work certificates, account statements, bank confirmations, birth and marriage certificates, permission to leave a child, etc.
must be provided with translations
into German or English (in the translation of the work certificate and account statement, the currency indicated is the same as in the original).
Translations must be made by a person who speaks German or English, as incorrect or inaccurate translations may lead to misunderstandings or visa refusal. Certification of the translation by a notary is not required
.
Additional documents
For tourist trips
- Hotel reservations (copy, fax). The following notes are required: full name, dates of stay, signature of the manager, amount and advice note - confirmation of payment.
- Confirmation of financial solvency. Guarantee documents - income certificate, for unemployed people - an extract from the sponsor's bank account, for pensioners and students - certificates.
- Copies of tickets (reservations) for round-trip transport flights.
- For children - copies of birth certificates, a notarized power of attorney from one or both.
For business trips
- The original document from the receiving party indicating the details of the invitee, the purpose of the trip, the period of stay in the country, contact numbers and addresses. If the host party bears the costs of the trip, a corresponding letter about this is required.
- An extract from the register of entrepreneurs or documents confirming a business trip from the Russian employing organization.
Trips by invitation of a private person
- A copy of the passport of the inviting party.
- When staying with the host party - copies of rental or sale documents.
- Electronic invitation – digital ID number (8 characters).
Transit trips
- Copies of valid visas for transit countries and final destinations to which the applicant is traveling from Austria.
- Copies of tickets for travel (for trains or flights) both ways.
The consulate may require personal appearance or additional documents.
It is important to know:
- Travelers by car provide documents for transport, driver's license and car insurance (international), as well as a route plan.
- All documents in Russian must be translated into English or German, indicating the date and organization that performed the translation, or the full name of the translator. Your own translations are acceptable.
For children
- Birth certificates.
- The questionnaire for children is filled out separately, children put signatures on their parents’ questionnaires - children under 14 years old put 2 signatures, from 14 to 18 years old - 3 signatures.
- Copies of Russian passports of the parents of a child traveling unaccompanied, as well as their notarized permission for his departure.
- Documentary explanation in case of absence of the second parent.
- Parents with valid visas in hand confirm tickets and hotel reservations for the whole family.
Applying for a visa to Austria yourself
You can apply for a visa to Austria yourself
, for this you need to collect approximately the same list of documents + medical insurance, a copy of round-trip air tickets, proof of residence, or an invitation, and submit it either to the Consular Section in
Moscow
, to the Hungarian Consulate in Yekaterinburg, to the Finnish Consulate in St. Petersburg, or to the nearest
visa center
located in the cities of: Vladivostok, Samara, Saratov, Nizhny Novgorod, Kaliningrad, Kazan, Krasnodar, Krasnoyarsk, Novosibirsk, Irkutsk, Murmansk, Moscow, Omsk, Perm, Rostov-on-Don, Khabarovsk, and Ufa.
Detailed information
information about types of visas, methods of obtaining, list of documents provided, production times, costs, addresses of visa centers, forms and samples of documents, sign up to submit documents, etc. can be found
on the
VFS Global
What mistakes can there be when obtaining a visa on your own?
To apply for a visa yourself, you need to know what could cause a refusal.
You should carefully fill out the questionnaire, answering all questions truthfully. About 40% of refusals are associated with false information that the applicant provided about himself.
It is necessary to carefully collect documents. If the package of documents provided does not contain any certificate, the entry permit will be refused. All submitted documents must be original.
Cost of a visa to Austria
When purchasing a tour through a travel agency
- for citizens of the Russian Federation
-
60-70
€ - for children over 6 years old
–
45-70
€ - for children under 6 years old
–
30-45
€ - urgent visa
(processing time 6 working days) –
100-140
€ - urgent visa for a child over 6 years old
(processing time 6 working days) –
90-100
€
When submitting documents independently through the Consulate
- for Russian citizens - 35
€ - for children under 6 years old - free
When submitting documents independently through a visa center (VFS Visa Facilitation Service)
- for Russian citizens – 35
€ + service fee –
26
€ - for children under 6 years old - free
+ service fee -
26
€
Payment of visa and service fees is made at the visa service center in cash or by credit card on the day of submission of documents, in rubles at the current exchange rate of the Austrian Embassy in Moscow.
Visa cost
- The consular fee for a short-term visa for Russians is 35 euros, for citizens of other countries – 60 euros.
- If you need a visa to Austria urgently, the consular fee must be paid double (70 euros).
- If you contact the VFS CC, you additionally need to pay a service fee, its price is 20 euros. Residents of other cities, unlike residents of Moscow, also pay a logistics fee in the amount of 450 rubles for delivery of documents to the regional EC
- Fees are paid upon application, at the exchange rate in rubles. Please keep your payment receipt for confirmation. Money is not returned even if the decision is negative.
Migration card
Upon arrival in Austria, before crossing the border, a migration card is filled out. To speed up the process of passing through the border control point, such cards are usually issued on the plane, where our flight attendants can help fill them out. It should be filled out with a blue or black pen, in block Latin letters. The card must be filled out for each person entering, including each child with their own passport. Sample of filling out a migration card when entering Austria. There is no need to download a blank card from the Internet, print it out and fill it out at home; just take a sample of the form with you.
Division of Schengen visas by number of entries
Short-term visa (type C) – can be single, double or multiple entry.
- Single entry visa. Its holder has the right to enter Schengen only once. When leaving the country, the permit ceases to be valid, even if its expiration date has not yet expired
- Double. It differs from the previous one in that you can visit the Schengen country twice. With the appearance of a second exit stamp in the passport, it is no longer valid
- Multiple entry Schengen visa or multivisa. It also has the name reusable. The number of visits to the Schengen zone is limited only by the validity of the visa. The sticker itself in the passport has about
Depending on the validity period, a multivisa is issued for six months, one year or five years.
For all types of Austrian visas, Russians must collect and prepare a package of documents (from the general and accompanying lists).
The general list is not determined by the type of visa permit and is the same for any applicant, and an additional list is provided based on the intentions of the applicant.
Where to submit documents
Let's return to considering options for where to submit documents. We have already discussed three possible options above. Now let's take a closer look at their differences.
Austrian Consulate
The consulate has a separate visa department that accepts documents.
In 2021, you can only submit documents directly to the consulate to obtain a national visa, type D.
National visas are processed only by the consulate, so if you need one, then you should only go to the consulate.
The consulate delegated other types of visas to visa centers.
You can sign up to submit documents to the consulate through the website: link to the registration form, or by phone on the official website.
VFS.Global Visa Application Center
Why did we highlight this visa center separately? No, he didn't pay us for advertising. It's a pity…
The fact is that from October 14, 2011, the Austrian Embassy in Moscow, unable to cope with the influx of people wishing to obtain a visa to Austria, officially transferred the authority to accept documents to a private company. It became the company VFS.Global.
It is most profitable to submit documents to it. Next, consider the issue of price, and you will understand why...
VFS.Global has offices in the following regions:
- Moscow
- St. Petersburg
- Tashkent
- Kazan
- Krasnodar
- Nizhny Novgorod
- Rostov on Don
- Saratov
- Samara
- Perm
- Krasnoyarsk
- Irkutsk
- Ufa
- Khabarovsk
- Vladivostok
- Omsk
- Novosibirsk
- Murmansk
- Kaliningrad
- Veliky Novgorod
- Vologda
- Vyborg
- Pskov
But not all of these offices accept biometrics (fingerprints).
Regions where you can take biometrics at VFS.Global :
- Moscow
- Saint Petersburg
- Vladivostok
- Rostov-on-Don
- Novosibirsk
You can sign up to submit documents on the official website of the Austrian visa center: https://www.vfsvisaservicesrussia.com/
We recommend making an appointment by calling the branch of your choice. You will find all contacts here: https://www.vfsglobal.com/Austria/Russia/contact-us.html
Visa Application Center in your region
If you live where there are no VFS.Global offices, then you can contact one of the private visa centers in your region.
The main thing is to clarify the information whether it is possible to apply for a visa to Austria through them and whether it is possible to do biometrics locally.
Quite a large number of private visa centers provide these services.
