Austria visa and entry requirements

Austria is in the Schengen area. EU nationals have the right to travel freely there; nationals of the third countries in Annex II of Regulation (EU) 2018/1806 are exempt from the visa requirement for stays of no more than 90 days in any 180-day period, and nationals of the countries in Annex I must hold a visa. The European Commission gives the Schengen visa fee as €90 for adults, €35 for applicants from Armenia, Azerbaijan and Belarus and €67.50 for applicants from Cabo Verde. ETIAS is not in operation yet. For the Red-White-Red Card, migration.gv.at says applicants subject to visa requirements apply for a category D visa to enter and collect their residence title.

Every fact on this page verified on or after: Aug 25, 2026· How this site works

Check requirements for your passport

Requirements differ by nationality. Select your passport above, or scan the full table below.

How long you can stay

90 days in any rolling 180-day period

90 days in any rolling 180-day period, counted across the whole Schengen Area rather than per country. The day you arrive counts as the first day and the day you leave counts as the last. Leaving and coming back does not reset the allowance: on any given day, days already spent anywhere in the area during the preceding 180 still count against the 90.

Work out your own dates in the stay calculator · Compare every country

Verified Oct 6, 2026 · Source: eur-lex.europa.eu (opens in a new tab) · Regulation (EU) 2016/399 (Schengen Borders Code), Article 6(1)

Visas & entry authorisations

Schengen short-stay visa — European Union and Armenia visa facilitation agreement

Fee
35 EUR
Processing
up to 30 days
Stay per entry
90 days

Set at €35 by the EU–Armenia visa facilitation agreement (Article 6); waived for pensioners and children under 12, among other listed categories.

Schengen short-stay visa — European Union and Azerbaijan visa facilitation agreement

Fee
35 EUR
Processing
up to 30 days
Stay per entry
90 days

Set at €35 by the EU–Azerbaijan visa facilitation agreement (Article 6); waived for pensioners and children under 12, among other listed categories.

Schengen short-stay visa — European Union and Belarus visa facilitation agreement

Fee
35 EUR
Processing
up to 30 days
Stay per entry
90 days

Set at €35 by the EU–Belarus visa facilitation agreement (Article 6); €70 when the applicant asks for a decision within two days and the consulate agrees; waived for children under 12, among other listed categories. Council Decision (EU) 2021/1940 suspended certain provisions for members of Belarusian official delegations, national and regional governments and parliaments, and the Constitutional and Supreme Courts, in the exercise of their duties.

Schengen short-stay visa — European Union and Cabo Verde short-stay visa agreement

Fee
67.5 EUR
Processing
up to 45 days
Stay per entry
90 days

Set by the EU–Cabo Verde visa facilitation agreement as amended in 2021 (Article 5) at 75% of the fee charged under the applicable legislation; the European Commission gives it as €67.50. Children aged 12 to 17 pay 50% of it, and children under 12 pay nothing, among other listed categories.

Schengen short-stay visa for Russian nationals

Fee
90 EUR
Processing
up to 45 days
Stay per entry
90 days

Standard fee under the Visa Code (Article 16): children aged 6 to 11 pay €45 and children under 6 pay nothing. The EU–Russia visa facilitation agreement is suspended in whole as regards Russian citizens (Council Decision (EU) 2022/1500). The European Commission says Russian nationals will no longer be able to receive multiple-entry visas.

Red-White-Red Card — skilled worker in a shortage occupation

Fee
218 EUR
Processing
—
Validity
720 days

Application fee, according to migration.gv.at. On the skilled-workers-in-shortage-occupations route, applicants must reach a minimum of 55 points among other criteria; the card is generally issued for a period of 24 months and entitles the holder to fixed-term settlement and employment by the employer specified in the application.

Entry requirements

Passport validity

Under the Schengen Borders Code, a third-country national’s travel document must be valid for at least three months after the intended date of departure from the Schengen Member States and must have been issued within the previous 10 years.

At least 2 blank pages required. Compare every country

Vaccinations

Not officially stated

No official source we read lists a vaccination certificate required for entry.

Travel insurance

Required

Under the Visa Code, Schengen visa applicants must prove they hold travel medical insurance valid throughout the Member States for the whole intended stay, with minimum coverage of €30,000 (for a multiple-entry visa, covering the first intended visit). No official source we could read requires insurance of visa-exempt visitors.

Onward or return ticket

Not officially stated

No official source we could read makes a return or onward ticket a condition of entry in itself. Under the Schengen Borders Code (Annex I), the supporting documents border guards may check for tourist or private trips include a return or round-trip ticket.

Verified Oct 6, 2026 · Source: eur-lex.europa.eu (opens in a new tab) · Regulation (EU) 2016/399 (Schengen Borders Code), Article 6(1)(c) · archived copy Aug 1, 2026 (opens in a new tab)

Proof of funds

Required

The European Commission's table of reference amounts required for the crossing of the external border, fixed by national authorities, gives Austria's minimum amount per day and per person as "on a case-by-case basis".

Arrival cards & declarations

Required
  • EES — Entry/Exit System (biometric registration) — The EU says that at your first border crossing since the Entry/Exit System started, passport control officers will take a photo of your face and/or scan your fingerprints, and your passport will not be stamped. The UK government says there is no cost for EES registration and that you do not need to take any action before you arrive at the border. (at the border on first entry) travel-europe.europa.eu (opens in a new tab)
  • ETIAS — European Travel Information and Authorization System — The EU says ETIAS is the new travel authorisation for visa-exempt travellers to enter 30 European countries, that it is not in operation yet and no applications are being collected, and that the EU will announce its start date several months before launch. (before travel, once etias starts) travel-europe.europa.eu (opens in a new tab)

Staying past your permitted stay

Fine: 500 to 2,500 EUR

A foreigner staying unlawfully in Austria commits an administrative offence punishable by a fine of EUR 500 to 2,500, or up to two weeks' imprisonment if the fine cannot be collected. A person already finally punished once for this offence faces a fine of EUR 2,500 to 7,500 or up to four weeks' imprisonment. The offence can be dealt with by an on-the-spot penalty order of EUR 500. A stay is lawful if the person entered lawfully and did not exceed the time limits or conditions of the visa or visa-free stay, or the period set by agreement, law or ordinance. An entry ban is issued for at most five years, subject to the law's exceptions. One of the listed grounds is a final penalty for an offence under the Aliens Police Act or the Settlement and Residence Act.

Registering your presence after arrival

Required

within 24 hours of arrival. Done by the traveller.

Anyone who takes accommodation in a dwelling or a lodging establishment must be registered. A guest in a lodging establishment must register immediately, at the latest within 24 hours of arrival. Registration is complete once the establishment has the guest's personal data (for foreign guests also the type, number, issue date and issuing authority of the travel document) and the guest has confirmed it by signature. The duty lies with the guest, but the establishment may make the entries in its guest register. The registration authority and the police may inspect these records at any time on request. A person who takes accommodation in a dwelling must register with the registration authority within three days. People given accommodation in a dwelling for no more than three days are exempt. The Registration Act sets a fine of up to EUR 726, or up to EUR 2,180 for a repeat offence, for its administrative offences.

If not done: Administrative offence under the Registration Act (§ 22(1) MeldeG): fine up to EUR 726, or up to EUR 2,180 for a repeat offence.

Other compulsory government charges

  • Ortstaxe (Vienna local accommodation tax) — From 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027: 5% of the price of the stay (excluding VAT and breakfast). From 1 July 2027: 8% of the price of the stay (excluding VAT and breakfast). Paid at the accommodation.

    Anyone who lets accommodation in Vienna temporarily (for no longer than 3 months) must pay the Ortstaxe. The host collects it and pays it over. From 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027 it is 5% of the price of the stay (excluding VAT and breakfast); from 1 July 2027 it is 8%. Exempt: minors staying for school, vocational training or in youth hostels; students at Viennese universities and colleges; people living in the accommodation for more than 3 months without interruption.

    Exemptions: Minors staying for school, vocational training or in youth hostels; students at Viennese universities and colleges; people living in the accommodation for more than 3 months without interruption.

Customs & currency

The EU says that if you enter or leave the EU with €10,000 in cash (or its equivalent in other currencies), you must declare it to customs in the EU country you are entering or leaving.

  • The EU says that when entering from a non-EU country you can bring, among other allowances, 1 litre of spirits over 22% vol. and other goods worth up to €300 (€430 by air or sea); the tobacco allowance is 200 cigarettes under the higher limit or 40 under the lower limit, depending on the EU country.
  • The EU says that for goods for your own use bought in another EU country, no further payments are due in any other EU country. Each country sets guideline values that may not be lower than 800 cigarettes or 10 litres of spirits; if customs suspect goods are not for your own use, you may be asked to prove that they are.

Country in a nutshell

Currency
Euro (EUR, €)
Cards & payments
Canada's travel advice says credit cards are widely accepted at main hotels, shops and restaurants, but smaller establishments may only accept cash.
Safety — Generally safe
The UK government says crime levels are generally low, but there are higher levels of petty crime, particularly pickpocketing, in the big city centres and city parks after dark. It says avalanches are a risk in some areas and, for skiing, advises taking advice on weather and avalanche conditions before you travel.Verified Oct 3, 2026 · Source: gov.uk (opens in a new tab) · archived copy Aug 13, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
Power plugs
C, F · 230V 50Hz
Emergency numbers
General emergencies: 112 · Police: 133 · Ambulance: 144 · Fire: 122
Languages
German
Time zone
UTC+1 (UTC+2 in summer)
International Driving Permit

The UN Treaty Collection lists Austria as a party to both the 1949 Geneva and the 1968 Vienna Conventions on Road Traffic. The UK government says a UK photocard driving licence can be used to drive in Austria if you are aged 18 or over. Austria's official portal oesterreich.gv.at says a foreign driving licence not written in German is valid only together with an international driving licence or a translation. Canada's travel advice says Canadians can drive for up to 12 months with a valid Canadian driver's licence accompanied by an international driving permit or an official German translation of the licence. No Austrian official source we could read states for how long a visitor may drive on a foreign licence.

Verified Oct 3, 2026 · Source: treaties.un.org (opens in a new tab) · Convention on Road Traffic · archived copy Aug 25, 2026 (opens in a new tab) Compare every country
Motorway vignette — sticker or electronic

Mandatory · motorways and expressways. Cars, camper vans and motorbikes up to 3.5 t; prices below are for cars.

  • 1-day€9.60
  • 10-day€12.80
  • 2-month€32.00
  • Annual€106.80

ASFINAG says cars, motorbikes and camper vans up to 3.5 t may only use motorways and expressways with a toll sticker or a digital vignette, which is bound to the licence plate; it is offering the traditional sticker for the last time in 2026. Six motorway sections, including the A 11 Karawanken, A 13 Brenner and S 16 Arlberg, require an additional toll ticket, and no vignette is needed on the sections between their toll stations.

Without one: €200 — Substitute toll (Ersatzmaut) for a car or camper van; €100 for a motorbike. Refusing it turns into an administrative fine of €300–3,000. Verified Oct 3, 2026 · Source: asfinag.at (opens in a new tab) · archived copy Dec 8, 2025 (opens in a new tab)

Buy on the official site (opens in a new tab)

Verified Oct 7, 2026 · Source: asfinag.at (opens in a new tab) · archived copy Jul 16, 2026 (opens in a new tab) Compare every country
Tap water
safe to drink

Best time to visit

No official source we could read gives seasonal guidance for Austria. Canada’s travel advice says avalanches can occur in mountainous areas, especially in early and late winter, and that they are especially a concern following heavy snowfalls.

Tips & warnings

The 90 days in any 180-day period are not counted for Austria alone: the Schengen Borders Code says the period is calculated as a single period for the Member States operating the EES.

ASFINAG says cars, motorbikes and camper vans up to 3.5 t need a toll sticker or a digital vignette on motorways and expressways (for a car, €12.80 for 10 days or €106.80 for a year in 2026). With no or an expired vignette, a car or camper van pays a €200 substitute payment.

The EU says that once ETIAS starts, you will be able to apply on the official ETIAS website or the official ETIAS mobile app, and that other websites offering intermediary services may require you to pay additional fees. ETIAS is not in operation yet.

Visa requirements by nationality

Visa requirements by nationality. Stay lengths are for ordinary tourist visits. Click a nationality for its full guide.
PassportsVisas & entry authorisationsMax stay
AfghanistanEmbassy visa—
AlbaniaVisa-free90 days
AlgeriaEmbassy visa—
AndorraVisa-free90 days
AngolaEmbassy visa—
Antigua and BarbudaVisa-free90 days
ArgentinaVisa-free90 days
ArmeniaEmbassy visa—
AustraliaVisa-free90 days
AustriaFree movement—
AzerbaijanEmbassy visa—
BahamasVisa-free90 days
BahrainEmbassy visa—
BangladeshEmbassy visa—
BarbadosVisa-free90 days
BelarusEmbassy visa—
BelgiumFree movement—
BelizeEmbassy visa—
BeninEmbassy visa—
BhutanEmbassy visa—
BoliviaEmbassy visa—
Bosnia and HerzegovinaVisa-free90 days
BotswanaEmbassy visa—
BrazilVisa-free90 days
BruneiVisa-free90 days
BulgariaFree movement—
Burkina FasoEmbassy visa—
BurundiEmbassy visa—
Cabo VerdeEmbassy visa—
CambodiaEmbassy visa—
CameroonEmbassy visa—
CanadaVisa-free90 days
Central African RepublicEmbassy visa—
ChadEmbassy visa—
ChileVisa-free90 days
ChinaEmbassy visa—
ColombiaVisa-free90 days
ComorosEmbassy visa—
Costa RicaVisa-free90 days
Côte d'IvoireEmbassy visa—
CroatiaFree movement—
CubaEmbassy visa—
CyprusFree movement—
CzechiaFree movement—
Democratic Republic of the CongoEmbassy visa—
DenmarkFree movement—
DjiboutiEmbassy visa—
DominicaVisa-free90 days
Dominican RepublicEmbassy visa—
EcuadorEmbassy visa—
EgyptEmbassy visa—
El SalvadorVisa-free90 days
Equatorial GuineaEmbassy visa—
EritreaEmbassy visa—
EstoniaFree movement—
EswatiniEmbassy visa—
EthiopiaEmbassy visa—
FijiEmbassy visa—
FinlandFree movement—
FranceFree movement—
GabonEmbassy visa—
GambiaEmbassy visa—
GeorgiaVisa-free90 days
GermanyFree movement—
GhanaEmbassy visa—
GreeceFree movement—
GrenadaVisa-free90 days
GuatemalaVisa-free90 days
GuineaEmbassy visa—
Guinea-BissauEmbassy visa—
GuyanaEmbassy visa—
HaitiEmbassy visa—
HondurasVisa-free90 days
Hong KongVisa-free90 days
HungaryFree movement—
IcelandFree movement—
IndiaEmbassy visa—
IndonesiaEmbassy visa—
IranEmbassy visa—
IraqEmbassy visa—
IrelandFree movement—
IsraelVisa-free90 days
ItalyFree movement—
JamaicaEmbassy visa—
JapanVisa-free90 days
JordanEmbassy visa—
KazakhstanEmbassy visa—
KenyaEmbassy visa—
KiribatiVisa-free90 days
KosovoVisa-free90 days
KuwaitEmbassy visa—
KyrgyzstanEmbassy visa—
LaosEmbassy visa—
LatviaFree movement—
LebanonEmbassy visa—
LesothoEmbassy visa—
LiberiaEmbassy visa—
LibyaEmbassy visa—
LiechtensteinFree movement—
LithuaniaFree movement—
LuxembourgFree movement—
MacauVisa-free90 days
MadagascarEmbassy visa—
MalawiEmbassy visa—
MalaysiaVisa-free90 days
MaldivesEmbassy visa—
MaliEmbassy visa—
MaltaFree movement—
Marshall IslandsVisa-free90 days
MauritaniaEmbassy visa—
MauritiusVisa-free90 days
MexicoVisa-free90 days
MicronesiaVisa-free90 days
MoldovaVisa-free90 days
MonacoVisa-free90 days
MongoliaEmbassy visa—
MontenegroVisa-free90 days
MoroccoEmbassy visa—
MozambiqueEmbassy visa—
MyanmarEmbassy visa—
NamibiaEmbassy visa—
NauruEmbassy visa—
NepalEmbassy visa—
NetherlandsFree movement—
New ZealandVisa-free90 days
NicaraguaVisa-free90 days
NigerEmbassy visa—
NigeriaEmbassy visa—
North KoreaEmbassy visa—
North MacedoniaVisa-free90 days
NorwayFree movement—
OmanEmbassy visa—
PakistanEmbassy visa—
PalauVisa-free90 days
PalestineEmbassy visa—
PanamaVisa-free90 days
Papua New GuineaEmbassy visa—
ParaguayVisa-free90 days
PeruVisa-free90 days
PhilippinesEmbassy visa—
PolandFree movement—
PortugalFree movement—
QatarEmbassy visa—
Republic of the CongoEmbassy visa—
RomaniaFree movement—
RussiaEmbassy visa—
RwandaEmbassy visa—
Saint Kitts and NevisVisa-free90 days
Saint LuciaVisa-free90 days
Saint Vincent and the GrenadinesVisa-free90 days
SamoaVisa-free90 days
San MarinoVisa-free90 days
São Tomé and PríncipeEmbassy visa—
Saudi ArabiaEmbassy visa—
SenegalEmbassy visa—
SerbiaVisa-free90 days
SeychellesVisa-free90 days
Sierra LeoneEmbassy visa—
SingaporeVisa-free90 days
SlovakiaFree movement—
SloveniaFree movement—
Solomon IslandsVisa-free90 days
SomaliaEmbassy visa—
South AfricaEmbassy visa—
South KoreaVisa-free90 days
South SudanEmbassy visa—
SpainFree movement—
Sri LankaEmbassy visa—
SudanEmbassy visa—
SurinameEmbassy visa—
SwedenFree movement—
SwitzerlandFree movement—
SyriaEmbassy visa—
TaiwanVisa-free90 days
TajikistanEmbassy visa—
TanzaniaEmbassy visa—
ThailandEmbassy visa—
Timor-LesteVisa-free90 days
TogoEmbassy visa—
TongaVisa-free90 days
Trinidad and TobagoVisa-free90 days
TunisiaEmbassy visa—
TurkeyEmbassy visa—
TurkmenistanEmbassy visa—
TuvaluVisa-free90 days
UgandaEmbassy visa—
UkraineVisa-free90 days
United Arab EmiratesVisa-free90 days
United KingdomVisa-free90 days
United StatesVisa-free90 days
UruguayVisa-free90 days
UzbekistanEmbassy visa—
VanuatuEmbassy visa—
Vatican CityVisa-free90 days
VenezuelaVisa-free90 days
VietnamEmbassy visa—
YemenEmbassy visa—
ZambiaEmbassy visa—
ZimbabweEmbassy visa—

Stay lengths are for ordinary tourist visits. Click a nationality for its full guide.

Germany94 of 199 passports visa-freeCzechia94 of 199 passports visa-freeSlovakia94 of 199 passports visa-freeHungary94 of 199 passports visa-freeSlovenia94 of 199 passports visa-freeItaly94 of 199 passports visa-freeSwitzerland94 of 199 passports visa-freeLiechtenstein94 of 199 passports visa-freeNetherlands94 of 199 passports visa-free

Frequently asked questions

Do US citizens need a visa for Austria?

No. The EU’s ETIAS website lists the United States among the visa-exempt countries, and Regulation (EU) 2018/1806 exempts their nationals from the visa requirement for stays of no more than 90 days in any 180-day period. Once ETIAS starts, they will need an ETIAS travel authorisation; the EU gives the fee as €20 on the official website. ETIAS is not in operation yet.

How much does an Austria Schengen visa cost?

Under the Visa Code the Schengen short-stay visa fee is €90, €45 for children from six to under 12, and nothing for children under six; the European Commission gives €35 for applicants from Armenia, Azerbaijan and Belarus and €67.50 for applicants from Cabo Verde. Austria’s Fees Act sets €195 for a Visa D (€97 for children under 6).

What is Austria's Red-White-Red Card?

Migration.gv.at says third-country citizens can apply for a Red-White-Red Card as a Skilled Worker in a Shortage Occupation if, among other criteria, they reach a minimum of 55 points. The card entitles the holder to fixed-term settlement and employment by the employer specified in the application, is generally issued for a period of 24 months, and its application fee is €218.

Do I need a vignette to drive in Austria?

Yes. ASFINAG says all cars, motorbikes and camper vans up to 3.5 t must display a toll sticker or have bought a digital vignette in time when they drive onto a motorway or expressway. For a car the 2026 rates are €9.60 for 1 day, €12.80 for 10 days, €32.00 for 2 months and €106.80 for a year. With no or an expired vignette, a car or camper van pays a €200 substitute payment.

How long can I stay in Austria without a visa?

Nationals of the countries on the EU’s visa-exempt list (Annex II of Regulation (EU) 2018/1806) are exempt from a visa for stays of no more than 90 days in any 180-day period. The Schengen Borders Code says that period is calculated as a single period for the Member States operating the EES.

Sources & verification

Every fact on this page is compiled from and periodically re-checked against these official sources:

Something wrong or out of date? Tell us, with the official source