Types Of Visas To Austria: Schengen Visas, Duration, Validity

Thinking of moving to Austria? Know the types of visas to Austria and decide which one should you go for.

Austria is one of 26 countries included in the Schengen countries. Austria abolished internal border controls in 1997 and since then, people from other Schengen countries can visit freely while others can enter with a Schengen visa.

There is no separate Austrian visa. That said, there are three different types of Schengen visas that empower the visa holder to stay in Austria for a short period of time.

Read: How To Get A Red-White-Red Card As An Entrepreneur In Austria

Types Of Visas To Austria – Type B Schengen Visa

This visa category is also known as a transit visa. It allows the visa holder to stay in Austria for up to 5 days. It is mostly used by people wanting to spend a few days in Austria before moving to another country.

Read: Ways To Immigrate To Austria

Types Of Visas To Austria – Type C Schengen Visa

The type C visa is a short-term visa. This is the most common type of visa issued to non-EU citizens wanting to visit Austria.

Type C visas can be categorized as single-entry, double-entry, or multiple-entry visas.

When it comes to entry limits on Schengen visas, it is important to note that the limitation is not to a specific country but to the entire Schengen region. Moving from Austria to France and back does not count as a re-entry since France is also part of the Schengen region.

Single-Entry Visa

Once the visa holder enters the Schengen region, he/she can stay there for up to 90 days. However, re-entry is not permitted after leaving the Schengen region even if the visa is still valid.

Double-Entry Visa

A double-entry visa is comparable to a single-entry visa. The difference is that visa holders are permitted to leave the Schengen region and re-enter once as long as their visa is still valid. When they leave for the second time, they cannot re-enter even if the visa is still valid.

Multiple-Entry Visa

Multiple-entry visa-holders can enter and leave the Schengen region as often as they like while the visa is still valid.

Visa Validity Vs Duration Of Stay

It is essential to understand the difference between visa validity and duration of stay for short-term visas.

Visa validity refers to the duration of time the visa is valid. Schengen visas in all the three above categories may be obtained for a 1-year, 3-year, or 5-year period.

Duration of stay refers to the number of days you may spend in Austria. Irrespective of the visa validity, short-term visa holders can stay in the country for a maximum of 90 consecutive days within a 180-day period.

For example, let’s say you entered Austria on January 1^st with a 3-year visa. You can stay in the country till April 1^st. Even though your visa is still valid, you cannot re-enter the country till July 1^st.

Types Of Visas To Austria – Type D Schengen Visa

This is also known as a National Visa. This is a single-entry visa that allows the visa holder to study, work and live in Austria for 91 to 180 days within a 6-month duration. This visa is granted to international students, working professionals, artists and sportspersons.

Different Types Of Visas To Austria