Entering Austria and Visa Information
Here you can find some very important information about entering and staying in Austria or in the Schengen area.
Who does not need a visa
Citizens of all countries of the European Union, Switzerland, Croatia, Israel, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, most of the countries of North and South America, and some other countries do not need a visa; only a valid passport is required to enter Austria. In case of doubt please contact the Austrian Consulate or Embassy well in advance before departure.
Who needs a visa / Schengen Visa
Since 5th of April 2010, the Regulation (EC) No 810/2009 of the European Parliament and the Council of 13th of July 2009 establishing a Community Code on Visas (Visa Code) is a directly applicable European legal basis for the issuance of visas for transit through the Schengen Area or for short-term stays in the Schengen Area of up to 90 days per 180 days.
The Visa Code regulates the procedures for the issuance of visas, which need to be verified by the representation in the course of the visa process. The competent representation decides on each application individually, with due regard to the circumstances of the particular case.
There is no legal entitlement to the issuance of a Schengen visa. The following prerequisites for issuing a visa need to be verified by the representation:
- Credibility and traceability of the travel purpose to Austria
- Funding of living and travel expenses of one’s own income or assets
- Willingness of the holder of the visa to leave the Schengen Area prior to the expiration of the validity of the visa
- Submission of a travel medical insurance with a limit of liability of at least 30.000 Euro and which is valid for the entire Schengen Area and throughout the stay
Individuals whose entry in the Schengen Area could be a threat to the public order in the Schengen-states, or who do not fulfil one or more of the stipulated prerequisites for the issuance, cannot get a visa.
You can find more Information about the Visa process here.
Letter of Invitation
For many people, letters of invitation help smooth the visa process and we wish to support international attendees in their efforts to secure the needed travel documentation.
The letter of invitation does not financially obligate the conference organizers in any way. All expenses incurred in relation to the meeting are the sole responsibility of the attendee. Please note that we cannot guarantee that you will receive a visa. The decision to grant visas is at the sole discretion of the embassy/consulate. The meeting organizers cannot change the decision of the governmental agency should your application be denied.
We can send letters of invitation via express mail services on your costs. To obtain a letter of invitation you must first register for the meeting and pay any registration fees in full. No letters will be issued without a paid conference registration. To request a letter of invitation in order to attend the meeting, please email (indicate "invitation letter" in subject line) to the Eventmanagement of the University of Vienna at congress@univie.ac.at
It is VERY important that registrants needing visas apply early enough to complete the visa application process (it may take up to one week to send you the invitation letter). We recommend that travelers apply as soon as they possibly can after affirming their ability to attend the conference.