Business visa for Austria: application, requirements, documents

_{Date: 27/11/2023}

If you are inviting an Austrian company to a business meeting in Austria and you are from a non-European country, you may need to apply for a Business Visa for Austria. A business visa is also required for certain third-country nationals when attending professional trade fairs in Austria. Find out which nationals are subject to this rule, what you need to consider when applying for a business visa for Austria, and other helpful information in the following article.

Contents:

• What is the Business Visa for Austria?
• When do I need a Business Visa for Austria?
• Who is exempt from a visa in Austria?
• What requirements must I meet for a Business Visa?
• What documents and evidence do I need to submit?
• What travel insurance do I need for a Business Visa?
• Where do I apply for the Business Visa for Austria?
• How long does it take to process a visa application?
• What is the cost of the Business Visa for Austria?
• AXA offers the right insurance for every business trip

What is the Business Visa for Austria?

Unlike a tourist visa for Austria, you need a special business visa if you are traveling to Austria for business purposes. The Business Visa for Austria is a visa for Austria for third-country nationals traveling to the Alpine country for professional or business reasons – whether for meetings, conferences, or job-related fairs.

The visa is part of the Schengen Visa Type C. It allows you to stay up to 90 days within 6 months in Austria or any other Schengen country. Unless otherwise stated on the visa, you can also use the Business Visa for Austria to visit other Schengen area countries during the allowed stay.

When do I need a Business Visa for Austria?

If you are traveling to Austria for business and are from a visa-required third country, you must apply for a Business Visa for Austria. However, if you are from a Schengen area country, an EFTA state, or one of the visa-exempt third countries, you do not need a visa.

You can check whether your country is among the visa-required countries for Austria in the following visa list from the BMI (Austrian Federal Ministry of the Interior). If you are not exempt from visa requirements, you are also required to apply for a Business Visa for Austria for short business trips. We have compiled a list of visa-exempt states in the article Who needs a Schengen visa.

Who is exempt from a visa in Austria?

Exempt from visa requirements are citizens of EU countries, EEA countries, and Switzerland, as well as all citizens of visa-exempt third countries, such as Canada, Australia, or the USA. Visa requirements have been lifted for around 60 third countries via EU regulation – but only if the traveler does not intend to stay longer than 90 days within 180 days in Austria and does not intend to work. You can find the list of visa-exempt countries in this article.

Note: Citizens of visa-exempt third countries, such as the USA, Canada, Israel, or Japan, will need an electronic travel document ETIAS starting in 2025 if they wish to visit a European Union country.

What requirements must I meet for the Business Visa?

The requirements for the issuance of the Schengen Visa are set out in the EU Visa Code and are individually reviewed by the relevant representative authority. (Source: BMI Austria) A visa application for a Business Visa for Austria is possible if the following points are met:

• You have submitted the application to the competent authority
• You submitted the visa application on time (at least 15 days before the planned travel date)
• You have correctly and completely filled out the visa application form
• The business purpose of the trip is plausible and understandable
• You can cover the costs of travel and living expenses in Austria (electronic declaration of commitment EVE possible)
• You have concluded a travel health insurance
• The authority can see that you intend to leave Austria before the visa expires
• You have paid the visa fee

What documents and evidence do I need to submit?

For the Business Visa for Austria, a range of documents and paperwork is required. These may need to be translated into German upon request by the authority. Please clarify this with the representative authority in advance!

The following documents are generally required:

• A fully and personally completed application form
• A valid passport (not older than 10 years, valid for at least three months after the visa expires, with two blank pages) and an ICAO-compliant passport photo
• Copies of the data page of the passport, as well as previous Schengen visas
• Proof of valid travel health insurance for the entire stay
• For travel by car: driver's license, registration certificate, green insurance card
• Biometric data capture via fingerprint (if not recorded in the last 59 months)
• Signed invitation from the Austrian company in the original
• If applicable: employment certificate from the employer
• For the self-employed: commercial register extract or comparable proof
• Proof of sufficient financial means or an electronic declaration of commitment from a contact person living in Austria

What travel insurance do I need for a business visa to Austria?

In order for the business visa to Austria to be granted, sufficient private travel health insurance (RKV) must be provided. It must meet the European requirements:

• The RKV must be valid throughout the entire Schengen area.
• The RKV must have a minimum coverage of 30,000 euros.
• Repatriation to the home country in case of death must be guaranteed.
• The entire travel period must be covered.

Tip: The AXA Travel Health Insurance for Austria meets all European conditions, is recognized by all embassies and consulates, and offers additional beneficial services!

Where do I apply for the business visa to Austria?

Generally, you should always apply for the Schengen visa at the representative authority of the country that is your main destination for your business trip. If your business trip is planned solely or mostly to Austria, you should apply at the Austrian embassy responsible for your legal residence (Source: Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs). If there is no Austrian representative authority in your home country, you can apply for the business visa at an embassy that represents Austria or through an authorized external service provider.

How long does it take to process the visa application?

The processing time for a Schengen visa can vary depending on nationality, completeness of the documents, and the current workload of the responsible authority. Normally, the processing of a visa application takes no longer than 15 calendar days. However, note that for some nationalities, consultation with other Schengen countries may be required, which can extend the processing time by at least one working week. Since the processing time of your application can increase due to additional necessary checks to up to 45 calendar days, we recommend submitting your application well in advance.

How much does the business visa for Austria cost?

The business visa for Austria costs, like the Schengen visa in general, 80 euros for adults and 40 euros for children between 6 and 12 years old. If your home country is part of the EU Visa Facilitation Agreement, a reduced fee of 35 euros is required for processing (Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs).

No visa fees need to be paid by the following people:

• Children under 6 years old
• Students and accompanying persons entering for study or training stays
• Researchers as defined in Article 3, Number 2 of the EU Directive 2016/801
• Representatives of non-profit organizations up to the age of 25 who are participating in events organized by non-profit organizations

AXA offers the right insurance for every business trip

AXA Schengen offers three different travel insurances to optimally cover your business visit to Austria. Find the right insurance for you now and approach your business trip worry-free:

• Low Cost: With our most affordable insurance policy, all European requirements are covered at a budget price. Both the minimum coverage of 30,000 euros and repatriation from any Schengen country are included. You can purchase the Low Cost for up to six months and pay only 22 euros per week.
   
• Europe Travel: Europe Travel offers extended protection during your business trip with a coverage amount of 100,000 euros for treatment, hospital, and return travel costs. Additional services such as search and rescue costs up to 5000 euros, help with language barriers, and obtaining relevant documents are included in the package. Europe Travel is valid not only in the Schengen countries but also in all other EU countries and the UK. The policy costs only 33 euros per week and can be purchased for up to six months.
   
• Multi Trip: If you have several business appointments planned in Austria or other EU countries, the Multi Trip annual insurance is the right choice. For just 328 euros per year, you can travel to Europe worry-free for a whole year and are covered with the same benefits as the Europe Travel insurance (including extended protection with 100,000 euros coverage, etc.)

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What visas are available for Austria?

In addition to the Schengen visa Type C - which is valid for tourist, business, and visit purposes for up to 90 days within a six-month period - there is also the Type A visa (flight transit visa) and the long-term Type D visa (residence visa) (Source: oesterreich.gv.at).

How long is a business visa valid?

The validity period of a Schengen visa, whether for tourism, visit, or business, cannot be generalized. However, it can be read on the individual visa sticker in the passport.

Which AXA travel insurance is best for the business visa to Austria?

We recommend the Low Cost travel insurance for 22 euros per week or the extended Europe Health Insurance for 33 euros per week for third-country nationals traveling to Austria for business. If multiple business trips are planned, the Multi-trip health insurance for 328 euros per year is a better option.