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Schönbrunn Palace and its formal gardens beneath a clear Vienna sky
AustriaPhoto: Plamen Agov / CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗
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Visa field guide · AT

Plan your Austria application

BMEIA sets the entry route; MA35 or your district office finishes itSee the common routes, understand the hand-offs, then confirm every requirement on the official website.

01 / ROUTES

Choose the route that matches your trip

These are starting points—not an eligibility decision. Open the official route before you apply.
  • ↗
    Schengen short-stay visa (C)

    Visits up to 90 days in any 180-day period when Austria is the main or first destination.

  • ↗
    National visa & residence permit (D)

    Study, work, family or long-term stays, filed with an Austrian representation abroad and then completed with your Austrian residence authority.

02 / JOURNEY

What the application journey usually looks like

The exact order can vary by visa, nationality and application location. “If asked” steps are conditional.
  1. 01
    Confirm the correct visa category

    BMEIA representations distinguish a short Schengen visit from a Type D national visa for study, work, family or long-stay purposes.

  2. 02
    Find your competent Austrian representation

    For Schengen visas the representation of your main destination is competent; for Type D visas competence instead follows your place of residence abroad.

    GUIDELENS HELPS HERE
  3. 03
    Complete the Schengen or Type D application

    Complete the applicable form and gather the country- and purpose-specific evidence the representation lists.

  4. 04
    Attend the embassy or consulate appointment

    Most applicants attend in person; some cases are handled at border posts or a Landespolizeidirektion instead.

    IF ASKED
  5. 05
    Enter Austria and register your address

    Type D visa holders must register their Austrian address (Meldezettel) soon after arrival, a step separate from the visa itself.

  6. 06
    File for a residence permit with MA35 or your district authority

    A Red-White-Red Card, Card Plus or other residence title is a separate application to the district administration (Bezirkshauptmannschaft), the local Magistrat, or MA35 in Vienna, not to BMEIA.

03 / BEFORE YOU START

Four things to know before you start

Two separate authorities
BMEIA representations issue entry visas; a different domestic residence authority (MA35 in Vienna, or the district authority elsewhere) issues the residence permit that lets you stay.
Where visas are filed
Schengen visas go to the representation covering your main destination; Type D national visas go to the representation covering your place of residence.
Jobseeker route
A qualifying Type D jobseeker visa lets some applicants search for work in Austria, then file the Red-White-Red Card directly with the domestic residence authority once they have a binding job offer.
After entry
Holding a valid Type D visa does not by itself grant long-term residence; the residence-title application and address registration are separate follow-up steps.

04 / PRACTICAL GUIDE

Austria's two-authority visa workflow

Austria issues Schengen and Type D entry visas through BMEIA representations, but the residence permit that actually authorises a long stay is a separate application to a domestic authority.
  1. 01

    BMEIA representation depends on the visa type

    Schengen short-stay applications go to the representation for your main destination; Type D national-visa applications instead go to the representation covering your ordinary place of residence.

    BMEIA · Visa ↗
  2. 02

    MA35 or the district authority issues the residence permit

    Once you hold a valid Type D visa or qualifying jobseeker visa, apply to MA35 in Vienna or the competent district administration (Bezirkshauptmannschaft) for the Red-White-Red Card or other residence title.

    oesterreich.gv.at · Red-White-Red Card plus ↗
  3. 03

    Check the federal migration portal for category details

    migration.gv.at explains the points system, quotas and category-specific documents for each Austrian residence title before you commit to a route.

    migration.gv.at · Types of immigration ↗
  4. 04

    Keep the Schengen rule in view

    For a multi-country trip, apply to the country that is the main purpose or longest stay. Use the first country only when stays are equal. The 90 days in any 180-day period are counted across the whole Schengen area.

    European Commission · Applying for a Schengen visa ↗

05 / PREPARE

Information worth gathering before you open the form

Not every item applies to every route. Use the official checklist generated for your application.

  • Passport and previous travel-document details

  • Travel dates, itinerary and accommodation

  • Travel medical insurance for the Schengen stay

  • Evidence of funds and the purpose of the trip

  • Employment, study or sponsor information where relevant

  • Translations and route-specific documents requested locally

06 / OFFICIAL

Continue with the official authority

View current requirementsFederal Ministry for European and International Affairs (BMEIA)

You remain responsible for reviewing and submitting your application.