AustriaVisits and short stays
Austria visa for visiting family and friends
Schengen visa for visiting friends or family (with EVE)
In short
To stay with friends or family in Austria you apply for a Schengen visa with the host's invitation. If your own funds are not sufficient, the host can sign an electronic declaration of liability (EVE) at the regional police directorate in Austria, which is accepted if their income after fixed costs reaches the ASVG reference rate.
checked 25 October 2026
Key facts
- Maximum stay
- Up to 90 days in any 180-day period
- Fee
- €90EUR 90 regardless of length or outcome; children aged 6 to under 12 EUR 45; under 6 free; family of EU, EEA or Swiss citizens pay nothing. External service providers charge their own service fee.
- Processing time
- Normally within 15 calendar days; up to 45 days in individual cases.
- Work
- No.
- Where to apply
- The Austrian embassy or consulate responsible for your place of legal residence, or the external service provider it uses.
Family of EU citizens
Family members of EU, EEA or Swiss citizens who accompany or join them benefit from facilitations under EU free movement rules: they pay no visa fee and show proof of the relationship instead of the usual financial documents.
Ask the Austrian mission responsible for you how such applications are lodged; some missions accept them without a regular appointment.
Invitation and EVE
Use the tourism documents with the host's invitation instead of a hotel booking. If you lack sufficient own funds, your host signs an electronic declaration of liability (EVE) in person at the regional police directorate (Landespolizeidirektion) for their main residence in Austria and passes you the ID number; you can apply at the Austrian mission 48 hours later at the earliest. Austrian consular information states that the EVE is accepted if the host's income, after rent, loans and maintenance obligations (EUR 201.88 per child or non-working spouse), reaches the ASVG reference rate (EUR 2,064.12). Several people may sign one EVE together. Where Austria is represented by another Schengen state, the EVE procedure is generally not available.
Required documents
Identity
- Application form completed in block letters and signed, with current e-mail and mobile number
- Passport valid at least three months beyond the visa, issued within 10 years, two blank pages; if you are not a national of the country where you apply, proof of legal residence there
- Two recent biometric colour photos, 3.5 × 4.5 cm, light background
Travel
- Return reservation (flight, train or bus); by car: vehicle registration, international licence and route
- Copies of the data pages of current and previous passports and of earlier visas
Money
- Recent bank statements (one-off deposits without proof of origin may be disregarded)
Work
- Employees: employment certificate in German or English and recent payslips; business owners: company registration documents
Family
- Invitation from the host in Austria with a copy of their ID or residence permit
Insurance
- Travel health and accident insurance, minimum EUR 30,000 per case, valid in all Schengen states
Supporting documents (where they apply)
Money
- Electronic declaration of liability (EVE) signed by the host
Family
- Minors travelling alone or with one parent: notarised consent of the parent(s) not travelling; for divorced parents, proof of custody
Fees
EUR 90 (children aged 6 to under 12 EUR 45), paid in the way the mission sets, plus any service provider fee.
When to apply and how long it takes
Applications are accepted at the earliest six months and at the latest 15 calendar days before departure. The decision is normally taken within 15 calendar days and can take up to 45 days in individual cases. Send further documents only when the mission asks for them.
Registering at your host’s address
Anyone who stays in a flat or house in Austria, including as a guest of friends or relatives, must register with the local registration office within three days of arrival. Hotels handle this through their guest register. Your host can help you with the registration form (Meldezettel).
Refusal
False statements or forged documents lead to refusal, and incomplete files may be rejected or take much longer. A refusal states the reasons and the legal remedy, an appeal to the Federal Administrative Court; you can also apply again with a complete file. The fee is not refunded.
How to apply, step by step
- Confirm that Austria is your main destination and find the Austrian embassy or consulate responsible for your place of legal residence.
- Download that mission's information sheet for visiting friends or family, ask your host for the invitation and, if needed, the EVE ID number, and prepare German or English translations where needed.
- Book an appointment as the mission instructs, either with the mission itself or with its external service provider.
- Lodge the file in person, give fingerprints and pay EUR 90 plus any service fee.
- Wait for the decision, normally within 15 calendar days, and collect your passport.
Frequently asked questions
Is the EVE mandatory?
Only if your own funds are not sufficient.
What income must my host have?
After fixed costs, at least the ASVG reference rate stated in Austrian consular information (EUR 2,064.12), with EUR 201.88 deducted per dependent child or non-working spouse.
Can two relatives sign one EVE?
Yes, several people may sign together.
How early can I apply?
At the earliest six months and at the latest 15 calendar days before you travel; decisions normally take up to 15 calendar days.
Do I have to register while staying with relatives?
Yes. Anyone lodging in a private home in Austria must register with the registration office within three days.
My spouse is Austrian. Do I need an appointment?
Family of EU, EEA or Swiss citizens pay no visa fee and benefit from simplified procedures; some Austrian missions accept their applications without a regular appointment. Ask the mission responsible for you.
Official sources
- Austrian Consulate General Istanbul – information sheet: visiting friends or family, 2026
- Austrian Consulate General Istanbul – how to apply and required documents
- Austrian Consulate General Istanbul – information sheet: individual tourism (Visa C), version 03.04.2026
- oesterreich.gv.at – Elektronische Verpflichtungserklärung: Einladung durch Privatpersonen
- oesterreich.gv.at – Applying for a visa
- European Commission – Applying for a Schengen visa
Summarised from the official sources above. Rules, fees and processing times change: confirm with the embassy or the official portal before you apply.
Other visa types for Austria
Visits and short stays
- Tourist visa Maximum stay: Up to 90 days in any 180-day period
Business and self-employment
- Business visa Maximum stay: Up to 90 days in any 180-day period
- Entrepreneur and start-up visa Validity: Up to 24 months; then RWR card plus.
- Self-employed and freelancer visa Validity: 24 months; then a settlement permit, and after two years a three-year settlement permit.
Study and training
- Student visa Validity: Usually one year, extended on proof of study progress.
Work
- Work visa Validity: 24 months.
- Skilled worker visa Validity: 24 months; then the RWR card plus.
- EU Blue Card Validity: 24 months.
- Job seeker visa Maximum stay: Six months
- Intra-company transfer visa Validity: Up to three years; trainees one year.
- Seasonal work visa Maximum stay: Up to six months per permit; nine months in any 12-month period.
Family
- Family reunification visa Validity: Usually 12 months; three years after Module 1 and two years of uninterrupted residence.
Residence
- Retirement visa Validity: Generally one year; three years after completing Module 1 and two years of uninterrupted residence.
- Permanent residence Validity: Card valid for five years, renewable; free labour-market access.
Protection
- Asylum and international protection Processing time: Regular procedure: up to six months from lodging, at most 21 months.