INTRODUCTION:

Nestling in the landlocked alpine passes, Austria is the centre of attraction in central Europe. It proves to be the pre-eminent destination for tourism with the spectacularly richest ambiance. Austria has the powerful financing tool of tourism in its 83,871 sq. km spread of 9 Federal states; Vienna, Lower Austria, Upper Austria, Burgenland, Styria, Salzburg, Carinthia, Tyrol, and Vorarlberg. 

Austria proves to be an alluring place for everyone to get lost in its snowy winters, exceptional adventurous outings, roof-top bars, splendid nightlife, world-class winery, culinary delicacies, and many more for a memorable vacation with loved ones. 

TYPES OF VISAS:

There is a short-stay visa known as C-type of Schengen Short-Stay Visa for visitors traveling Austria for up to 90 days. 

The following Short-stay visa purposes define the type of visa you need to apply for; 

1. Austrian Airport Visa: This visa is applicable for travelers having their targeted land outside the Schengen Area crossing any Austrian Airports. 
2. Austrian Business Visa: This Visa is for especially professionals to meet their business purposes in Austria.
3. Austrian Visa for Cultural, Film Crews, and Sports: – People vacationing Austria for any of these reasons advised applying for this visa type. 
4. Austrian Medical Visa: Patients having their medical aid in Austria apply for this visa type.  
5. Austrian Visa for Official Visit: The delegations invited for Official purposes to Austria need to apply for this Austrian Visa for Official Visit.
6. Austrian Study Visa: This Visa is for students aiming to achieve an educational course of 03 months in Austria. 
7. Austrian Tourist Visa: Travelers desiring to visit Austria for holidays or vacations should apply for this visa.
8. Austrian Visitor Visa: Austrian Visitor Visa is for people willing to meet their family or friends staying in Austria. 

THE LIST OF DOCUMENTS REQUIRED TO APPLY FOR AN AUSTRIAN SCHENGEN SHORT-STAY VISA FROM CANADA:

1. Visa Application Form of Austria: Properly filled and signed printed copy of the online application form.
2. Passport photos: 02 recently clicked passport-sized photographs on a light background. 
3. Travel document/Passport: 
   • Legal travel documents of at least 03 months before your divagation from the Schengen region-Austria. 
   • The passport should have at least 02 blank pages.
   • It should not be more than ten years old.
4. Last Schengen Visas duplicates:: 
   • Cover letter:: A cover letter is the detailed plan of your journey along with the aim of your Austrian Visit.
   • A Round-trip Flight Itinerary:: A Round trip Flight Itinerary is the précised information of departure and arrival with dates and flight numbers of your Austrian trip.
   • Schengen Travel Insurance:: Travel Insurance document claiming insurance of at least 30,000 surrounding the medical aid in the entire Schengen zone.

NOTE: AXA Assistance and Europ Assistance are the web portals where non-Austrian citizens traveling to Austria meeting all the demands for Austrian visas can get travel health insurance policies. Both the Austrian Embassies and Austrian Consulates approved these.  

• Accommodation proof/Hotel Booking: – Hotel booking documents of your complete trip to Austria.
• Civil Status Proof: – This could be a marriage certificate, birth certificate for children, death certificate of spouse. 
• Enough financial support evidence for your total Austrian Visit. 

An additional list of documents depending upon the traveller’s status to visit Austria is as follows; 

1. For Employed:
   • Proposal of employment.
   • Recent 06 months bank statement from current bank.
   • Employer’s leave approval.
   • Income Tax Certificate or Income Tax Return (ITR) form decreased at the salary source.
2. For Self-employed:
   • Business license duplicate.
   • Recent 06 months statement from company’s bank.
   • Income Tax Return (ITR).
3. For Student:
   • Admission proof.
   • NOC-No-Objection Certificate from school/university.
4. For Retiree:
   • Recent 06 months pension statement.

Evidence of last 06 months of stable income generated from a property.  

1. For Minors:
   • Minor’s birth certificate.
   • Austria application form signatured by parents.
   • In the case of a single parent-child, an order from the family court.
   • Legal passport/identity duplicates of parents.
   • In the case of the minor traveling alone, a notarized parental authorization is required, signed by his parents/guardians.

Note: The parents or guardians need to accompany their minor child. 

An additional list of documents depending upon the traveller’s purpose of Visit to Austria is as follows; 

1. For an Airport Transit Visa to Austria:
   • A legal visa for the target country wishing to travel.
   • Destined country’s flight ticket.
2. For a Tourist Schengen Visa to Austria:
   • Latest 06 months bank statement.
   • Flight Itinerary: A complete information of your Austrian Visit including; 
     • Purpose of your Austrian Visit.
     • Duration of your trip, arrival, and departure dates.
     • Austria hotel/hostel reservation details.
     • Schedule of your traveling activities. 
   • Financial support evidence for your entire trip to Austria.
3. For a Schengen Visitor Visa to Austria:
   • Financial support proof: Proof of ample money for your whole stay and tour to Austria in the form of; 
     • Statement of the bank account.
     • Letter of Sponsorship- In case of another person assisting your financial aid in Austrian trip also referred to as “Affidavit of Support.”
     • Or both.
   • Travel itinerary: A complete information of your Austrian Visit including;
     • Purpose of your Austrian Visit.
     • A formal invitee from an Austrian resident or Austria’s hotel/hostel reservation.
   • Invitation evidence: You have to prove that you are invited by a family member or friend to visit Austria by providing the documents regarding the same. And, these documents are;
     • Host signed invite letter.
     • Passport of host.
     • If asked, residence permit of host.
     • EVE- Electronic Guarantee Letter- Under this you need to submit the following documents;
       • Personal ID card or Passport.
       • Registration of Police.
       • Birthdate.
       • Birthplace.
       • Latest Bank statement.
       • Address.
       • Your Passport/Visa applicant number.
       • Residency agreement.
       • Last paystub.
4. For a Business Schengen Visa to Austria:
   • Austrian company’s Invitee letter along with the dates and complete address of your Visit.
   • Bank statement of your business from last 06 months.
   • Employer certificate stating the purpose of your visit.
   • The trade license of both first issued and existing renewal.
   • Article of Association and Memorandum must provide an original document registered with joint-stack companies.
   • Financial support proof of your Visit It is a letter or invitation stating the detailed information of the applicant’s charges in their whole trip to Austria born by the employer or the partner company.
5. For a Student Schengen Visa to Austria:
   • Allocation certificate permitting to attend the studies of school/university/language course/etc. in Austria.
   • NOC- No Objection Letter (if applicable) from your recently allocated Austrian Educational Institute.
6. For a Medical Schengen Visa to Austria:
   • A medical report from your local doctor/hospital/clinic of your home country confirming your medical treatment necessity in Austria.
   • Medical expenses pay receipt.
   • Austrian doctor’s/hospital’s medical attestation, ensuring about your medical situation and appointment date.
   • Authorized assurance of your appointment/treatment from your issuing medical aid institution in Austria.
   • Financial support evidence of your charges and other medical stuff-related charges of your treatment.
7. For an Austrian Schengen Visa for Cultural, Sports, Film Crew, or Religious Purposes:
   • Information of event: in the form of;
     • An invitee letter from the event body in Austria describing the detailed information of the event.
     • Event entry tickets.
     • Entrance prerequisites.
     • Complete agenda of the Austrian event.
     • Other documents related to the event information along with the applicant’s name.
8. For an Austrian Schengen Visa for the Austrian Citizen’s Wife/Husband:
   • Austrian citizenship proof in the form of ID card or naturalization order or consular card or certification of Austrian nationality or consular card.
   • Marriage certificate of Austria.
   • Family record book of Austria.
9. Austrian Schengen Visa for Official Delegation Members
   • Authorized invitee copy.
   • Proof of objective of the trip.

HOW TO APPLY FOR A SHORT-STAY AUSTRIAN VISA?

For a short-stay Schengen Austrian Visa you need to go through the following procedure of application;

1. Firstly, you need to locate the place to apply for an Austrian Visa.
2. Then select the Austrian Visa type that suits best for your purpose of traveling to Austria.
3. Next, gather all the documents necessary for the Austrian Visa. You must fulfil the documents asked by the Austrian embassy or consulate and gather them accordingly to the type of visa you are applying for in your resident country.
4. After collecting the required documents you need to make an appointment at the Austrian Embassy/Consulate or a visa application centre of your home country for your visa.
5. Lastly, head to the responsible Austrian Embassy/Consulate/VAC for your scheduled visa interview.

WHERE TO APPLY FOR A SHORT-STAY AUSTRIAN VISA?

You are supposed to apply for your short-stay Austrian Visa at the particular visa access responsible Austrian body in your home country from the following;

1. An Austrian Consulate.
2. The Austrian Embassy.
3. A Visa Application Centre where Austria redistributed the Visa proposal.
4. Another Schengen country’s Consulate/Embassy where Austria redistributed the Visa proposal.

CONCLUSION: 

The Austrian Schengen Visa application procedure takes up to 15 days regularly and may extend up to 30 days in rare cases and up to 60 days also for exceptional cases. You can always consult the Austria Embassy/Consulate of your home country for other details of an Austrian Visa.