Information in connection with COVID-19 [as of 19 October 2020]

Information about acutal opening hours or availability and if it is possible to apply for a visa or a residence title at the moment can be found on the website of the respective Austrian Embassy.

Please contact the competent Austrian embassy by email directly in any case even though the website of the embassy states that they are closed, because the situation can change any time. Nevertheless, for students, scholars and researchers there is still often the possibility to file the application for a visa or a residence permit.

Legalisation of documents can be done at almost every Austrian embassy.

Applications for renewal or change to another residence title can be submitted at moment by mail or email at the competent residence authority in Austria.

Please note that your application is received by the competent residence authority in due time before your current residence title expires.

It is recommended to send your application as a registered letter or with a confirmation of received or read e-mail.

Students, who are entitled to enter Austria visa-free, will have to show a valid admission letter.

The entry conditions depends on the country from which you want to enter Austria.

Please note that not all airlines are aware of this regulation!

Therefore, it is recommended to contact the airline beforehand.

*all countries except for Switzerland and member states of EEA and EU

Only PCR test are accepted, not an antibody test.

A list of laboratories where a PCR test can be done can be found here and here.

You can do this test also at the Vienna Airport.

If you can demonstrate that you have been in one of those countries (except for Romania) for the past 10 days, you can enter Austria without a PCR test and do not have to undergo a quarantine.

In case you cannot demonstrate this (e.g. residence registration, hotel booking), a medical certificate has to be shown, which confirms a negative PCR test. The PCR test should not be older than 72 hours at the moment of entry to Austria.

In case you do not have a PCR test or the test is older than 72 hours at the moment of entry to Austria, you will have to undergo a quarantine.

If you have to undergo a quarantine, the following rules apply:

1. upon entry from or a stay (in the past 10 days) in Albania, Andorra, Argentina, Bahrain, Bangladesch, Belarus, Bosnia and the Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, the region Prague (Czech Republic), Ecuador, Egypt, the regions Île-de-France and Provence-Alpes-Cote d’Azur (France), India, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, Kosovo, Kuwait, the Maledives, Mexico, Moldavia, Montenegro, Nigeria, Northern Macedonia, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, the regions Lisbon and Norte (Portugal), Romania, Russian Federation, Senegal, Serbia, Spain (except the Canary Islands), South Africa, Turkey, Ukraine, the USA or the province Hubei (China) you are obliged to undergo a quarantine of 10 days and to do a PCR test within 48 hours.
2. when entering Austria from any other country you will have to undergo a quarantine of 10 days.

If you provide a negative PCR test during the quarantine time, the quarantine can be finished sooner.

If you can demonstrate that you have been in one of those countries or in an EU or EEA member country (except for Romania), Switzerland, Andorra, Monaco, San Marino, the Vatican or the United Kingdom for the past 10 days, you can enter Austria without a PCR test and do not have to undergo a quarantine.

In case you cannot demonstrate this (e.g. residence registration, hotel booking), you cannot enter Austria, unless you fall within an exemption.

An Exemption is made to:

• nationals from an EU or EEA member country, Switzerland or the United Kingdom as well as (third country* nationals) persons, who live with them together in the same household
• persons with a residence (or habitual residence) in an EU or EEA member country, Andorra, Monaco, San Marino, the Vatican, Switzerland or in the United Kingdom as well as (third country* nationals) persons, who live with them together in the same household
• persons with a valid visa D or residence title from Austria
• persons, who come to Austria for professional purposes
• persons, who come to Austria in order to begin or continue studies or research

Those exempted persons have to show a medical certificate, which confirms a negative PCR test. The PCR test should not be older than 72 hours at the moment of entry to Austria.

In case you do not have a PCR test or the test is older than 72 hours at the moment of entry to Austria, you will have to undergo a quarantine.

In case of quarantine, the following rules apply:

1. if you enter Austria from or had a stay (in the past 10 days) in Albania, Andorra, Argentina, Bahrain, Bangladesch, Belarus, Bosnia and the Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria (only the regions Blagoevgrad, Burgas, Dobrich, Gabrovo, Jambol, Kardzhali, Montana, Plovdiv, Rasgrad, Shumen, Sliven, Smoljan, Sofia, Stara Zagora, Targovishte, Varna), Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia (except for the regions Brod-Posavina, Istrien, Koprivnica-Križevci, Osijek-Baranja, Šibenik-Knin, Varaždin, Zadar), the region Prague (Czech Republic), Ecuador, Egypt, the regions Île-de-France and Provence-Alpes-Cote d’Azur (France), India, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, Kosovo, Kuwait, the Maledives, Mexico, Moldavia, Montenegro, Nigeria, Northern Macedonia, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, the regions Lisbon and Norte (Portugal), Romania, Russian Federation, Senegal, Serbia, Spain (except the Canary Islands), South Africa, the province Hubei (China), Turkey, Ukraine or the USA, a quarantine of 10 days have to be undergone and a PCR test within 48 hours done.
2. upon entry from any other country a quarantine of 10 days have to be undergone.

If you provide a negative PCR test during the quarantine time, the quarantine can be finished sooner.

*all countries except for Switzerland and member states of EEA and EU

In principle, the entry to Austria is not permitted.

An exemption is made to:

• nationals from an EU or EEA member country, Switzerland or the United Kingdom as well as (third country* nationals) persons, who live with them together in the same household

• persons with a residence (or habitual residence) in an EU or EEA member country, Andorra, Monaco, San Marino, the Vatican, Switzerland or in the United Kingdom as well as (third country* nationals) persons, who live with them together in the same household
• persons with a valid visa D or residence title from Austria
• persons, who come to Austria for professional purposes
• persons, who come to Austria in order to begin or continue studies or research

Those exempted persons have to show a medical certificate, which confirms a negative PCR test. The PCR test should not be older than 72 hours at the moment of entry to Austria.

In case you do not have a PCR test or the test is older than 72 hours at the moment of entry to Austria, you will have to undergo a quarantine.

In case of quarantine, the following rules apply:

1. if you enter Austria from or had a stay (in the past 10 days) in Albania, Andorra, Argentina, Bahrain, Bangladesch, Belarus, Bosnia and the Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria (only the regions Blagoevgrad, Burgas, Dobrich, Gabrovo, Jambol, Kardzhali, Montana, Plovdiv, Rasgrad, Shumen, Sliven, Smoljan, Sofia, Stara Zagora, Targovishte, Varna), Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia (except for the regions Brod-Posavina, Istrien, Koprivnica-Križevci, Osijek-Baranja, Šibenik-Knin, Varaždin, Zadar), the region Prague (Czech Republic), Ecuador, Egypt, the regions Île-de-France and Provence-Alpes-Cote d’Azur (France), India, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, Kosovo, Kuwait, the Maledives, Mexico, Moldavia, Montenegro, Nigeria, Northern Macedonia, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, the regions Lisbon and Norte (Portugal), Romania, Russian Federation, Senegal, Serbia, Spain (except the Canary Islands), South Africa, the province Hubei (China), Turkey, Ukraine or the USA a quarantine of 10 days has to be undergone and a PCR test done within 48 hours.
2. upon entry from any other country a quarantine of 10 days have to be undergone.

If you provide a negative PCR test during the quarantine time, the quarantine can be finished sooner.

*all countries except for Switzerland and member states of EEA and EU

If you commute to Austria to your study place an a regular basis, you do not need a medical certificate and do not have to undergo a quarantine.

Proof for regular entry and re-entry for that purpose has to be demonstrated in case of official inspection.