FAQs on entry and residence for third-country students

There are different types of visas and residence permits, depending on the length and purpose of your stay. For students there are in particular

-Visa C for stays up to 90 days
- Visa D for short-term stays of 91 days up to 6 months.
- "Residence permit Student" for stays of more than six months.

For a "Residence permit student" you usually need
- A passport (valid for the duration of your stay)
- A recent passport photograph
- Proof of admission to a university (e.g. notification of admission, confirmation of study place)
- Proof of financing
- Proof of health insurance
-Proof of residence
-Criminal record

Other required documents can be found in the Checklist.

Visa applications are normally processed within 15 days, however, during peak periods it may take longer due to capacity limitations.
In general, it takes up to 90 days to make a decision on an application for a "Residence permit Student". This can be extended by a further 90 days if additional documents are required.

An extension of a visa is generally not possible in Austria.
However, a residence permit can be extended in certain cases if all the conditions are still met. The application for renewal must be submitted at least three months in advance of the expiry of the current residence permit. All the necessary documents must be submitted again, including proof of the progress of your studies.

Yes, for family members of students there is a ' Residence permit- Family community'. This allows your close family members to accompany you during your stay in Austria. The requirements include having sufficient financial means and adequate accommodation. Please note the further information on our website in the section "Family members". 

The purpose of the proof of financial means is to show that you can finance your stay in Austria without support from the Austrian social welfare system. The exact amounts can be found on our checklist.

If you are travelling to Austria, a travel health insurance will usually be sufficient until you have taken out an all-risks health insurance. 
You must then prove that you have an all-risks health insurance that provides coverage in Austria. For EU students, the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) is usually sufficient. For non-EU citizens, all-risks insurance is required. Further details can be found in the section "Health insurance for entry and residence".

You should submit your application for a residence permit as early as possible, but no later than 3 months before your planned arrival, as processing times can vary. Please also bear in mind that certain preparations, such as legalisations and translations, as well as arranging an appointment with the Austrian representation (embassy, consulate) may require additional time in advance. Therefore, plan enough time for preparation. Further information on the subject of legalisation can be found in the information sheet "Legalisation". 

Yes, with a Schengen visa or a valid residence permit you can move freely within the Schengen area for up to 90 days within a 180-day period. Please note, however, that work or research stays in other Schengen countries may be subject to the law of the country of destination.

Students from third countries with a " Residence permit Student " may work up to 20 hours per week with an work permit. This permit must be obtained from the employer. In the summer and winter months, more hours can usually be worked. Further information can be found in the section on working and in the information sheet "Working in Austria".

A visa is for short-term stays (max. 6 months, non-renewable), while a residence permit is for long-term stays. A residence permit allows you to study in Austria for a longer period of time, for example.

As a rule, students from third countries must submit their application for a residence permit to the competent Austrian representation authority before entering Austria. It is not permitted to circumvent the provisions of aliens law - the C or D visa for tourist purposes cannot be used to apply for a residence permit in Austria.
If you are entitled to enter Austria without the need for a visa, in particular on the basis of your nationality, you may also submit the application for the granting of a residence permit directly in Austria to the competent residence authority at your intended place of stay. The list of countries whose nationals are entitled to enter and stay in Austria without the need for a visa can be found in the information sheet "Visa-free entry". The nationals of these countries are entitled to enter and stay in the Schengen area, including Austria, for up to 90 days within a period of 180 days. All days spent in Schengen countries are counted. If the Austrian Residence Authorities do not decide during your visa-free stay in Austria, you are responsible for leaving the Schengen area. Please inform the immigration authorities about your place of stay abroad.

If you have to submit additional documents, this means that your application is incomplete or that certain documents have not been submitted correctly. Submit the required documents as soon as possible to avoid delaying the processing of your application. Read the instructions carefully and make sure that all the required documents are submitted in full and correctly. You will find a list of the required documents in our checklist.

Yes, a police clearance certificate is required to ensure that there are no previous criminal offences that could endanger your stay. A recent police clearance certificate from your home country is usually required. This should not be more than 3 months old. Please note that this police clearance certificate usually has to be legalised and, if necessary, translated in order for it to be accepted in Austria. You can find out whether a legalisation or an apostille is required by consulting the Haag Convention on Legalisation. You can also find further information on legalisation in our information sheet on legalisation.

If the police clearance certificate is in a language other than German, it should be translated into German by a sworn translator.

When your visa expires, you must leave the country. A visa extension is not possible in Austria.
If your residence permit expires, you must generally leave the country, unless you have already submitted an application for the extension of a residence permit in good time before the expiry of the previous residence permit and this application is currently being processed. Failure to do so may result in legal consequences.

Please note that the permitted length of stay is based on the number of days stated on the visa, even if the visa has not yet expired! When calculating the number of days, both the entry and exit days are counted.