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Schengen visa, applied for from the UK

Austria visa from the UK for non-UK passport holders

If you live in the UK on a non-UK passport, you apply for an Austria Schengen visa through VFS Global in London, Manchester or Edinburgh. The visa fee is €90 (£77.50), plus a £28.80 VFS service fee. VFS quotes 10 working days for a decision once the embassy has your file.

Checked against official sourcesLast reviewed · sources at the foot of the page
Consulate fee, adult. €45 for ages 6 to 11, free under 6.
€90
VFS Global service charge, paid at the centre.
£28.80
Standard processing after the appointment.
15 days
The earliest you can apply before you travel.
6 months

Who can apply from the UK

You can apply in the UK if you hold a valid UK residence permit, for example an eVisa as a worker, student or family member. If you only hold a UK visitor visa, you apply in your country of residence instead.

Your UK status must outlast your trip. The embassy asks for at least one month after you leave the Schengen area, and VFS asks for one month plus a 15-day grace period, so plan around the longer rule. VFS accepts a Home Office share code as proof.

Austria must be your main destination, the Schengen country where you spend the longest.

The embassy lists all three VFS centres and sets no rule on which one you use.

Documents for a Austria visit visa

You provide

  • Passport Signed, issued in the last 10 years, valid at least 90 days after you return, with 2 blank pages. Add copies of any Schengen visas from the last 3 years.
  • UK immigration status A Home Office share code, or a residence permit in your passport or on a card, valid at least one month and 15 days after you return. A UK visitor visa is not accepted.
  • Photo One ICAO-standard colour photo, 35 × 45 mm, on a plain light background, glued to the form. The embassy wants it no older than 3 months (VFS says 6), so use a recent one.
  • Bank statements Your UK current account statements for the last 3 months, showing your name, address and a positive balance dated within one week of your appointment. Online printouts are accepted.
  • Job or study evidence Employees: a signed letter on headed paper, addressed to the embassy and less than 10 days old, plus your last 3 payslips. Students: a signed letter from your UK university, college or school, less than 10 days old. Self-employed: a letter from your accountant, solicitor or bank manager, or your Companies House certificate, plus tax evidence.
  • Invitation from your host Family or friend visits only: your host's signed cover letter, under one month old, with your dates and their address, a copy of their passport, their Austrian residence permit if they are not an EU citizen, and their Austrian registration (Meldebestätigung). Your host may be asked for an electronic guarantee letter (EVE) from the local aliens police.
  • Children's documents A birth certificate. If a child travels alone or with one parent: both parents' passports or certified copies, parental consent and a British school certificate.
  • VFS appointment VFS says the applicant books the appointment online, and its contact centre cannot book for you. Each family member needs their own slot. We tell you when your file is ready and plan everything else around your date.

We provide

  • Application form Completed online, printed and signed twice: at box 37 and under the final declaration. Handwritten forms are not accepted.
  • Cover letter Sets out your dates, plans, who pays and your ties to the UK.
  • Return flight reservation Confirmed return tickets in your name with your travel dates. If you drive, VFS also wants your car registration, insurance and licence with the ferry or Eurotunnel booking.
  • Hotel booking Confirmed bookings in your name, with dates and addresses, for your whole stay.
  • Travel medical insurance Valid in every Schengen country for your whole stay, with at least €30,000 of cover, including COVID-19. From 1 November to 30 April it must include winter sports.

Where and when to apply

Austria takes UK short-stay applications through VFS Global in London, Manchester or Edinburgh. Apply no earlier than 6 months and no later than 15 days before you travel.

VFS Global runs the UK visa centres for the Austrian Embassy in London, which assesses every application. The embassy itself offers very few appointments, mainly for long-stay visas not linked to work.

Appointments in London →Appointments in Manchester →Appointments in Edinburgh →

Worth knowing about this consulate

  • VFS shows the €90 visa fee as £77.50 and the €45 child fee as £38.80, at the current exchange rate. Its £28.80 service fee includes VAT and applies to every applicant, including children under 6. No fee is refunded.
  • You can pay by card at all three centres. Cash is accepted in London only, not in Manchester or Edinburgh, and cheques and bank transfers are not accepted.
  • Appointments are booked online only. VFS says its contact centre cannot make bookings or see when slots open (notice of 25 September 2025).
  • VFS London takes business and conference applications without an appointment on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 2pm to 4pm (notice of 10 August 2026). Tourist and family visits always need an appointment.
  • All your documents must be less than one month old, and job and study letters less than 10 days old. Bring the originals and hand in copies.
  • The embassy lists the centres at 66 Wilson Street, London EC2A 2BT; 50 Devonshire Street North, Manchester M12 6JH; and 1 Rennie's Isle, Edinburgh-Leith EH6 6QT.

Notes by passport

Pakistani passport holders

  • Pakistan is on the EU's prior-consultation list (version of 1 November 2024), so your application may be checked with other Schengen states before a decision. This can add time, so apply early.
  • Only changing planes at an Austrian airport on the way somewhere else? As a Pakistani national you need an airport transit visa unless an exemption applies. The EU exemption for UK residents names the Biometric Residence Permit, and all BRPs have now expired, so with an eVisa plan on needing the transit visa unless Austria confirms otherwise.

Bangladeshi passport holders

  • Bangladesh is on the EU's prior-consultation list (version of 1 November 2024), so your application may be checked with other Schengen states before a decision. This can add time, so apply early.
  • Only changing planes at an Austrian airport on the way somewhere else? As a Bangladeshi national you need an airport transit visa unless an exemption applies. The EU exemption for UK residents names the Biometric Residence Permit, and all BRPs have now expired, so with an eVisa plan on needing the transit visa unless Austria confirms otherwise.

Nigerian passport holders

  • Nigeria is on the EU's prior-consultation list (version of 1 November 2024), so your application may be checked with other Schengen states before a decision. This can add time, so apply early.
  • Only changing planes at an Austrian airport on the way somewhere else? As a Nigerian national you need an airport transit visa unless an exemption applies. The EU exemption for UK residents names the Biometric Residence Permit, and all BRPs have now expired, so with an eVisa plan on needing the transit visa unless Austria confirms otherwise.

Sri Lankan passport holders

  • Sri Lanka is on the EU's prior-consultation list (version of 1 November 2024), so your application may be checked with other Schengen states before a decision. This can add time, so apply early.
  • Only changing planes at an Austrian airport on the way somewhere else? As a Sri Lankan national you need an airport transit visa unless an exemption applies. The EU exemption for UK residents names the Biometric Residence Permit, and all BRPs have now expired, so with an eVisa plan on needing the transit visa unless Austria confirms otherwise.

Ghanaian passport holders

  • Only changing planes at an Austrian airport on the way somewhere else? As a Ghanaian national you need an airport transit visa unless an exemption applies. The EU exemption for UK residents names the Biometric Residence Permit, and all BRPs have now expired, so with an eVisa plan on needing the transit visa unless Austria confirms otherwise.

Gambian passport holders

  • EU restrictions on The Gambia (Council Implementing Decision (EU) 2021/1781) mean only single-entry visas and a standard processing time of 45 days instead of 15. Apply well ahead.

Somali passport holders

  • EU restrictions on Somalia (a Council decision of 25 June 2026) mean only single-entry visas and a standard processing time of 45 days instead of 15. Apply well ahead.

Guinean passport holders

  • EU restrictions on Guinea (a Council decision of 10 July 2026) mean only single-entry visas and a standard processing time of 45 days instead of 15. Apply well ahead.

How a Austria application runs, day by day

  1. Day 0Eligibility and checklistA yes, a no or a “not yet, because”.
  2. Days 1–5File builtYou send documents on WhatsApp; we do the rest.
  3. VariesAppointment waitWe watch releases daily and book the first that fits.
  4. 15 daysConsulate decisionFingerprints at VFS Global, then we track the file.
  5. DonePassport backThen we confirm your real flights and hotel.

What it costs, and who you pay

Separate payments to separate people. Only ours is set by us, quoted in writing before you commit.

Consulate visa feePaid to the consulate. €45 for children aged 6 to 11. Not refundable if refused.
€90
VFS Global service chargePaid at the centre. Extras are optional.
£28.80
Fast Travellers, file and appointmentEverything from eligibility to decision, quoted in writing before you commit.
Fast Travellers, urgent or after a refusalAdds a daily slot search and a refusal review, quoted in writing before you commit.

Austria visa questions from UK residents

Can I apply for an Austria visa on a BRP?

BRPs have been replaced by eVisas. VFS accepts a Home Office share code as proof of your status. The embassy wants it valid at least one month after you leave the Schengen area, and VFS asks for one month plus 15 days.

Where do I apply for an Austria visa in the UK?

At VFS Global in London, Manchester or Edinburgh. The Austrian Embassy takes very few appointments itself, mainly for long-stay visas.

How long does an Austria visa take from the UK?

VFS quotes 10 working days once the embassy has your file. The embassy says no more than 15 calendar days, or up to 45 if it needs to check further. Apply at least 15 days before you travel, and earlier before holidays.

How much is an Austria Schengen visa from the UK?

The visa fee is €90 (£77.50) for adults and €45 (£38.80) for children aged 6 to 11. Children under 6 pay no visa fee. VFS adds £28.80 per person.

Will my passport be stamped when I enter Austria?

No. Since 10 April 2026 the EU's Entry/Exit System records your entries and exits digitally instead of stamping your passport. As a visa holder, the system stores a photo of your face taken at the border; your fingerprints are already on file from your visa application.

Can I visit other Schengen countries on an Austria visa?

Yes. A Schengen visa covers all 29 Schengen countries for up to 90 days in any 180, as long as Austria is your main destination.

Can I apply for an Austria visa without an appointment?

Only for business or conference trips, at VFS London on Tuesdays to Thursdays from 2pm to 4pm. Tourist and family visits need a booked appointment.

Do I need winter sports cover for an Austria visa?

Yes, if you travel between 1 November and 30 April. VFS says your insurance must include winter sports in that period, as well as at least €30,000 of cover across the Schengen area.

Where these facts come from

Fees and rules are checked against official and visa-centre pages. Last reviewed . Rules change: we confirm everything again before you pay.

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