Planning a trip to Austria requires special attention to the documentation required for entry into the country. As a member of the European Union and the Schengen area, Austria offers various travel facilities, but it is essential to know the specific rules according to one’s nationality in order to avoid inconveniences at the borders.
The freedom of movement guaranteed by the Europe Agreements greatly facilitates travel for EU citizens, allowing them to stay freely on Austrian territory without the need for visas. However, border controls have been temporarily reintroduced with Germany, Hungary and Slovenia for reasons of security and migration control, making it even more important to travel with valid documents.
For a trip without surprises, it is essential to check the remaining validity of your documents and inquire about any temporary restrictions based on your nationality. Austria strictly enforces European and international regulations on travel documents, and the local authorities may require you to show your documents at any time during your stay.
Citizens of EU member states, EEA (European Economic Area) states and Switzerland may enter Austria by presenting one of the following valid documents:
The identity card is the document most commonly used by EU citizens when travelling to Austria. It must be valid and clearly marked ‘valid for travel abroad’. Austria accepts renewed identity cards, including those with extended validity by means of a stamp.
Citizens of the following countries are exempt from visa requirements and may use identity cards or passports:
EU countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden
EEA countries: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway
Other countries: Switzerland
All minors from 0 to 18 years of age must be able to present an individual document. Entries of minor children in their parents’ passports are no longer valid. Minors must necessarily hold an individual document: identity card valid for travel abroad or individual passport.
For minors travelling without their parents, a declaration of accompaniment issued by the competent authorities and signed by the parents, together with a copy of a valid document of the signatory parents, should be obtained.
Citizens of third countries (non-EU/EEA/Switzerland) must check whether they require a visa for entry into Austria. Nationals of several countries are exempt from visa requirements, including:
Visa exempt countries (for stays up to 90 days): Australia, Israel, Japan, Canada, New Zealand, USA, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Uruguay and many others.
For all other nationalities, a Schengen visa is required for a stay of up to 90 days. Citizens of countries subject to visa requirements may enter Austria with a Schengen visa or a residence permit issued by one of the Schengen countries.
Non-EU citizens must present
Non-EU citizens residing in an EU country with a valid residence permit may enter Austria without an additional visa if their stay does not exceed 90 days. The residence permit must be presented together with a national passport.
Driving licences from all European Economic Area countries and EU member states are recognised in Austria for an unlimited period of time. The national driving licence is therefore fully valid in Austria without the need for an international permit.
If the driving licence is not in German, it is only valid if accompanied by an international driving licence or an official translation.
Third-country nationals may use their national driving licence accompanied by:
To travel in Austria with your own car you need
Mandatory equipment includes warning triangle, first aid kit and reflective jacket. Winter equipment is mandatory from 1 November to 15 April.
In Austria, motorways and motorways are subject to tolls and a vignette must be purchased for all vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes, regardless of the driver’s nationality. The vignette is a sticker that replaces the traditional toll system at toll booths.
For heavier vehicles, it is necessary to use the GO-Box system, which calculates the toll according to the kilometres actually driven.
To find out all the latest information about this, see our page on the Austrian vignette.
The vignette can be purchased at:
European citizens can benefit from health care in Austria by presenting the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) of their country. The Austrian healthcare system is one of the best in the world and guarantees high quality medical services.
The EHIC covers urgent medical care and necessary treatment during your stay. For added security, many travellers choose to take outprivate supplementary health insurance.
Citizens of non-EU countries are not entitled to Austrian public health benefits and have to bear the full cost of medical treatment. It is highly advisable to take out travel health insurance that covers
Austrian pharmacies are well stocked with common and specialist medicines. For prescription drugs it is advisable
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