Austrian visa resources
Appointments and biometrics for an Austria visa application
First applications are lodged in person at an Austrian consulate; biometrics (photo, signature, fingerprints) are taken and the permit is collected in person in Austria.
Important
For a national long-stay residence title, the first application must be submitted in person at the Austrian consulate in your country of domicile before you enter Austria. It cannot be lodged through an external service provider, an honorary consulate, or another Schengen state's embassy representing Austria. Many consulates require an appointment, which is booked via the competent consulate's own website.
At the consulate you submit the signed application form and a compliant photograph. Fingerprints and other biometric steps for the biometric residence-permit card are completed as part of the in-person process, and you ultimately collect the card in person from the competent authority in Austria.
Booking and lodging the application
- Book an appointment (where required) through the competent Austrian consulate's website
- Attend in person to submit the application - it cannot go through a third-party service provider or honorary consulate
- The consulate checks the file for completeness and forwards it to the deciding authority in Austria
Biometric data
- A personally signed application form and a colour photograph to ICAO standard (35 x 45 mm), no older than six months
- Fingerprints are taken as part of the in-person process for the biometric residence-permit card
- The residence permit is a biometric card issued to you personally
Next steps
Official sources
For the most accurate and up-to-date information, always refer to the official government sources.
Verified against official sources · last reviewed 2026-08-21. Information only — not legal advice.