China → Austria
For short tourism, business or visits, a Schengen C visa is normally required; a C visa is for up to 90 days in any 180-day period, subject to visa validity, entries and border control.
Ordinary Chinese passports are subject to the EU visa requirement; Austria lists EU visa exemption for Chinese diplomatic passports only, not ordinary passports. Schengen entry conditions still apply, including valid travel document, purpose and means of stay, and no refusal-of-entry alert.
Based on passport-specific data. · as of 2026-06-18
Official source ↗Documents that change the outcome
- Visa-free· schengen_visa · 90 days
A valid uniform Schengen C visa, Schengen D long-stay visa or residence permit issued by a Schengen member state may be used subject to validity, entries and territorial limits; Article 6 Schengen Borders Code entry conditions still apply. For passports that otherwise need a visa, this changes the outcome to entry with the held Schengen document; it is not a substitute rule for US, UK or Japan visas.
source ↗
Documents & how to apply
- Completed and personally signed visa application form
- ICAO-compliant colour passport photo — 35x45 mm.
- Passport — At least 2 blank pages, issued within the last 10 years, and valid at least 3 months beyond the requested visa period.
- Biometric data / fingerprints — May be waived if already collected for a Schengen visa decision within the last 59 months.
- Copy of passport data page
- Copies of previous Schengen visas · optional — If any.
- Proof of transport — Reservation or booking; the official page states a paid ticket is not required.
- Travel, health and accident insurance — Must cover the whole Schengen area and full stay, minimum EUR 30,000, including repatriation for medical reasons.
- Proof of means for living and travel costs — If sufficient own means cannot be shown, the 8-digit ID number of an Austrian electronic declaration of commitment may be provided.
- Evidence that the purpose of travel to Austria is plausible
- Evidence of intention to leave the Schengen area before visa expiry
- Proof of economic, family and social ties in the home country — Official examples include real estate, current employment, study confirmation, pension entitlement, and family ties.
- Invitation letter for visits · optional — For visits, an informal invitation letter may be submitted.
- Business invitation letter · optional — For business travel, an original invitation signed by the inviting Austrian company on company paper, or company fax/email to the embassy/consulate, stating purpose, dates, invitee name, date of birth and passport number.
- Employer proof of employment · optional — For business travel, if required.
- Company register extract or equivalent for self-employed applicants · optional — For self-employed applicants.
- Certified parental authorization for minors · optional — Required for minor children travelling without their parents.
- Documents for travel by car · optional — Driving licence, green insurance card, vehicle registration certificate.
⏱ A Schengen visa application should normally not exceed 15 calendar days; if further checks are needed, processing may extend to 45 calendar days. 💳 90 EUR (government fee) 📍 Apply to the mission of the Schengen state that is the destination or main destination; for travel to Austria, normally apply to the Austrian mission competent for the applicant's lawful residence, with submission through external service providers available in some states.
Chinese ordinary passport holders need a visa for short Schengen visits to Austria; apply no earlier than 6 months and no later than 15 days before the planned trip. Documents may be requested with German translations; English documents may usually be accepted, but the competent mission decides.
Requirements vary by consulate — verify with the official source. official ↗
Regional stay rules
Short stays are generally limited to up to 90 days in any 180-day period, counted across the Schengen Area as a shared area.
Common questions
No. Austria’s Interior Ministry lists China as subject to the EU visa requirement, and ordinary Chinese passports do not have a tourism/business visa waiver. A US visa appears on Austria’s official page only in the context of airport-transit visa exemptions, not as an entry waiver for Austria or the Schengen area. A Schengen C visa is normally required for short entry.
Not on the basis of the US green card alone. Austria’s official list still treats ordinary Chinese passports as visa-required; US residence permits appear in the airport-transit visa exemption list, not as a short-stay entry waiver.
No Schengen visa is required for a Hong Kong SAR passport for short stays, normally up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Austria’s official list specifies that the exemption applies only to the “Hong Kong Special Administrative Region” passport.
The general Schengen rule is 90 days in any 180-day period; Austria’s Interior Ministry separately lists a national/older bilateral Austrian waiver for Japan of 6 months. Therefore, a stay only in Austria may be treated under Austria’s listed 6-month arrangement; travel involving other Schengen states should be calculated under the Schengen 90/180-day rule.
Yes, but only for Taiwan passports containing an identity card number. Short stays are normally up to 90 days in any 180-day period.
Verify with official sources
Visa policy changes without notice and this page is reference information that may contain errors. Before travel, verify via the official sources below or contact the destination country's embassy / consulate / immigration authority directly; final admission is at the destination government's discretion.