Due to the current COVID-19 restrictions in Austria and the world, there may be delays with appointment booking at embassies and consulates. Please keep checking your local Austrian representation office for updates on working hours and changes to procedures.

Read more about travel restriction to Austria

Visa and residence permit information

Visa and residence permit applications can only be processed by the Austrian immigration authorities. You can find your nearest Austrian representation office here. The office for immigration in Vienna is the MA 35. CEU PU is not allowed to apply for a Visa or Residence permit on behalf of students, nor are we legally entitled to make inquiries with relevant authorities on the student's behalf. Please follow the steps on this page for application instructions and recommendations.

First-time applicants

Step 1: Find out what you need before entering Austria.

  • Non-EU and Non-EEA nationals (third-country nationals): find out if you need a visa to enter Austria. Please check this OeAD list to see if you have the right to a 90-day visa-free stay. If you need a visa to enter Austria, please submit your student residence permit application in your home country as soon as you receive your confirmation of acceptance for visa purposes (see Step 2 below).
    • 90 Day visa-free entry: we strongly recommend applying for your residence permit in your home country as soon as you receive your admissions offer before traveling to Austria, due to possible delays with the residence permit application process. If you exceed your visa-free stay before your residence permit has been approved, you will need to leave the country until you receive your student residence permit. 
  • EU or EEA citizens: you do not need a visa, nor a residence permit to reside in Austria, however, you must apply for a Confirmation of Registration (Anmeldebescheinigung) within four months of your arrival to Austria. You can find further information on the government website.

Step 2: Make an appointment.

Please make an appointment at your local Austrian embassy or consulate, or at the MA 35 office in Vienna. The appointment should be scheduled as soon as you have accepted your CEU offer of acceptance. Please apply in person*. If you are applying at the MA 35, please check their office hours on the website.

*Please note: you may need to visit the embassy multiple times before your application is approved.

Step 3: Prepare all required documents for the application, listed here.

Please make sure that all documents that are not issued in German are filed together with a translation done by a certified court translator. 

A Confirmation of Acceptance document will be made available on the Applicant Portal once you have officially accepted an offer of admission.

Useful attachments: 

Step 4: Wait for approval from the embassy or consulate.

Step 5: Apply for a visa D to enter Austria with.

Step 6: Travel to Austria and apply for an appointment at MA35.

Step 7: Prepare the documents to pick up your residence permit.

Step 8: Pick up the residence permit.

For more information, please visit our Visa and residence permit FAQ page.

Extension of residence permit (renewals)

If you need to renew your Austrian student residence permit, please follow the instructions here.