Embassy of Austria in Beijing – Applying for Austrian Schengen Visa in China

Introduction

Embassy of Austria in Beijing processes Austrian Schengen Visa (short-stay visa) applications and Austrian Residence Permit (long-stay visa) applications.

Austria at a glance

A German-speaking country located in Central Europe, Austria spans over an area of 83,879 kilometers-square and is resided by 8.77 million people. The country is famous for its Alpine topography, baroque architecture, rugged terrain, and imperial history.

Vienna, the capital of Austria, boasts a splendid view along with Danube River capital and is witness to the country’s rich history spanning well over a thousand years. The Austrian capital is also home to the Hofburg and Schönbrunn palaces. The city has produced legends like Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (prolific and influential composer of the classical era) John Strauss II (composer of light music) and Sigmund Freud (neurologist and the founder of psychoanalysis).

Being a rugged alpine terrain, adventurous sports including ski-jumping, snowboarding and mountain skiing are popular here.  Austria is also famous for its love for food and culinary circuits. People eat a well-balanced diet comprising beef and a variety of vegetables. Krapfen, which is essentially doughnuts filled with custard or apricot jam is a very popular bakery item.

Austria is also part of the Schengen Area.

Jurisdiction of Embassy of Austria in Beijing

All provinces in the People’s Republic of China, except the provinces which belong to the Shanghai Jurisdictions.

Visa Application Process at Embassy of Austria in Beijing

Below is the step-by-step guide for acquiring Austrian Schengen Visa at the Embassy of Austria in Beijing:

Step 1: Website

Begin by visiting the official website of the Austrian Embassy in Beijing as it entails updated information pertaining to visa application rules and procedures.

Embassy of Austria in Beijing – Home Page

Step 2: Submit Biometric Data

As of October 12, 2015, all applicants aiming to apply for Schengen Visa must appear in person to submit the aforementioned data.

Biometric data comprises of ten fingerprints and a face picture. In order to submit their biometric data, all applicants must come to the Visa Application Centre of Austria (or mission) the first time they apply for a visa from 12 October 2015.

Embassy of Austria in Beijing – Track Visa application

Once submitted, the itinerant can retrieve data as many times as he wishes within a span of 59 months. Biometric data is not collected from children under the age of 12 or if it is physically impossible.

Embassy of Austria in Beijing – Biometric Data

Step 3: Gather Visa Docs

After submitting biometric data, the itinerant will initiate the process of collecting mandatory and supporting documents. These include:

Application form for the Austrian Schengen Visa application: The application form can be downloaded from the website of the Embassy of Austria in Beijing. Provide all information honestly and without any discrepancies. Also, the information provided in the application form for the Austrian Schengen Visa must match with the data provided in other documents.

Flight Reservation for Austria Schengen Visa application: Flight Reservation for Schengen Visa application is a document illustrating to the visa officer that the visa applicant has paid for or booked a flight. It is worth here to mention that the flight reservation for the Schengen Visa application does not tantamount to an actual flight ticket. Also, embassies and consulates across the globe recommend against purchasing an actual flight ticket for the Schengen Visa application. They do it so because if the visa application is rejected, the itinerant will be deprived of is hard-earned that might surpass USD 1000.

For the Schengen Visa application, the itinerant will buy a roundtrip flight reservation.

While purchasing a flight reservation for visa application, carefully provide arrival and departure dates as the visa officer will issue the visa against the dates printed on the flight itinerary.

Travel Health Insurance for Schengen Visa application: A travel health insurance for the Schengen Visa application is also a mandatory document in the visa application. For the Austrian Schengen Visa application purpose, the availed insurance must be legal or valid in the whole Schengen Area. It must also provide coverage not less than USD 45000 or EUR 30000. The travel health insurance for the Schengen Visa application must also provide coverage for the cost of repatriation (in the hapless case of death).

Hotel bookings for Schengen Visa application/Proof of lodging: Just like flight reservation for visa application and travel health insurance for visa application, a hotel bookings document for the Schengen Visa application is also a mandatory document that accompanies your visa application.

It illustrates that the itinerant has paid for a lodging facility in the host nation. Obliquely, it also illustrates that the itinerant is financially able to bear his expenses during the course of his/her visit.

Cover Letter: A cover letter for the visa application precisely explains the reason for applying for the Schengen Visa.

Means of subsistence: It means to provide evidence to the Austrian Embassy or consulate that the applicant has sufficient amount or financial resources to bear his/her expenditures during his stay in the Schengen country. There is no precise or exact amount regulated by Integration and Foreign Affairs of Austria.

It may vary on a case-to-case basis.

Proof of solvency of applicant: This includes a bank statement from the last three to six months, with A4 photocopies or printouts, no deposits.

• For retired persons: Proof of pension or another source of income.
• For minors: Consent letter signed by parents.

No Objection Certificate (NOC) from school/college/university or from the company.

Consent letter signed by the parents of minors.

Evidence illustrating the social status of the applicant in China.

Step 4: Appear for interview

Appear for the interview at the Embassy of Austria in Beijing. Bring with you photocopies of all the documents. And appear for the interview at the given time.

Answer all the questions confidently and honestly. Do not panic if some additional questions are thrown at you by the visa officer.

Step 5: Track Your Austria Schengen Visa application

The itinerant has the luxury of tracking progress on the visa application through VFS Global. All you need to do is write the necessary details.

Embassy of Austria in Beijing – Track Visa application 2

Usually, the Embassy of Austria in Beijing takes up to 15 days to process the visa application but the duration might prolong in exceptional cases.

The applicant can collect his visa by appearing in the personal capacity or by post.