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Austria

Austria visit visa for Pakistan passport holders

VisitVisaInfo Editorial Team

Guides built from official government and embassy sources.

Last updated

On this page
  1. Document requirements
  2. Fees and timeline
  3. Fees
  4. Timeline
  5. How to apply
  6. Visa ratio
  7. FAQ
  8. Official sources
  9. Related guides

Austria · Schönbrunn Palace, Vienna · Falk2 · CC BY-SA 4.0

Summary

Embassy visa required
Visa type
Schengen short-stay visa (type C) — tourism, family visit or business
Stay limit
Up to 90 days in any 180-day period
Validity
As printed on the visa sticker (single or multiple entry, set by the consulate)
Entries
Single or multiple, decided by the consulate
Biometrics
Biometrics are required.
Interview
Fingerprints and photo at lodging; the consulate may call you for an interview

Pakistani citizens need a Schengen visa (type C) for short visits to Austria. The Austrian Embassy in Islamabad decides every application, but you book and lodge it at a VFS Global centre in Islamabad, Lahore or Karachi, where the fee is paid in Pakistani rupees, in cash.

Austria splits the work for visit visas from Pakistan. VFS Global handles appointment booking, takes in applications and returns passports, while the Austrian Embassy in Islamabad assesses every application itself. Book online on VFS Global's Austria site for one of three centres, in Islamabad, Lahore or Karachi, and lodge your file there in person. Under the EU rule, apply to Austria only if it is your main destination, meaning the country where you spend the longest time, or your first stop if your stays are of equal length.

The Embassy is strict about timing. It says applications must be lodged no earlier than six months and no later than 15 days before departure. Files lodged less than 15 days before travel are rejected under the EU Visa Code. It also warns of longer processing times at the moment and asks travellers to apply early, so plan on applying well ahead for summer trips rather than at the last minute.

The Embassy's own document list goes further than the general Schengen checklist in a few places. Your passport must have at least two free pages, be no older than 10 years and stay valid for at least three months after the visa ends. Bring a copy of the photo page, copies of any previous Schengen visas, a 35 x 45 mm ICAO colour photo and a transport reservation; the Embassy says a paid ticket is not required. English-language documents do not need a German translation. You also need travel, health and accident insurance valid across the Schengen area, and proof of accommodation such as a hotel reservation.

Austria pays close attention to your roots in Pakistan, such as property, employment, studies, a pension or family ties. If your host in Austria is paying for your stay, they can submit an electronic declaration of sponsorship to the police department for their place of residence and send you its eight-digit ID number to include in your application. If a spouse or parent supports you, the Embassy asks for proof of the relationship (a marriage or birth certificate), their bank statements and a statement that they will support you.

The Schengen fee is €90 for adults and €45 for children aged 6 to 12, according to the European Commission. In Pakistan the Embassy converts it into rupees at a rate it adjusts monthly, and fees at the visa centres are paid in cash only, with VFS Global's service charge on top. Fingerprints are taken at the centre unless you gave them for a Schengen application in the last 59 months. A decision normally takes up to 15 calendar days and can take up to 45 in complex cases, and your passport comes back through VFS Global. VFS Global says its Lahore centre moved to 8 A Queen's Road, opposite the CCPO Office, from 29 June 2026.

Checklist

Document requirements

  • Pakistani passport issued within the last 10 years, valid at least 3 months after you leave the Schengen area, with at least 2 blank pages
  • Completed and signed Schengen visa application form
  • One recent ICAO-standard colour photo
  • Travel medical insurance covering emergency care, hospitalisation and repatriation across the Schengen area (minimum cover €30,000)
  • Proof of the purpose of the trip (hotel bookings and itinerary, invitation letter, or business letter)
  • Proof of accommodation for the whole stay
  • Proof of financial means, such as recent personal bank statements
  • Evidence you will return to Pakistan (employment letter or business registration, study enrolment, family or property ties)
  • Flight reservation (return or onward)
  • Visa fee payment receipt
  • Fingerprints and photo taken when you lodge the application (unless given in the last 59 months)

The Austrian Embassy Islamabad outsources application intake to VFS (Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi) but decides every application itself. It asks for a passport with 2 free pages, not older than 10 years, copies of previous Schengen visas, and proof of roots in Pakistan. Fees are paid in Pakistani rupees in cash at the centre, at a rate the Embassy adjusts monthly. Applications lodged less than 15 days before departure are rejected.

Checklist source: bmeia.gv.at, home-affairs.ec.europa.eu

Money and time

Fees and timeline

Fees

  • Official fee

    €90

    Adults; €45 for children aged 6–12; free under 6. Visa centre service fees are extra where a centre is used.

    Fee source

  • Service or extra charges

    Set by the visa centre, if one is used — shown on the centre's website

    Fee source

Timeline

  • Decision time (official)

    Normally 15 calendar days from lodging; can be extended to 45 days if more examination or documents are needed (EU Visa Code)

  • Processing and appointments

    Book the appointment with the mission or its visa centre first; waiting times depend on capacity and are not fixed by the Visa Code.

  • When to apply

    No earlier than 6 months and at least 15 days before the trip

Official links

How to apply

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Passport country first, then destination. Pages only show fees, timelines, and refusal rates that official sources have published.

Official statistics

Visa ratio

83.5%

Share of Schengen visa applications not issued at Austria consulates in Pakistan (Islamabad) · 2024

Official EC figure by place of application (consulates in Pakistan), not strictly by nationality: 3,011 of 3,604 decided applications were not issued in 2024. It describes past decisions and does not predict any single application.

European Commission — Schengen visa statistics for consulates, 2024

  • Wider official statistic — not this passport × destination

    14.6%

    Schengen-wide short-stay refusal rate, 2025

    This is the published Schengen-wide rate. It is not this passport and destination.

    Source

Quick answers

FAQ

Do Pakistani passport holders need a visa for Austria?

Yes. Pakistan is on the EU list of nationalities that need a Schengen visa. A short-stay (type C) visa covers tourism, family visits and business trips of up to 90 days in any 180-day period.

Where do Pakistanis apply for an Austria Schengen visa?

Book online and lodge your file at the VFS Global Austria centre in Islamabad, Lahore or Karachi. VFS Global only receives the file. The Austrian Embassy in Islamabad assesses every application.

How do I pay the Austria visa fee in Pakistan?

The fee is €90 for adults and €45 for children aged 6–12 (European Commission). The Embassy says it is paid in Pakistani rupees, in cash, at the visa centre, at a rate it adjusts monthly. VFS Global's service fee is extra.

Can I apply for an Austrian visa less than 15 days before I travel?

No. The Embassy says applications lodged less than 15 days before departure are rejected. Apply as early as six months before your trip, as the Embassy currently warns of longer processing times.

Do my documents need a German translation for Austria?

Not if they are in English. The Embassy says English-language documents do not need a German translation. For other languages, check with the consulate.

My host in Austria is paying for my trip. What do I submit?

Your host can submit an electronic declaration of sponsorship to the police department for their place of residence. Include its eight-digit ID number in your application.

What is the Austria visa refusal rate in Pakistan?

The European Commission's 2024 statistics show 83.5% of Schengen visa applications lodged at Austria consulates in Pakistan were not issued. This is by place of application, not a prediction for you.

Checked against

Official sources

Last checked 3 October 2026. Rules change without notice, so confirm on the official pages before you apply or travel.