This guide covers the UK visa from Austria in 2026: the ETA now required of Austrian citizens, current fees in euros, and the visa routes for non-EU residents. Since Brexit, Austrian nationals are visa-free for short visits but need an Electronic Travel Authorisation to travel. Whether you need a quick ETA for a London trip or a work visa for a longer move, this guide sets out the requirements, costs, and how to apply.
Source: Home Office ETA datasets and entry clearance visa fees, year ending March 2026.
Austrian citizens have needed an ETA since 2 April 2025, and it is now fully enforced — no ETA, no boarding. In the year to March 2026 the UK issued about 313,000 ETAs to Austrian nationals at a 99.7% approval rate. The ETA costs €24 and lasts two years; only non-EU residents of Austria need an actual visa.
UK Visa from Austria: Requirements and Fees 2026
Austria and Britain share deep cultural ties: the Congress of Vienna of 1814–15, hosted by Austria, reshaped Europe with heavy British involvement, and Mozart performed for King George III as a child prodigy while the Viennese waltz swept British ballrooms. Today around 15,000 Austrian-born residents live in the UK, and Vienna is a favourite British city break. Since Brexit, though, Austrian travellers face the same ETA system as other visa-exempt nationals.
Austrian citizens do not need a visa for visits of up to six months, but they do need an ETA (€24, valid two years) obtained through the UK ETA App. Non-EU residents of Austria need a Standard Visitor visa (€163) instead. For work, study, or family stays, Austrian nationals apply for the relevant visa and give biometrics through the UK Immigration: ID Check App — no visa centre visit.
Do Austrian Citizens Need a Visa for the UK?
No visa is needed for short visits — tourism, family, or business meetings up to six months. Austrian citizens do need an ETA, mandatory since 2 April 2025, costing €24 and valid for two years. For work, study, or stays beyond six months, the appropriate visa is required. The ETA is applied for in minutes through the UK ETA App.
The UK brought visa-exempt European nationals into the ETA scheme during 2025 to screen arrivals before travel. According to the official gov.uk ETA guidance, Austrian citizens have needed one since 2 April 2025. Home Office figures for the year to March 2026 show a 99.7% issue rate for Austrian applicants — approval is effectively automatic for eligible travellers.
- Fee: €24 per person, paid in the app
- Validity: 2 years, or until the passport expires
- Stay: up to 6 months per visit, multiple entries
- Decision: often within minutes, up to 3 working days
- Apply via the UK ETA App — every traveller needs their own, including children
The full rules, exemptions, and how the scheme works across nationalities are covered in our guide to the UK Electronic Travel Authorisation scheme. The same system applies to German citizens visiting the UK.
UK Visa Fees from Austria 2026 (in Euros)
Austrian citizens pay only €24 for an ETA. Non-EU residents of Austria pay from €163 for a six-month Standard Visitor visa. Work visas run from €988, the Student visa is €673, and a partner/family visa is €2,489. All fees are paid in euros and are non-refundable. These figures reflect the fee schedule current in 2026.
Home Office fees are set in pounds and shown in euros for applicants in Austria and the eurozone. The figures below are pulled from the official fee calculator and apply identically across euro-currency countries.
Visitor and Short-Stay Fees
| Visa Type | Fee (EUR) | Max Stay Per Visit |
|---|---|---|
| ETA (Austrian citizens) | €24 | 6 months |
| Standard Visitor (6 months) | €163 | 6 months |
| Long-term Visitor (2 years) | €610 | 6 months |
| Long-term Visitor (5 years) | €1,089 | 6 months |
| Long-term Visitor (10 years) | €1,360 | 6 months |
| Marriage Visitor | €163 | 6 months |
| Private Medical Treatment | €282 | 11 months |
| Direct Airside Transit (DATV) | €50 | Airside only |
| Visitor in Transit | €90 | 48 hours |
For travellers planning repeat trips, the long-term visitor visa spreads the cost over two, five, or ten years while still capping each stay at six months.
Work, Study and Family Fees
| Visa Category | Fee (EUR) |
|---|---|
| Student | €673 |
| Skilled Worker (up to 3 years) | €988 |
| Skilled Worker (over 3 years) | €1,951 |
| Health and Care Worker (up to 3 years) | €391 |
| Youth Mobility Scheme | €410 |
| Partner / Family visa | €2,489 |
| Adult Dependent Relative | €4,384 |
| Priority service | +€603 |
| Super Priority service | +€1,206 |
Any visa over six months also carries the Immigration Health Surcharge, charged in pounds at £1,035 a year (students and Youth Mobility participants pay £776). It is paid on top of the visa fee and is not converted to euros. Health and Care Worker visa holders are exempt.
UK Tourist Visa from Austria
Austrian citizens need no tourist visa — only the €24 ETA for visits up to six months. Non-EU residents of Austria, such as Indian or Pakistani passport holders, need a Standard Visitor visa (€163) for any trip. Both cover tourism, sightseeing, and visiting friends or family. Austrian nationals apply via the ETA app; others apply through the visa centre in Vienna.
"UK tourist visa from Austria" means different things by nationality. An Austrian passport holder visiting as a tourist only needs an ETA. A non-EU national living in Austria must apply for a Standard Visitor visa, regardless of how long they have lived there — an Austrian Aufenthaltstitel does not grant visa-free UK access.
| Your Status | What You Need | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Austrian citizen | ETA (UK ETA App) | €24 |
| Other EU/EEA citizen in Austria | ETA (UK ETA App) | €24 |
| Indian passport holder in Austria | Standard Visitor visa | €163 |
| Pakistani passport holder in Austria | Standard Visitor visa | €163 |
| Other non-EU resident of Austria | Standard Visitor visa | €163 |
If a visit was refused before, our guides on why UK visas are refused and the realistic odds of success when reapplying explain how to strengthen a fresh application. The same visitor framework applies to those Belgian travellers to the UK.
UK Visa from Austria for Non-EU Residents
Non-EU residents of Austria pay €163 for a six-month Standard Visitor visa, whatever their nationality. The application goes through the visa centre in Vienna and takes about three weeks. An Austrian residence permit strengthens the application as evidence of ties, but it does not remove the visa requirement.
Indian, Pakistani, and other non-EU nationals living in Austria often travel to the UK for business or tourism, and must obtain a visa for any trip regardless of purpose or length. An Austrian residence permit does not grant visa-free access.
Legal residence in Austria — especially permanent residence — helps a UK visitor application by showing strong ties and a clear reason to return. Include your residence permit, employment contract, and evidence of settled life in Austria such as property, bank accounts, or children in school alongside the standard documents.
A well-prepared file matters: assemble your evidence using our UK visa supporting documents checklist, and if a UK-based relative is hosting you, our guide to the sponsor's invitation letter shows what to include.
Working and Studying in the UK
Austrian citizens need a work visa since Brexit. The main route is the Skilled Worker visa (€988–€1,951), needing employer sponsorship and a salary at or above the £41,700 general threshold. Austrian nationals give biometrics through the UK Immigration: ID Check App from home. The Youth Mobility Scheme (ages 18–35, €410) and the Student visa (€673) are the other common routes.
Free movement ended on 31 December 2020, so Austrian nationals now need permission to work or study long-term. The upside is convenience: as an EU national, you verify your identity through the UK Immigration: ID Check App rather than attending a visa centre. UK visa grant rates for Austrian applicants are high across all routes in the latest Home Office figures.
Skilled Worker Visa
The Skilled Worker route is the main path for Austrian nationals taking UK employment. You need a job offer from a licensed sponsor and a salary meeting the general threshold of £41,700, with lower thresholds for some roles. The fee is €988 for up to three years or €1,951 beyond that, plus the health surcharge, and it leads to settlement after five years.
Youth Mobility and Student Routes
Austrian citizens aged 18 to 35 can apply under the Youth Mobility Scheme to live and work in the UK for two years without a job offer; places are limited and allocated by ballot, and the fee is €410. For courses over six months, the Student visa costs €673 and allows part-time work. After a degree, the Graduate route gives two years' post-study work. Shorter courses up to six months need only an ETA.
Partner and Family Routes
Austrian nationals joining a British or settled partner can apply for a partner visa, currently €2,489, with a minimum income requirement of £29,000. Where the sponsor holds EU Settlement Scheme status instead, the free EUSS family route may apply rather than the paid partner visa.
How to Apply for a UK Visa from Austria
The process depends on whether you are an Austrian citizen or a non-EU resident of Austria. Austrian nationals do almost everything by app; non-EU residents use the Vienna visa centre for biometrics.
- Complete the online application and pay the fee in euros at gov.uk
- Austrian citizens: give biometrics via the UK Immigration: ID Check App from home
- Non-EU residents: book biometrics at the Vienna visa centre
- Upload your supporting documents
- Wait for the decision — about 3 weeks standard, 5 days on priority
- Receive your eVisa or a vignette in your passport
For an ETA there is no form beyond the app itself — download it, scan your passport, take a photo, and pay. If a visa decision runs late, our guide on UK visa delays explains how to chase it, and priority and super-priority services can speed things up where available. You can track timelines with our guide to processing after biometrics.
UK Visa Application in Vienna
Non-EU residents of Austria attend the UK visa centre in Vienna in person for biometrics and document submission. Austrian citizens skip this step and use the ID Check App instead. The centre is in central Vienna and appointments are booked through the official visa-centre website after the online application and fee are completed.
- Austrian citizens need an ETA (€24), applied for via the UK ETA App — issue rate 99.7%
- For visas, Austrian nationals use the ID Check App — no visa centre visit
- Non-EU residents of Austria pay €163 for a six-month Standard Visitor visa
- Work visas need sponsorship and a £41,700 general salary threshold
- The health surcharge (£1,035/year, £776 students) applies to visas over six months
- The Vienna visa centre handles applications for non-EU residents
For official confirmation, use the gov.uk visa checker and the Standard Visitor visa guidance. Neighbouring guides cover Netherlands ETA guidance, travelling from France, the Ireland CTA arrangement, and Switzerland ETA requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions about UK Visa from Austria
No visa is needed for visits up to six months, but Austrian citizens must hold an ETA before travelling. It costs €24, lasts two years, and is obtained through the UK ETA App. The requirement has applied since 2 April 2025 and is enforced at boarding — without an approved ETA, carriers will not let Austrian travellers board transport to the UK.
Austrian citizens pay only €24 for an ETA. For non-EU residents, the six-month Standard Visitor visa is €163, with longer visitor visas at €610, €1,089, or €1,360 for two, five, or ten years. Work visas run from €391 for Health and Care up to €1,951 for the Skilled Worker over three years, and a partner visa is €2,489. All fees are non-refundable.
An Austrian citizen with an ETA can stay up to six months per visit for tourism, family, or business. There is no annual cap on visits, but frequent or very long stays may prompt questions about whether you are a genuine visitor. Working, studying long-term, or settling all require the relevant visa with its own conditions.
Not without a work visa. The main route is the Skilled Worker visa (€988–€1,951), needing sponsorship from a licensed UK employer and a salary at or above the £41,700 general threshold. Austrian nationals aged 18–35 may also use the Youth Mobility Scheme (€410). Business meetings are allowed on an ETA, but paid work is not.
Yes. A non-EU national with an Austrian residence permit still needs a UK visa to visit, because the Austrian Aufenthaltstitel does not grant visa-free access. That said, holding Austrian residence helps your application by showing strong ties outside the UK and a clear reason to return after your trip.
Yes. Austrian and other EU, EEA, and Swiss nationals applying for UK work, study, or family visas can verify their identity through the ID Check App from home, so no visa centre visit is needed. You scan your passport chip with your phone's NFC reader and take a photo to complete identity checks.
Standard processing is about three weeks for visitor and other non-settlement visas, and up to twelve weeks for settlement visas such as partner routes. Priority service (€603) targets five working days for visitor visas, and super priority (€1,206) aims for the next working day where available. ETAs are usually decided within minutes, up to three working days.
The UK visa centre in Vienna is in the central Landstraße district and is where non-EU residents of Austria attend for biometrics. Austrian citizens applying for work, study, or family visas use the ID Check App from home instead and do not need to visit. Appointments are booked online after the application and fee are completed.