Application Procedures

We recommend to plan the visa application well in advance of the anticipated travel. Please inform yourself ahead of time of possible visa requirements. The application process for student visas, for example, may require several weeks if certain documents have to be obtained from a school in the United States.

All individuals (except those listed below) applying for nonimmigrant visas at the U.S. Embassy in Vienna are required to apply in person at the Consular Section located at Parkring 12a, 1010 Vienna.

Personal Appearance Waived

• Children under 14 years of age;
• Persons 80 years of age or older;
• Applicants for diplomatic visas (A-1, A-2, G-1, G-2, G-3, G-4 or NATO visas).

Applicants exempt from the personal appearance requirement may either apply in person (with appointment only) or apply for visas by mail.

Appointment Scheduling

Applicants need to contact our visa information line in order to schedule an appointment. This is - without any exceptions - the only way to schedule an appointment. The call center staff are not Consular employees and cannot make commitments about visa issuance. In order to serve you better, as an additional free service the Visa Information Service will provide each caller who schedules a visa application interview appointment with an e-mail, confirming the day and time of the visa appointment, as well as providing additional helpful information concerning the required documentation and the visa application process itself.

Emergencies: Please do not delay your visa processing by contacting the Consular Section for an emergency appointment. A limited number of appointments will be set aside daily for applicants who need to travel immediately due to an unforeseen emergency. Please contact the visa information/appointment number directly for an emergency appointment.

Students and Exchange Visitors (F-1 and J-1 visa applicants) who have already received the I-20/DS-2019 and who must report to the U.S. institution before normal visa processing can be completed, please inform the Call Center upon scheduling your appointment that you are requesting expedited processing.

No Appointment required

Diplomatic passport holders applying for any kind of visa may apply during our diplomatic/official hours (Mon – Fri 2:00 – 3:00 pm).

Applicants applying for an E-1 or E-2 visa (Treaty Trader or Treaty Investor) may submit their visa applications without an appointment during our diplomatic/official hours. For details please see Treaty Traders and Treaty Investors.

Required Documentation

• The one-page confirmation sheet of the electronically completed application form DS-160;
• a valid passport; for Austrian citizens valid for at least the duration of your intended stay in the United States. If more than one person is shown on the passport, a separate visa application is needed for each person who is traveling to the United States;
• a recent passport photograph for each applicant, even children (see photo instructions);
• the original bank transfer slip bearing the original stamp of the bank or other original documentation to show that you have paid the visa processing fee;
• a self-addressed and stamped (postage € 1.45) return envelope (see How to get your passport with the visa back?);
• the right of abode in Austria ("Aufenthaltserlaubnis"), if you are not an Austrian or EU citizen;
• I-20 issued by the institute in the U.S., if you are applying for an F or M visa;
• DS-2019 issued by the designated sponsoring organization, if you are applying for a J visa.

No Electronic Devices
Applicants coming to the Consular Section of the Embassy should not bring any electronic devices (such as laptops, photo cameras, etc.) with them. Cell phones need to be deposited with the Consular Security Guards during your visit.

Accompanying Persons
Please be aware that space in the Consular Section is limited. Additional people, except translators or parents (in the case of minor children), are not allowed to accompany applicants to the Consular Section. Any other persons will not be admitted to the Consular Section.

Status Check
In an effort to keep visa applicants better informed, the U.S. State Department has created a new online tool for applicants which allows them to check the status of their cases after the interview.

Applicants for nonimmigrant visas can view the status of their visa cases from the CEAC launch page at https://ceac.state.gov/CEAC/.

In order to use the CEAC Status Check, visa applicants need to enter their CEAC Barcode number as provided on the DS-160 confirmation page and the interview location (for example: Austria, Vienna). The check will then return the current status of the visa application.

Notice to Out of District Applicants: Applicants not residing in Austria are encouraged to apply at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate in the country where they reside. In general, applicants who are not Austrian citizens or who do not reside permanently in Austria will rarely be issued visas at this post.