Vienna, Salzburg and the lakes of Hallstatt and Zell am See are firm favourites with UAE families. Austria is also one of the more generous Schengen consulates here: in 2025 the Austrian Embassy in Abu Dhabi refused only 16% of UAE applications and gave 79% of approved applicants a multiple-entry visa — the highest share of any consulate with more than 5,000 applications after Germany. The catch is the paperwork: Austria asks for a few documents that other Schengen consulates do not.
Checked on 20 October 2026 against the Austrian Embassy in Abu Dhabi, VFS Global Austria UAE and the European Commission’s 2025 visa statistics. Sources at the end.
On this page
- Austria at a glance
- What Austria asks for that others don’t
- Step by step
- Full document list
- What the 2025 figures say
- Questions people ask
Austria at a glance
| Who decides | Austrian Embassy, Abu Dhabi (no Austrian consulate in Dubai) |
| Where you submit | VFS Global — Dubai or Abu Dhabi |
| Who can apply | Holders of a valid UAE residence permit only |
| Visa fee | €90 adults (charged as about AED 386), €45 children 6–11, free under 6 |
| VFS service fee | About AED 123 per application |
| Decision time | 15 to 45 calendar days; the Embassy warns it can be longer |
| Apply | Up to 6 months before travel, as a rule at least 15 days before |
| 2025 not-issued rate | 16% (UAE average 23.9%) |
| Multiple-entry share | 79% of issued visas |
People in the UAE on a visit visa cannot apply here. Apply to Austria only if it is your main destination. A Vienna–Salzburg–Hallstatt trip with one night in Munich is Austrian; four nights in Munich and two in Salzburg is German. See which Schengen country to apply to.
What Austria asks for that others don’t
| Austria’s requirement | What it means in practice |
|---|---|
| Copies of every UAE residence permit from the past 10 years | Not just the current visa. Collect old visa pages from previous passports, or print records from ICP or GDRFA if you no longer have them. |
| An employer NOC in Austria’s model wording, dated within one month | Download the Embassy’s template and ask HR to use it. A generic NOC can be rejected. See our NOC guide. |
| An original bank statement showing three months of salary credits, signed and stamped | Print it from your branch, not only as a PDF from the app. |
| For business trips, an invitation from the Austrian company | A letter from your UAE employer is not enough on its own. |
| For domestic staff, Austria’s own bilingual sponsor declaration | Signed by the employer travelling with you. |
Documents must be in German or English. Anything else needs a translation.
Step by step
- Download the Austria checklist and the NOC template from VFS or the Embassy.
- Gather your residence history for the last 10 years — this takes the longest, so start first.
- Fill in and sign the Schengen application form.
- Book a VFS appointment in Dubai or Abu Dhabi. Everyone must attend in person, including children.
- Submit documents and give fingerprints. Fingerprints from a Schengen visa in the last 59 months may be reused.
- Pay the visa fee and the VFS service fee. The visa fee is not refunded if you are refused.
- Track the application and collect your passport.
With decisions taking up to 45 days, apply at least 6 to 8 weeks before a summer trip.
Full document list
- Signed application form.
- Passport valid at least 3 months beyond your departure from Schengen, with two blank pages, plus a copy.
- Copies of previous Schengen visas, if any.
- Current UAE residence permit, valid at least 3 months beyond the visa you ask for, plus copies of all UAE residence permits from the last 10 years.
- Emirates ID.
- Two photos taken in the last 6 months.
- Flight reservation and accommodation confirmation.
- Travel insurance: €30,000 minimum.
- Employer NOC in the Embassy’s model wording, dated within one month.
- Original bank statement showing three months of salary credits, signed and stamped.
- Students: an NOC from your UAE school or university and proof of enrolment.
- Children: parental authorisation and copies of both parents’ passports.
Austria’s UAE checklist does not publish a fixed daily funds amount. The officer looks at whether your salary and balance can carry the trip. See bank balance for a Schengen visa.
What the 2025 figures say
| Austrian Embassy, Abu Dhabi (2025) | Figure |
|---|---|
| Applications | 7,406 |
| Visas issued | 5,568 |
| Not-issued rate | 16% |
| Multiple-entry share of issued visas | 79% |
Austria’s high multiple-entry share means a successful application often covers future trips too. If you travel to Europe regularly, ask for multiple entry on the form. Compare every consulate in our Schengen statistics for the UAE.
If you are refused
The refusal letter gives reasons and explains how and by when to appeal. If the reason is a missing document — often the residence history or the NOC wording — reapplying with the complete file is usually faster. See our refusal and appeal guide.
Mistakes to avoid
- Submitting only your current residence visa.
- Using your company’s standard NOC instead of Austria’s template.
- An NOC older than one month on the day you submit.
- Applying three weeks before travel when decisions can take 45 days.
Questions people ask
Is there an Austrian consulate in Dubai?
No. The Embassy in Abu Dhabi decides all UAE applications. You can submit at VFS in Dubai or Abu Dhabi.
Why does Austria want my old UAE visas?
Your residence history shows how long and how steadily you have lived in the UAE, which supports your intention to return.
How long does an Austria visa take from Dubai?
15 to 45 calendar days. Apply 6 to 8 weeks before travel.
Related guides
- Germany Schengen visa from the UAE
- Switzerland Schengen visa from the UAE
- UAE employer NOC letter templates
- Schengen visa from Dubai and the UAE
Sources
- Austrian Embassy Abu Dhabi — Visas: bmeia.gv.at
- VFS Global — Austria visa application centres, UAE
- European Commission — Visa statistics for consulates, 2025 (published 28 May 2026)
- Visa Doctor UAE — Austria visa from Dubai, updated 23 September 2026
Written by Asad Waleed M, Dubai. Asad has lived in the UAE for nine years and researches visa rules from government sources. He is not an immigration lawyer or consultant, and Sifqa does not process applications. Read the editorial policy.
Last checked 20 October 2026. Rechecked quarterly. Found an error? Email [email protected] — it gets fixed and logged.