Short-stay visa (C) — business: Indian citizen → Austria
You need a Schengen visa (type C)
India is on the EU's visa-required list: you need a short-stay visa before travelling to Austria. One visa covers all 29 Schengen countries.
The bottom line
- The fee is €90 (€45 for children 6–12, under 6 free).
- Standard processing is 15 days, extendable to 45 when the consulate needs a closer look — apply up to 6 months ahead, and no later than 15 days before travel.
- Because Austria is your main destination, Austria's consulate decides your application — applying to a different country because its appointments are faster ("visa shopping") gets applications refused.
- Frequent travellers with a clean visa history can be granted multiple-entry visas valid 1–5 years.
When to start
Start 30 days–6 months before your travel date.
Your MAIN destination (longest stay) decides — for this plan, Austria. Equal time in several countries? Then it's the first country you enter. Applying to a more convenient consulate instead ("visa shopping") is a standard refusal reason.
Passport, photos, travel medical insurance (€30,000 minimum — mandatory), itinerary and financial evidence. Consulate-specific checklists are on Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs.
Complete the application via Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs, then book the appointment. VFS Global in most countries. Pay the €90 fee (+ the centre's service fee). Appointment scarcity, not processing, is usually the bottleneck — book early.
Submit documents and give fingerprints and a photo. Fingerprints stay valid in the VIS for 59 months, so repeat applicants within 5 years can often apply without appearing in person.
Standard processing is 15 days, extendable to 45 for a detailed examination. Track via the centre; don't book non-refundable travel yet.
Check dates, number of entries and the territorial validity line the moment you collect the passport. 'ETATS SCHENGEN' means the whole area; a country code list means limited validity. Report errors before travelling.
What you'll need
- Passport — Valid for at least 3 months beyond your planned departure from the area, issued within the last 10 years, with 2 blank pages.
- Photo — Recent passport photo meeting ICAO rules (35×45mm) — centres can usually take one for a fee.
- Travel medical insurance — Minimum €30,000 coverage, valid in the whole Schengen area for the full stay — mandatory for every C visa.
- Financial evidence — Recent bank statements or payslips showing you can fund the trip; per-day reference amounts vary by destination.
- Travel details — Flight reservation and accommodation for the whole stay — reservations are fine; don't buy non-refundable tickets before the decision.
- Ties to India — Employment letter, enrolment, family or property evidence supporting your intent to return.
- Business invitation — Letter from the host company stating purpose, dates and who covers costs.
Good to know
- An invitation letter from the host company substantially strengthens the file and is mandatory at many consulates.
- Actual paid work for a local employer needs a national work visa/permit, not a business C visa.
Where you'll apply
Where you'll apply in India
Apply at any centreWho runs the centre: VFS Global (Austria's provider in India)
You can apply at any of the 8 VFS Global centres regardless of where you live in India; all applications are decided by the Austrian Embassy in New Delhi.
Application centres: New Delhi · Mumbai · Bangalore · Chennai · Hyderabad · Kolkata · Ahmedabad · Pune
Getting a slot — book early · community-reported, checked 2026-06-13
- Slots are released in batches with no fixed public schedule — most often early morning local time, on Monday mornings, and around the 1st of the month.
- For popular consulates (e.g. France, Italy and Spain in big cities), a fresh batch can be gone within minutes — be registered and logged in before you look.
- Cancellations free up slots throughout the day, so check daily even when it shows ‘no availability’.
- Because of this, apply as early as you are allowed — up to 6 months before travel. Waiting until 1–2 months out often means no slots are left at all.
Continue on the official site →