With the introduction of a uniform Schengen visa, travellers may travel to one or several Member States and move freely within the Schengen area with only one single visa. The representation competent to issue a visa will generally be that of the principal destination; proof of which must be presented when filing an application. However, persons wanting to pursue gainful activities in Austria must apply for a visa even if they are allowed to enter Austria without a visa. Pursuant to sec 1 para 2, letter j, of the Act Governing the Employment of Foreign Nationals (Ausländerbeschäftigungsgesetz, AuslBG), this also applies to scholarship holders (enrolled in EU education and training or research programmes).
A visa issued by an Austrian representation allows to pursue gainful activities only in Austria, not in other Schengen states. Applicants intending to pursue gainful activities in other Schengen states must contact the foreign diplomatic representations of those countries. Moreover, there is a possibility of obtaining a long-stay visa for multiple entries if the applicants can prove their integrity and reliability, in particular the lawful use of earlier visas, their financial standing in the country of origin, their intention to actually leave the territory of the Member States before the visa applied for has expired, as well as the need for frequent or regular travel (“multi-year visa”):
Example:
A Turkish artist intends to perform in Austria, and later in Italy and the United Kingdom. He should contact the representations of the two other countries regarding conditions of work there. Importantly, the United Kingdom is a member of the European Union, but not a Schengen state. An Austrian visa is not an entitlement to enter and stay in the UK.
The following chapter provides general information on visas and the visa regulations in force. Importantly, travellers should inform themselves in good time, i.e. before applying for a visa, about the applicable legal provisions, the documents which must be submitted when filing the application, and the necessary steps to be taken.
Further information at:
help.gv.at
bmeia.gv.at
