Current news

China—National Holiday in October 2026—Consulate Closure Dates

28/09/2026

Dear Sir or Madam,

From October 1 through October 7, 2026, China will observe its national holidays. The consular service provider CITS in Vienna will therefore be closed on October 1, October 2, and October 5.

Please note that processing times may be longer during this period.

Best regards

Your ÖVKG Team

THAILAND - Important Information Regarding Processing Times and the Timeliness of Documents

25/09/2026

The Thai Consulate has announced that, effective immediately, applicants for electronic visas must submit a registration confirmation that is NO OLDER THAN 30 DAYS.

In addition, the Consulate recommends applying for electronic visas at least 1 month before entry, as processing takes 30 business days. The Consulate operates on a “first-come, first-served” basis, meaning that applications are processed in the order they are received, not based on urgency. If the Consulate requests additional documents, this may delay processing by an additional 15 business days. 

Please take these changes into account and apply for your Thailand visa in a timely manner.

Your ÖVKG Team

INDIA - Transfer of a valid electronic visa to the new passport

25/09/2026

Effective immediately, electronic visas for India that are still valid can be transferred to a new passport. Therefore, if you still have a valid electronic visa for India and have received a new passport, you must have the existing valid electronic visa transferred to the new passport. If any other details have changed, please submit a new visa application.

THAILAND - Changes to the Visa Exemption Policy

15/09/2026

For more than 60 nationalities, the maximum length of stay for business and tourist travel in Thailand has been reduced from 60 to a maximum of 30 days.

Conditions for Visa Exemption

  • The passport or travel document must be valid for at least 6 months as of the date of entry into Thailand.
  • Entry into the Kingdom via land or sea border checkpoints under the visa exemption program for tourists is permitted only twice per calendar year, with the exception of nationals of Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, and Singapore, who may enter Thailand via such checkpoints more than twice per calendar year.
  • Travelers entering Thailand under the tourist visa exemption program must have sufficient cash funds in the amount of 20,000 baht per person (€520) or 40,000 baht per family (€1,040) or an equivalent amount (e.g., credit card)

Your ÖVKG Team

AUSTRALIA - Working Holiday Visas for Austrian Citizens Suspended

14/09/2026

All applications for Australian Working Holiday Visas by Austrian citizens are suspended until further notice, as the quota has been exhausted.

As soon as the authorities reopen applications, we will notify you here.

Your ÖVKG Team

ÖVKG

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