Dear ladies and gentlemen,
The consulate of South Korea informs you that the embassy will be closed on April 5, 2024.
Best regards
Your ÖVKG Team
Dear ladies and gentlemen,
The Consulate of Bangladesh informs that the Embassy will be closed on 5.4.2024 and from 9.4.2024 to 11.04.2024.
Please expect delays in the processing of visas.
Best regards
Your ÖVKG Team
The submission office for visa applications for the United Kingdom (TLScontact), informs that they can be found at the following new address from 01.04.2024:
Albertgasse 35, 1080 Vienna
Interview appointments for UK visas will be held at the above address from April.
Your OEVKG Team
The Chinese embassy anounces the following information, effectiv wit March 14th 2024:
From March 14, 2024 to November 30, 2024, nationals of Austria, Switzerland, Ireland, Hungary, Belgium and Luxembourg who have a valid ordinary passport can enjoy visa-free travel if the trip serves the following purposes such as business activities, tourism, Family and friend visits as well as transit and the stay lasts a maximum of 15 days after entering the People's Republic of China.
It is also expressly noted that the visa requirement remains for nationals of the above mentioned countries if their travel purposes go beyond those mentioned above, if their stay lasts longer than 15 days and if they have a service passport.
Please also note the following information from the Chinese embassy:
Anyone who comes to China for business, travel and tourism purposes, to visit relatives and friends or in transit and meets the necessary visa-free requirements will be permitted entry. The Chinese border control authorities carry out an inspection in advance in accordance with the legal provisions. If the reasons for entry are not in accordance with the requirements for exemption from the visa requirement or if other legal reasons prevent entry, the border control authorities are entitled to refuse entry in accordance with the applicable laws. We recommend bringing invitation letters, flight and hotel booking receipts, and other documentation that proves the purpose of your visit. Anyone who comes to China for work, study or reporting purposes must still apply for an appropriate visa.
The visa exemption applies exclusively to the following purposes and provisions:
The exemption does NOT apply to the following two:
If you are seeking a visa for two or more entries with a validity of 6 or 12 months in the future, you will still have to be able to provide proof of all previous visas and the corresponding entry/exit stamps, which would no longer be possible if you entered the country without a visa.
In order to avoid complications and long waiting times when entering the country, we recommend that you issue a visa in advance.
Your ÖVKG
Dear ladies and gentlemen,
As it has emerged from discussions with the Chinese consular provider, an extension of visa-free entry for Austrian citizens to China is planned as of March 14, 2024, for the purposes and provisions listed below.
This regulation will initially be valid for a limited period until 30.11.2024.
The exemption from the visa requirement is to apply exclusively for the following purposes and provisions:
The exemption shall NOT apply for the following purposes:
As soon as we receive an official confirmation from the Chinese authorities in Vienna, we will inform you or announce this on our homepage in the newsfeed.
As German citizens have been visa-exempt since November 2023, we can inform you from experience reports from our colleagues at DVKG Deutsche Visa und Konsular Gesellschaft mbH that there may currently be long waiting times (up to 3 hours) at the visa-free entry counters in China. This is likely to increase if additional countries become visa-exempt.
To avoid complications and long waiting times when entering the country, we recommend that you obtain a visa in advance.
We kindly ask for your understanding that we, as the VKG, cannot provide any information on further procedures (entry formalities, additional documents, etc.) in China or information on short exits and re-entries with regard to visa-free entry. Neither the ÖVKG nor the Chinese consulate in Vienna can give guaranteed assurances about entry details in China. This is decided exclusively by the local border authorities.All information without guarantee.
Dear regards
Karin Mogy
