To enter Austria, you must first cross the border through an EU country, for example, Poland. Check the interactive map of waiting time at the countries that border with Ukraine here  .

You can enter Austria by plane, train, bus / car.

If you are already in one of the countries that border with Ukraine, please check the useful contacts below:

• Austrian Embassy in Ljubljana: Prešernova cesta 23 1000 Ljubljana Tel: +386 (0)1 479 07 00 Fax: +386 (0)1 252 17 17
• Austrian Embassy in Bratislava: Hodžovo námestie 1/A 81106 Bratislava Tel.: +421/2/5930 1500 Fax: +421/2/544 324 86
• Austrian Embassy in Berlin: Stauffenbergstraße 1 10785 Berlin Tel: +49 (0) 30 20287 0 Fax: +49 (0) 30 229 05 69

Further information can be found here .

Entry without a biometric passport is allowed, but only for citizens of Ukraine fleeing the war. This rule does not apply to travel.

Ukrainians coming to Austria can stay in the country without a visa for up to 90 days. In order to stay longer and receive social support, as in other EU countries, it is necessary to obtain a temporary protection status in Austria.

Chatbot to help Ukrainians around the world from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine

The chatbot can simultaneously serve several users and provide advice on the most common questions, namely:

• rules of entry to a foreign country;
• registration of temporary protection;
• social security;
• return to Ukraine;
• consular services.

You can get help through the chatbot at the link .

In addition to the chatbot, citizens can also contact the call center at +38 (044) 224-57-20.

You can enter Ausrtia with any of the following documents:

• A biometric passport.
• Ukrainian ID. According to the Ukrainian State Border Guard Service (DPSU), the citizens of Ukraine who can leave Ukraine with an internal passport are currently only those evacuating from occupied territories or territories where hostilities are taking place, the list of which is approved in accordance with the Order of the Ministry on Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine of December 22, 2022 No. 309 . Citizens from other territories must have a biometric passport to travel abroad.
• Children under the age of 16 traveling with their parents must have a birth certificate. Children have the right to cross the border with one parent (without the official permission of the other parent). If the child is traveling with acquaintances or relatives, she/he needs to have a travel permit from one of the parents, certified by a notary.

In order to prove family/marital status, birth certificates and a marriage certificate are required.

If you have a biometric passport, there is no need for a visa for short stays of up to 90 days within 180 days.

If you do not have a biometric passport, you generally require a visa. You may apply for a visa at the Austrian Embassy in Ljubljana or Bratislava or at the Consulate General in Munich, for further detail see the Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs. However, you may be granted entry or transit on humanitarian grounds after an individual case-by-case examination, if you can prove your Ukrainian nationality and identity during border control.

The telephone number of the DPSU hotline ("Trust" Service) is 1598. You can use it for questions of a consultative nature within the competence of the State Border Service of Ukraine.

For more information about the documents with which you can cross the border, and about the categories of citizens who are allowed to travel outside Ukraine, see here .

Following the implementation of the Temporary Protection Directive, Ukrainian citizens who were already residing in Austria before 24 February 2022, third-country nationals with international protection in Ukraine as well as family members (spouses, minor children, close relatives in the same household) are granted a residence permits until 3 March 2023, which then may be extended automatically by two six-month periods for a maximum of one year. Respective identity cards will be issued.

The first point of contact for people fleeing Ukraine is the Arrival Center for Ukrainian refugees was opened in Vienna, the capital of Austria. This is a temporary shelter and first aid point for those who have arrived from Ukraine for the first time and are looking for a temporary place to stay overnight.

The Vienna Arrivals Center is located at Althanstraße 14, opposite the Althanstraße tram stop.

What services can Ukrainians receive at the Arrival Center?

• Testing for COVID-19 and initial medical examination
• Temporary overnight accommodation
• Shower, laundry, hygiene products
• Assistance with further relocation within Austria or further departure to other countries
• Assistance with finding private housing within the framework of the Grundversorgung state refugee assistance program.

Also, displaced persons who previously received assistance at the former Humanitarian Arrival Center at Engerthstraße 267, Sport & Fun Hall, will temporarily receive assistance from the Train of Hope organization at the new center.

After that, in order to get a “temporary protection” status, you will need to register with the police at specific police stations or special reception centers (“Erfassungsstellen”). Once you are registered, you will have access to basic welfare support (“Grundversorgung”; including accommodation, basic care and health insurance), education, and other services.

You will also receive your ID card (“Ausweis für Vertriebene”) which will give you access to the job market.

Temporary protection is provided for:
• Ukrainian citizens.
• Third-country nationals with asylum or comparable protection status in Ukraine and their family members, if they have already lived with them in Ukraine before 24.02.2022.
Family members include:
• Spouses or registered partners.
• Minor unmarried children (including those of the spouse or the registered partner).
• Other close relatives who lived with them in a common household before the expulsion and were dependent on them.
• Ukrainian citizens who were already legally residing in Austria before the outbreak of the armed conflict and who cannot return to their place of residence.
• Third-country nationals who do not have asylum or comparable protection status in Ukraine are not covered by the regulation. However, they can enter Austria for humanitarian reasons or pass-through Austria to continue to their country of origin. Third-country nationals are legally resident in Austria until they can return to their country of origin.

The consultation center in Vienna has changed its address since May 21: Schlossberggasse 8, 1130 Wien. The center is open 24/7:

• temporary provision of housing;
• first medical aid, laundry facilities, hygiene products;
• assistance when moving to another federal state of Austria;
• living in Austria or moving to another country.

For additional information on registration, please call +43 664 889 637 44 (Monday and Thursday from 08:00 to 17:00)

Inquiries can be sent to the e-mail address lpd-w-afa-ukraine@polizei.gv.at.

Advice center for Ukrainians at Austria Center Vienna (ACV)

• Schedule of work: from Monday to Friday, from 8:00 to 16:00 (weekends and holydays started)
• Addresses: Bruno-Kreisky-Platz 1, 1220 Viden
• The Center can be reached by metro, bus or car.

The following assistance centers operate on the territory of the Republic of Austria:

• Humanitarian Arrival Center Graz, Messehalle D at Messeplatz 1, 8010 Graz (open 24/7);
• Humanitarian arrival center in Linz at Volkshaus Bindermichl Uhlandgasse 5, 4020 Linz;
• Arrival center in the city of Salzburg at Messezentrum, Halle 4, 5020 Salzburg

Source.

Austria has a very well-developed public transport network makes it easy to get from A to B within the country by air, rail, and bus. There are four main forms of local transport: U-Bahn (subway), Schnellbahn or S-Bahn (local train), Straßenbahn (tram) and Autobus (bus). Vienna works on an honesty system with no ticket barriers at stations and no formal, permanent ticket checks on the subway, local trains, trams, and buses. This doesn’t mean public transport is free, though. You do need to buy a ticket.

• Railway: National railway company ÖBB , Westbahn .
• Bus: Postbus for domestic travels, Eurolines or Flixbus for both domestic and international transportations.

You can buy tickets in tobacco shops, at the stations (machines or at the ticket office), sometimes also from drivers and online.

From November 1, the "Ticket of first arrival from Ukraine" will be valid - it can be obtained by all citizens with a Ukrainian passport who enter Austria (or in transit) from the side of Ukraine through the borders of the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary (trains from Brzeclaw, Bratislava or Hedjeshalom to the destination in Austria or to the border stations in the direction of Germany, Switzerland and Italy).

The ticket will be valid only for the first 24 hours from the moment of arrival in Austria. Also - from the date of issue for travel to Austria or border stations in the direction of Germany, Switzerland or Italy in 2nd class on ÖBB trains.

Information about the first arrival is issued by conductors of these trains to Vienna. If refugees cannot find staff on the train or arrive in Austria without a train, a one-time ticket will only be issued at Vienna Central Station (at the entrance to the Sonnwendgasse station) and Graz Central Station (at the ÖBB Tourist Center).

It is noted that the principle of free travel in the first 24 hours will be followed by the city transport of the capital of Austria.

More information here .

Ukrainians or citizens of other visa-free countries can continue to travel to other EU/Schengen countries for up to 90 days in 180 days. If you don't have a biometric passport, it is recommended to contact the respective embassy of your travel destination to see whether a border is open also for those not having a biometric passport.

Rules can be different for traveling by plane, train, bus, or car.

You can travel to another country by:
• Plane: skyscanner.net
• Train: National railway company ÖBB , Westbahn
• Bus: Eurolines or Flixbus
• Boat

From November 1, the "Ticket of first arrival from Ukraine" will be valid - it can be obtained by all citizens with a Ukrainian passport who enter Austria (or in transit) from the side of Ukraine (ÖBB trains from Brzeclaw, Bratislava or Hedjeshalom to the border stations in the direction of Germany, Switzerland and Italy). The ticket will be valid only for the first 24 hours from the moment of arrival in Austria.

With a valid Ukrainian passport you can stay for 90 days in the Schengen zone. For example, if you stayed for 30 days in Germany before coming to Austria, you can only stay for 60 more days in Austria without further action required. Ukrainian citizens fleeing from the war, Ukrainian citizens who were already residing in Austria before 24 February 2022, third-country nationals with international protection in Ukraine and their family members (spouses, minor children, close relatives in the same household) are granted residence permits until 3 March 2023, which may be extended automatically by two six-month periods for a maximum of one year. Respective identity cards will be issued, and health insurance coverage is included.

The EU migration calculator helps to calculate the number of days of stay in EU countries for those who do not apply for temporary protection.

1. The Child and Youth Welfare Service (MA 11)
The Child and Youth Welfare Service (MA 11) exercises custody over unaccompanied minor refugees in Austria and represents them in the asylum procedure. The Child and Youth Welfare Services intensively support foster and host parents in caring for the children and adolescents and prepare them well for their important task. In addition to preparation for their task, they receive intensive support from experts, especially in intercultural issues.

2. SOS Kinderdorf
The SOS Children's Village Vienna is the first urban SOS Children's Village in Austria. Children and adolescents live in SOS Children's Village families and residential groups in the midst of apartment buildings integrated into the neighbourhood and their original living environment. In addition, there are outpatient and mobile services such as the outpatient clinic for child and adolescent psychiatry.

There are currently no COVID-19 related entry restrictions in effect for Austria. Since 16 May, proof of vaccination/recovery or a test are no longer needed.

Free coronavirus tests are available at the Humanitarian Arrival Center Vienna (Engerthstraße 267-269, 1020 Vienna).

Persons belonging to one of these groups are issued an ID card for displaced persons by the BFA :

• Ukrainian citizens who had to flee from Ukraine as of 24 February 2022 and their family members (spouses, registered partners, minor children, close relatives).
• Person entitled to protection in Ukraine (e.g. recognized refugees) who had to flee from Ukraine as of 24 February and their family members.
• Ukrainian citizens who cannot return to Ukraine and who had a valid Austrian residence title on 24 February that was withdrawn or not renewed.
• Ukrainian citizens who cannot return to Ukraine and who were legally residing in Austria on 24 February. They are also granted a temporary right of residence after expiry of their visa-free or visa-required stay. To receive a temporary protection status they should register at the registration offices of the police (at police stations or in special reception or registration centers). With this temporary right of residence in Austria it is not necessary to apply for asylum.

Your right to residence will be confirmed by an identity card for displaced persons ("Blue Card"). It will be sent by mail to the registered address.

The headquarters of the State Police of Upper Austria offers a mobile registration system for the registration of people who, due to their physical condition, cannot visit the registration point. Contact phone: +43 664 88 22 98 30.

The addresses of all registration points in Austria can be found here .

Information on the temporary right of residence for displaced persons  from Ukraine can be found on the website of the BFA .

Austria provides temporary protection to immigrants from Ukraine, if they already had temporary protection in another EU state (under certain conditions).

Austria does not require official confirmation of "deregistration" in another state. However, the Austrian police may require proof that the person intends to stay in Austria for a longer period (ie move to Austria). For this, the following documents are usually accepted:

confirmation that the person intends to permanently leave the country in which he was originally registered (for example, a letter/email from the person to the authority responsible for the registration process in the relevant state stating that he intends to leave the country and live in Austria);

confirmation that the person does not receive financial support from another EU member state (for example, by providing a statement from a bank account).

In general, a displaced person from Ukraine who has been granted temporary protection in one of the EU states will most likely also receive temporary protection in Austria. However, keep in mind that this does not happen automatically. The Austrian authorities will assess each case individually and, in theory, may come to a different conclusion than another EU country.

The European Commission extended the Temporary Protection Directive , which was approved on March 11, 2022.

On December 21, the Federal Government made a similar decision in the Council of Ministers of Austria. From now on, Ukrainians can legally stay in the country until March 2024.

You will receive the new certificate by mail from the Federal Office for Foreigners (BFA). If you have changed your place of residence, please inform the BFA. A few weeks without a residence permit does not deprive you of the right to temporary protection. You are allowed to leave and return to Austria even with an expired document, as your right to reside in the country is still valid.

While you are waiting for confirmation of temporary protection status, the BBU  coordinates and provides basic care for foreigners in need of assistance and protection. This includes accommodation, food, social, medical, and psychological care as well as the provision of goods for daily needs such as clothing. If accommodation with relatives is not possible and financial resources are not available, temporary accommodation will be provided in a neighborhood assistance quarter of the federal government or a federal state. Further information on counseling and support for asylum seekers, recognized refugees as well as migrants can also be found on oesterreich.gv.at .

You will receive:
• a temporary residence permit, valid for at least 1 year with a possibility for extension
• an ID card for displaced person
• a health insurance card that will cover most common medical expenses.

With temperory protection status you can travel to EU countries for up to 90 days, as well as go to Ukraine for a short period of time without losing your right to reside in Austria. If you plan to return to Ukraine permanently, then you need to go through the deregistration procedure at the institution where you issued protection.

Before you leave Austria, you must notify the Federal Office and mail your displaced person's ID card. Find the address of the office here .

It should be noted that if your Austrian ID card has expired and you return while the temporary protection for Ukrainians is still valid, you are still entitled to temporary protection under Austrian law. In this case, you should be able to apply for a new ID card for displaced persons.

Yes, while under temporary protection you have the right to move to another EU country, before the issuance of a residence permit as well as the right to move freely in EU countries (other than the EU country of residence) for 90 days within a 180-day period after a residence permit in the host EU country is issued. More information at ec.europa.eu .

Before you leave Austria, you must notify the Federal Office and mail your displaced person's ID card. Find the address of the office here .

While under temporary protection it is not necessary to apply for asylum. If you have already filed an asylum application, it will not be processed for the duration of your right of residence as a displaced person. If you have already applied for asylum and would like to obtain an ID card for displaced persons, please contact the BFA  directly.

The Federal Office for Immigration and Asylum (BFA ) issues an ID card for a displaced person. For this purpose it is necessary to register:
• An initial registration is done by the police. This can be done at certain police stations or at special reception or registration centers.
• During registration, your data and the data of your passport or other documents will be recorded. In the case of a person 14 years of age or older, there will be an identification procedure (fingerprinting, etc.). You will be issued a form that you should fill out and turn in at the time of registration.

Please take with you to registration (if available):
• Passport
• Birth certificate, marriage certificate, other civil status documents.
• Other identity documents, such as ID card, driver's license, residence permit, etc.

In case all data are available to the BFA due to the registration by the police, an ID card will be issued to you personally.

You can find more information here .

In most cases, authorities immediately issue a temporary certificate. This means that the residence is considered legal from day 1.

If any additional investigative steps are still necessary, you will be invited to an interview to a responsible office of the BFA to provide the missing data.

If you do not have a biometric passport you may be granted entry or transit on humanitarian grounds after an individual case-by-case examination. You need to prove your Ukrainian nationality by presenting some form of identity during the border control. The border authorities may deny you entry if they believe you pose a threat to the public order or internal security.

In order to issue a foreign passport, you need to contact the Ukrainian Embassy .

A foreign passport is issued to a person who has reached the age of 16 on the basis of an application-questionnaire submitted by him personally. At the same time, the issuance of a foreign passport to a person who has been recognized by the court as having limited legal capacity or incapacity is carried out on the basis of an application-questionnaire of the guardian or other legal representative.

The following are attached to the application:

• previous passport to be exchanged (if the passport is not issued for the first time);
• internal passport in the form of a booklet (if available);
• or ID card (if available);
• a document confirming permanent residence or temporary stay abroad (if available);
• certificate of registration of the place of residence in Ukraine / certificate of registration of the place of residence of a temporarily displaced person (if available);
• a certificate of assignment of the registration number of the taxpayer's registration card (RNOKPP; if available).

In case of loss or theft of the previous passport, a document (report, certificate, etc.) issued by the competent authority of the state in which the passport was lost or stolen is attached to the application, confirming the fact of the owner's application regarding its loss or theft. Such a document is submitted without legalization and translation into Ukrainian.

In the case of issuing a passport in connection with a change in personal data (surname and/or first name), a document confirming such a change (marriage certificate, divorce certificate, court decision, etc.) is attached to the application. When issuing a foreign passport with a new surname and/or first name, the "domestic" passport (ID card) must be reissued.

In the event that the applicant has not previously been issued with an identity document, confirming Ukrainian citizenship and/or granting the right to leave Ukraine and enter Ukraine, a certificate of registration of the person as a citizen of Ukraine is provided (with the exception of cases when the person's parents at the time of his were citizens of Ukraine at birth).

You can register the birth of a child only at the consulate. There, the determination of his origin and the assignment of his surname, first name, and patronymic are carried out.

The application for registration must be submitted immediately, but no later than one month after the birth of the child, and in the case of a stillborn child - no later than three days.

The registration process takes place at the place of birth or at the place of residence of the child's parents or one of them (with a written application). At the same time, in case of illness, death of the parents or for other reasons it is impossible to register the birth - the application can be submitted by relatives or other persons authorized by the representative of the health care institution in which the child was born or is currently.

What is required for registration?

• a document from a medical institution about the birth of a child, passports certifying the identity of the parents;
• application (written or addressed orally) to enter information about the father.

Registration is free, and based on its results, parents are issued a birth certificate.

How to return to the homeland with a child born in the Austria?

In order for Ukrainians to return home with a child born in the Austria, they must have with them:

• a document certifying his identity;
• a child's birth certificate issued by a consular institution.

Is the status of a citizen of Ukraine preserved during the birth of a child in the Austria?

A newborn Ukrainian in the Austria retains the status of a citizen of Ukraine. Data on citizenship and nationality in the act record of birth and certificate are not filled in, which is why a corresponding entry is made in the column "For marks".

In addition, a person whose parents or one of his parents were citizens of Ukraine at the time of his birth is a citizen of Ukraine. The place of birth of the baby does not affect the possibility of him acquiring Ukrainian citizenship.

There are several steps involved in the process of body repatriation from abroad to Ukraine:

1. Notify the authorities.

The first step of body repatriation from abroad to Ukraine is to contact the local authorities in Austria, so you can register the death. Ukrainian embassy should also be able to help you in the process of registering the death abroad.

2. Arrange the correct documents.

You’ll need to have all the right paperwork before you can repatriate your loved one home from abroad to Ukraine. If you are repatriating a body to Ukraine for burial or cremation, the documents you will need include:

• Death Certificate.
• Certificate or Affidavit from the local health authorities stating that the cause of death of the individual to be shipped to Ukraine was not a communicable disease or infections.
• A Document about the absence of any excessive objects inside the casket or urn with the ashes.
• The Certificate of Cremation issued be the Funeral home or Cremation office.

All the mentioned documents should be authenticated, legalized and translated into Ukrainian by the certified translator. The originals of abovementioned documents and notarized translations, must accompany the casket containing the deceased, or urn with ashes, to Ukraine.

The passport of the deceased person should be sent to the Embassy of Ukraine along with a notarized and authenticated copy of the Certificate of Death, and a translation from German to Ukrainian. The Embassy is to make correspondent procedures with the passport and can forward it back if it is required to accompany the casket containing the deceased, or urn with ashes, to Ukraine.

The Embassy is to be informed of the date, time, and the place of delivery of the casket containing the deceased, or urn with ashes, to Ukraine. Only the next of kin relatives of the deceased, or persons correspondingly authorized by them, can receive the casket or urn.

3. Transport the deceased to Ukraine.

The casket containing the body, or urn with ashes, must be sealed by the Funeral Home. There are no strict requirements with respect to the urn with ashes; however, the body should be transported in a metal casket, made of zinc-plated steel or tinplate not more than 0,4 thick.

For the air cargo transportation, it is necessary to specify a cemetery in Ukraine as well as Ukrainian Funeral Home which will take care of the casket, or the urn with ashes, in Ukraine. Both are a subject of private choice by the relatives or friends of the deceased person. Source .

There are numerous shops that offer such services. Check for photobooths at metro stations, shopping malls or look up for a "Fotoautomat' nearby.

You can translate your documents at any translation agency in your city. Search for «Übersetzung von Dokumenten» on Google.

The mobile operator Magenta provides free mobile service for Ukrainians. Also, all calls from and to Ukraine are free of charge. To get a free SIM card you need to have a travel passport of a citizen of Ukraine (so-called "international passport"). You can find the closest store here .