The Ministry of the Interior has issued a refreshed Fremdenpolizeigesetz-Durchführungsverordnung (implementing regulation) dated 6 October 2026 that designates specific land, air and river-port crossings where border-police commanders may grant ‘extraordinary’ C- or D-visas on the spot. Paragraph 18 now lists 14 entry points – including Vienna-Schwechat Airport, Salzburg Airport, the Brenner rail terminal and Danube river stations at Linz and Wien-Freudenau – whose officers are authorised to issue visas in cases such as medical emergencies, forced aircraft diversions or humanitarian evacuations. The list replaces a patchwork of ad-hoc orders and brings Austrian practice fully in line with Article 35 of the EU Visa Code. A two-year transition clause postpones the operational start of the new system until the European Commission adopts a delegated act under the forthcoming PNR Regulation 2025/12. Nevertheless, mobility teams should note the practical benefits: travellers who lose their passports mid-trip or who must enter Austria urgently will be able to regularise their status without first visiting an embassy. Employers should update crisis-response policies and ensure assignees know which crossings offer the service. The regulation also references the upcoming European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS), stipulating that once ETIAS is active, border-issued visas will be uploaded to — and checked against — the same interoperability platform used for EES and VIS. This underscores Austria’s move toward fully digital, data-driven border management.
