Austria’s Federal Ministry of the Interior (BMI) has released its quarterly update of the “Visumpflichtige Länder” list, the definitive reference for which nationalities require Schengen visas, airport-transit visas or benefit from bilateral waivers when entering Austria. The new edition, dated 16 October 2026, reflects three notable changes: • Nationals of Kosovo now require an airport-transit visa (category A) following EU Council Regulation 2026/1456; • Diplomatic- and service-passport holders from Egypt may now enter visa-free for up to 90 days, in line with the March 2026 bilateral agreement that has completed ratification; • Timor-Leste has been moved from full visa obligation to the list of countries eligible for EU-wide short-stay visa waiver once its biometric-passport roll-out hits 80 percent coverage, expected in December. The document also confirms that British beneficiaries of the EU–UK Withdrawal Agreement continue to be treated as EU family members for visa purposes—a point that had caused confusion among relocation advisers. HR and mobility teams should download the updated table and cross-check any travel scheduled after 16 October. Failure to obtain the correct visa type can result in carriers denying boarding or Austrian border police issuing entry refusals and fines to airlines. Businesses are advised to update intranet travel hubs and brief travel-management companies immediately.
