Migrate to Austria - Processing of Visas, Admission, and Total Cost

Today, I will walk you through the steps necessary to gain admission and effectively migrate to Austria.
While you are digesting this knowledge, please share it so that others can read it as well.

The first step is what is known as “legalization.”
In our context, legalization refers to the process of making a document authentic or establishing that it is not illegal.

Why is it significant? Most colleges in Europe, particularly in Schengen nations, need you to produce this before they begin the visa appointment procedure.

Migrate to Austria – Processing of Visas, Admission, and Total Cost

Table of Contents

Let’s get into Austria now.

1. Brief about Austria

Austria is a country in Central Europe with a population of approximately 8.95 million people. German is their official language. Despite the fact that German is the official language, many individuals speak English.
In 2021, the unemployment rate is expected to be at 6.3%. If you want to visit Austria next year, the ideal time to start is right now.

What are your options now? Your Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Education authentication

2. Required Authenticated Documents

What exactly are you authenticating? Your WAEC, NECO, and BSC certificates, as well as your English proficiency letter and transcripts (for MSc).

Go with your WAEC and NECO results for BSc (kindly ask your prospective school for more information, in case they need more from you as a prospective BSc student). Following that, the Embassy will begin the legalization procedure.

Take these certified documents and the Birth certificate (NPC birth certificate if born after 12/14/1992 until date, or NPC birth attestation if born before 12/15/1992).

Take note: Avoid submitting extraneous documents such as the first school leaving certificate, declaration of state of origin, and so on.

These documents are not required and will slow down your verification process with the Embassy. If possible, contact the embassy to ensure that you have everything you need for each stage.

Please keep in mind that legalization must take place in the country where you received your certificates.

3. After Gaining Admission

Unless you have still to apply, you should have admission by now if you have completed this process (I will still explain how to get admission). But I recommend that you perform all of these things while waiting for portals to open. This will save you a significant amount of time.

When your admission letter arrives, make an appointment with the embassy for verification and legalization. Book your appointment here: https://appointment.bmeia.gv.at/?

Your appointments are only scheduled on Mondays and Wednesdays.
This could take some time. (I will advise you to apply to schools on time so that your admission letter arrives on time.)

4. Verify and Legalize All Documents

Once you have a date, the embassy will provide you with the necessary information. Bring all of your paperwork, including your completed questionnaire, police report, and authenticated and legalized documents, to the embassy for verification and legalization.

The website (https://bmeia.gv.at/en/austrian-embassy-abuja/service-for-citizens/legalization/) states that
Applications will only be considered if

The questionnaire is filled out accurately and thoroughly (please fill in all blanks or mark as n/a);
The applicant signs the questionnaire (rather than an intermediary);
All documents and the questionnaire are presented in their original form, along with a legible copy.
All documents are legalized by the respective Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
A copy of the applicant’s passport data page is submitted;
The proper amount of the verification charge in Nigerian naira is paid in cash;
The applicant’s authorization letter is submitted in original for intermediaries, together with a copy of the applicant’s data page and an intermediary ID.

Only applications that meet the aforementioned conditions are accepted at the counter. Other applicants must schedule a new appointment.

Please follow the instructions and call the embassy if you have any questions at any time. It’s preferable.
If you follow the instructions correctly, you will not lose the verification period after confirming a date.

5. Make Payment For Verification Process

Make a deposit of 200,000 naira for the verification process. If you want to move with your family, go to this website for a more complete financial breakdown of the process:
(https://bmeia.gv.at/fileadmin/user upload/Vertretungen/Abuja/Dokumente/Information verification and legalization.pdf…).

To avoid additional costs, the Embassy highly encourages sending all needed documents at once.
A police character certificate can be presented to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs without being legalized.

6. Legalization Procedures

According to the embassy, in order to legalize foreign documents, you must present the appropriate ministry certifications (e.g., school documents need to be stamped by the Ministry of Education).

as well as a legality notation from the Foreign Ministry of the document’s country of origin
Please ensure that your documents have the relevant endorsements before submitting them for verification.

Only documents bearing the Foreign Ministry’s legalization indication can be legalized by the Austrian Embassy.

Legalization fee: € 80.00 per document, payable in Naira at the current monthly exchange rate (under the Consular Fees Act (TP 4 (1) KGG 1992 IGF).

Payment can be paid in person or through an intermediary. The verification process can take up to 8-12 weeks.

Once they have completed their work, they will contact you with additional information on what else you need to supply in order to schedule your visa appointment.
Please confirm with them what papers you require translation from whenever they contact you. Whatever they tell you, scan every document they mention and send it to a translator. (You can contact Abuja-Ka@bmeia.gv.at and ask for assistance in finding a translator.)

Schedule a resident permit appointment while you wait for your translated documents.
At this point, you can begin collecting the following above.