A Visit to the Austrian Embassy
Took a trip down to the Austrian Embassy today to get my visa all squared away. I know I drove my mom nuts this morning (I'm sorry Mom and I really appreciate your patience!) with getting everything in order. This whole extravaganza of getting ready for Austria has been a bit more running around than my sister's JMU program hasn't had her doing. But to LC's defense each and every one of our programs are a bit more custom and I am really doing a semester abroad, so there's always going to be some running around. While my sister has an iternary for while she is there for her semester she's only staying 3 months while I'm staying 5 months. Anyways, I was looking and getting everything together last night (way later than I should have been getting stuff together) and realized that I needed a bank statement and a notarized financial statement from my mother saying that she is financially responsible for me. So, I caught Mom before she left for work this morning, she was outside packing her stuff in the van. I ran out to tell her what I had discovered. My mother is a planner...and while we are extremely similar I haven't gotten there yet. Because she's always planning I've not done so much as I've grown up. It's always that way when you go on trips with the family it seems like. Someone is the planner and the other is like, "Oh honey relax we'll make it ..it's okay." So, Mom stayed calm and sat with me, signed the papers, went with me to get it notarized (luckily right up the street) and then left for work. I feel bad for making her a bit late to work today and I know that these type of last minute things remind her exactly of Kermit (deceased husband and father to myself and my sister Larissa). But she did amazingly well today...and I'm still living so that's always a plus.I was planning on taking the metro down but when I called the Consulate they told me they actually close at 1pm. For some reason I had 1:30pm in my head or thought I had read that on their site. So the Metro was going to get me there at 1:05 by the time I left. No dice. So I decided to take the car since GPS has always been a life saver and feeling confident that I could conquer the roads and DC this is the option I chose. Gorgeous drive down! 395N wasn't a problem since I was leaving my house right at Noon. The ETA for the trip had me arriving at the Consulate at 12:30pm exactly and this GPS has never been wrong. Northwest Washington is where the Embassy is located and that part of DC I can do! If I had the time ....or a digital camera...then I would have taken pictures down there. Very cool looking buildings and embassy's!
I was able to drop the forms and paperwork off to a gorgeous girl who answered the bell. I thought about commenting on her outfit...she was definitely on point! But didn't want to be a creeper. So, I'll be looking for a call in about a week. They say (on the website) that the average turn around time for Visa's there at the Embassy is 2 weeks.
All forms needed for a Visa to Austria:
Required Documents For a Stay Up To Six Months
- Completed and signed application form
Schengen Visa Application - Two passport size photographs (not a snapshot)
- Passport - must be valid at least three months beyond date of travel
- Letter of admission to Austrian School/University or from U.S. University if it is an exchange program, or from the organization under whose auspices you intend to study in Austria or Fulbright Grant (original)
- Proof of lodging
- Proof of medical insurance - letter from insurance company confirming complete coverage during your stay in Austria (copy of your insurance I.D. is not sufficient). Emergency coverage only is also not sufficient
- Proof of sufficient funds (bank statement)
- If you are a student - Letter of financial responsibility - unless you are self supporting - which must be signed by parents and notarized. Most recent bank -and/or income statement must be attached.
- Copy of your itinerary or round trip ticket
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