Austria
Regulations on entry, stay, residence, and treatment access for people living with HIV
The categories of restriction are:
- No restrictions on entry or staying.
The types of restriction are:
- Restrictions on importation of HIV medication.
Restrictions on entry to Austria
We found no evidence of any official restrictions on entry to Austria based on HIV status.
According to UNAIDS and the US Department of State, Austria does not have any HIV-related restrictions on entry.
On the website of the Federal Ministry of European and International Affairs there is a list of supporting documents that should be included with the visa application and none of those documents makes reference to HIV or the general health of the applicant.
Antiretroviral medication can be carried for personal use.
Restrictions on short-term stay in Austria
We found no evidence of any official restrictions on short-term stay in Austria based on HIV status.
According to UNAIDS and the US Department of State, Austria does not have any HIV-related restrictions on short-term stay.
On the website of the Federal Ministry of European and International Affairs there is a list of supporting documents that should be included with the visa application and none of those documents makes reference to HIV or the general health of the applicant.
Restrictions on long-term stay in Austria
We found no evidence of any official restrictions on long-term stay in Austria based on HIV status.
According to UNAIDS and the US Department of State, Austria does not have any HIV-related restrictions on long-term stay.
On the website of the Federal Ministry of European and International Affairs there is a list of supporting documents that should be included with the residency application and none of those documents makes reference to HIV or the general health of the applicant.
Historic regulations in Austria
The legal regulations requiring health checks from non-EU citizens staying for more than six months are no longer in place. A new immigration law has been implemented as of 1 January 2006.
Treatment access in Austria
The following summarises available information on access to healthcare for people living with HIV in Austria. There is no evidence that non-nationals are restricted from accessing treatment in the same way as nationals.
According to the US Department of State, the Austrian Medicine Import Act prohibits the import of most prescription drugs into Austria. However, non-EU residents are allowed medicines as part of their personal luggage, but only the quantity required for the period of time you’ll be in the country. Travellers may not receive medicine by mail from abroad while in Austria. If a particular medication is not available in Austria, an Austrian pharmacy may be able to order the medication prescribed by an overseas physician.
A full list of HIV treatment centres in Austria is available on the Austrian AIDS Society here.
According to Mi-Health Europe, a programme of Africa Advocacy Foundation, testing is free and anonymous for all. It can be done at one of the 7 AIDS-hilfe organisations. Treatment is available for those that are insured. For those that are uninsured, treatment may be obtained among specific NGOs and doctors.
Sources
The HIV Justice Network's Global HIV Criminalisation Database
People living with HIV may be criminalised in Austria. While there are no HIV-specific laws in force, we are aware of reported prosecutions of alleged HIV ‘exposure’, non-disclosure, and/or transmission under general criminal laws.
Visit the Austria page on the Global HIV Criminalisation Database to see more information about known HIV criminalisation laws in this country, an overview of how the laws are used, and any significant advocacy developments.
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