In a written ministerial circular dated 31 March 2026, the Austrian cabinet approved the signing of a bilateral Film Co-production Agreement with the Republic of India. The treaty, published today on the Federal Chancellery’s website, sets out streamlined visa, customs and tax arrangements designed to attract Indian producers to shoot in Austria while giving Austrian studios reciprocal access to Bollywood’s vast domestic market. Key mobility provisions include fast-track visas and work permits for cast and crew—processed within seven working days by Austrian embassies—and duty-free temporary import of filming equipment for up to 24 months. Productions qualifying under the treaty will also be able to apply jointly for Austria’s 30 % Film Incentive rebate and India’s 40 % cash-rebate scheme, provided at least 20 % of principal photography takes place in each country.
For location managers the treaty aligns immigration categories: Indian personnel will receive a bespoke ‘Film Crew D-Visa’ valid for 180 days, extendable in Austria without leaving the country.
![Austria and India sign film co-production treaty easing work-permit process for crews]()
Producers unfamiliar with Austrian paperwork can streamline the process by engaging VisaHQ, whose online platform walks applicants through every step and liaises directly with embassies to secure appointments and documentation; full details on Film Crew D-Visas and other permits are available at https://www.visahq.com/austria/
Austrian technicians travelling to India will be granted an equivalent ‘Film Visa’ with multiple entries, sidestepping the previous cap of 120 days. Industry groups welcomed the move, noting that recent Bollywood shoots in Tyrol injected €7 million into the regional economy despite bureaucratic hurdles. The new agreement could double that figure, the Austrian Producers Association estimates. The Indian embassy in Vienna plans a roadshow in May to promote alpine locations and Vienna’s new Central European sound-stage complex. Companies facilitating executive relocations should monitor forthcoming regulations: the Interior Ministry will publish a checklist of required documents and a dedicated appointment slot within the Red-White-Red Card online portal to avoid overlap with mainstream labour-migration quotas.
For location managers the treaty aligns immigration categories: Indian personnel will receive a bespoke ‘Film Crew D-Visa’ valid for 180 days, extendable in Austria without leaving the country.
Producers unfamiliar with Austrian paperwork can streamline the process by engaging VisaHQ, whose online platform walks applicants through every step and liaises directly with embassies to secure appointments and documentation; full details on Film Crew D-Visas and other permits are available at https://www.visahq.com/austria/
Austrian technicians travelling to India will be granted an equivalent ‘Film Visa’ with multiple entries, sidestepping the previous cap of 120 days. Industry groups welcomed the move, noting that recent Bollywood shoots in Tyrol injected €7 million into the regional economy despite bureaucratic hurdles. The new agreement could double that figure, the Austrian Producers Association estimates. The Indian embassy in Vienna plans a roadshow in May to promote alpine locations and Vienna’s new Central European sound-stage complex. Companies facilitating executive relocations should monitor forthcoming regulations: the Interior Ministry will publish a checklist of required documents and a dedicated appointment slot within the Red-White-Red Card online portal to avoid overlap with mainstream labour-migration quotas.
