It’s been a while since since the Consular Section of HM British Embassy has had any news for you, so we thought it was about time we sent you the latest news from us here in the Consular Section. Obviously with the results of the referendum still being digested, there are lots of people out there…
Category: Expat Life
Unnecessary fees and skimming risks when withdrawing cash from ATMs in Vienna
There has been a lot of reporting in the Austrian media recently about some ATMs charging for cash withdrawals from Austrian accounts (non-Euro denominated accounts have always been subject to some kind of fees). Fortunately not all ATMs charge – the most widely-spread ones (Bankomat) with their distinctive blue and green logos are not charging…
Updated FCO Information about travelling and living in the EU
The FCO has updated information for British Citizens travelling and living in Europe in the EU available (updated 11 July 2016). Currently the Situation is one of “Business as usual!” https://www.gov.uk/guidance/advice-for-british-nationals-travelling-and-living-in-europe
Learning the language – knowing your A1 from your C2!
One of the largest obstacles that Expats face, in Vienna, as well as elsewhere is the language barrier – while many are hired for English-speaking jobs in multinational companies, not being able to speak the local language of the land can make even the most routine of tasks (e.g. shopping, sending and collecting parcels, banking,…
Don’t forget to take out travel insurance
The information below has come through to us from the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) – we would advise all expats (regardless of whether you are British citizens or not!) to make sure that you have adequate insurance cover prior to travelling. The below is provided to give you a good idea of what you…
Real Estate Glossary
Ablöse = charges for fixtures and fittings (e.g. kitchen left in) ablösefrei = no charges for fixtures and fittings Alle Zimmer zentral begehbar = all rooms can be accessed from a hallway (rather than going through a room to get to another room) Altbau = pre-war building (usually has high ceilings) Aufzug = lift Bad…
Austrian Beer
Many VE members enjoy nothing more than meeting for a beer, and with around 4,000 locations serving beer in Vienna, there is certainly no shortage of choice. Indeed the Federation of Austrian Breweries (Verband der Bräuereien Österreichs) proudly boasts on its website, that Austria has the highest level of breweries per capita of any EU…
Buying property in Austria
One of the particular features of buying property in Austria is that fact the the ancillary costs in relation to the purchase are pretty high – apparently among the highest in Europe, with ancillary costs when buying property in Austria being around 10-11% of the purchase price (e.g. on a property costing EUR 250,000 between EUR…
Austrian Public Holidays 2016
The statutory public holidays for 2016 for Austria are as follows – good to consider when planning vacations – particularly to use “Fenstertage” (occasionally called Zwickeltage) to make your leave go further.
10 facts about UK citizens voting overseas
With the “Brexit referendum” being held on 23 June 2016, it seems timely to inform British Citizens about registering as an overseas voter. Our contacts at HM British Embassy have passed on this list of 10 things you need to know about registering as an overseas voter. In particular, make sure that other people find out…