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Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Registrant Name dei_EntityRegistrantName AIM VARIABLE INSURANCE FUNDS (INVESCO VARIABLE INSURANCE FUNDS)
Prospectus Date rr_ProspectusDate Apr. 30, 2012
Series II shares | Invesco V.I. Utilities Fund
 
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Risk/Return [Heading] rr_RiskReturnHeading Fund Summary - Invesco V.I. Utilities Fund - Series II shares
Objective [Heading] rr_ObjectiveHeading Investment Objective(s)
Objective, Primary [Text Block] rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock The Fund’s investment objective is long-term growth of capital and,
Objective, Secondary [Text Block] rr_ObjectiveSecondaryTextBlock secondarily, current income.
Expense [Heading] rr_ExpenseHeading Fees and Expenses of the Fund
Expense Narrative [Text Block] rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock This table describes the fees and expenses that are incurred, directly or indirectly, when a variable product owner buys, holds, or redeems interest in an insurance company separate account that invests in the Series II shares of the Fund but does not represent the effect of any fees or other expenses assessed in connection with your variable product, and if it did, expenses would be higher.
Shareholder Fees Caption [Text] rr_ShareholderFeesCaption Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)

Operating Expenses Caption [Text] rr_OperatingExpensesCaption Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

Portfolio Turnover [Heading] rr_PortfolioTurnoverHeading Portfolio Turnover.
Portfolio Turnover [Text Block] rr_PortfolioTurnoverTextBlock The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs. These costs, which are not reflected in annual Fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 14% of the average value of its portfolio.
Portfolio Turnover, Rate rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate 14.00%
Expense Example [Heading] rr_ExpenseExampleHeading Example.
Expense Example Narrative [Text Block] rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.

This Example does not represent the effect of any fees or expenses assessed in connection with your variable product, and if it did, expenses would be higher.

The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same.

Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:

Strategy [Heading] rr_StrategyHeading Principal Investment Strategies of the Fund
Strategy Narrative [Text Block] rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock The Fund invests, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in securities of issuers engaged in utilities-related industries. The Fund invests predominantly in equity securities.

In complying with the 80% investment requirement, the Fund may include synthetic securities that have economic characteristics similar to the Fund’s direct investments that are counted toward the 80% investment requirement.

The Fund may invest up to 25% of its net assets in foreign securities of issuers doing business in utilities-related industries. A substantial number of the issuers in which the Fund invests are small- and mid-capitalization companies.

In selecting investments, the portfolio managers seek to identify issuers predominantly within the electric utility, natural gas, water and telecommunications industries. The investment team generally emphasizes issuers with solid balance sheets and operational cash flow that supports sustained or increasing dividends. Through fundamental research, financial statement analysis and multiple valuation metrics, the management team estimates a target price for each security over a two- to three-year investment horizon. The portfolio managers then construct a portfolio which they believe provides the best total return potential based on a combination of price appreciation, dividend income and a favorable risk profile.

The portfolio managers consider whether to sell a particular security when any of these factors materially change.

Strategy Portfolio Concentration [Text] rr_StrategyPortfolioConcentration The Fund invests, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in securities of issuers engaged in utilities-related industries.
Risk [Heading] rr_RiskHeading Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund
Risk Narrative [Text Block] rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock As with any mutual fund investment, loss of money is a risk of investing. An investment in the Fund is not a deposit in a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency. The risks associated with an investment in the Fund can increase during times of significant market volatility. The principal risks of investing in the Fund are:

Foreign Securities Risk. The Fund’s foreign investments may be affected by changes in a foreign country’s exchange rates, political and social instability, changes in economic or taxation policies, difficulties when enforcing obligations, decreased liquidity, and increased volatility. Foreign companies may be subject to less regulation resulting in less publicly available information about the companies.

Management Risk. The investment techniques and risk analysis used by the Fund’s portfolio managers may not produce the desired results.

Market Risk. The prices of and the income generated by the Fund’s securities may decline in response to, among other things, investor sentiment, general economic and market conditions, regional or global instability, and currency and interest rate fluctuations.

Sector Fund Risk. The Fund’s investments are concentrated in a comparatively narrow segment of the economy, which may make the Fund more volatile than non-concentrated funds.

Small- and Mid-Capitalization Risks. Stocks of small and mid-sized companies tend to be more vulnerable to adverse developments and may have little or no operating history or track record of success, and limited product lines, markets, management and financial resources. The securities of small and mid-sized companies may be more volatile due to less market interest and less publicly available information about the issuer. They also may be illiquid or restricted as to resale, or may trade less frequently and in smaller volumes, all of which may cause difficulty when establishing or closing a position at a desirable price.

Synthetic Securities Risk. Fluctuations in the values of synthetic securities may not correlate perfectly with the instruments they are designed to replicate. Synthetic securities may be subject to interest rate changes, market price fluctuations, counterparty risk and liquidity risk.

Utilities Sector Risk. The following factors may affect the Fund’s investments in the utilities sector: governmental regulation, economic factors, ability of the issuer to obtain financing, prices of natural resources and risks associated with nuclear power.

Risk Lose Money [Text] rr_RiskLoseMoney As with any mutual fund investment, loss of money is a risk of investing.
Risk Not Insured Depository Institution [Text] rr_RiskNotInsuredDepositoryInstitution An investment in the Fund is not a deposit in a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency.
Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading] rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading Performance Information
Performance Narrative [Text Block] rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock The bar chart and performance table provide an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows changes in the performance of the Fund from year to year as of December 31. Series II shares performance shown prior to the inception date is that of Series I shares adjusted to reflect the Rule 12b-1 fees applicable to Series II shares. Series II shares performance shown for 2004 is the blended return of Series II shares since their inception and restated performance of Series I shares adjusted to reflect the Rule 12b-1 fees applicable to Series II shares. For periods prior to April 30, 2004, performance shown relates to a predecessor fund advised by INVESCO Funds Group, Inc. (IFG), an affiliate of Invesco Advisers, Inc. All performance shown assumes the reinvestment of dividends and capital gains and the effect of the Fund’s expenses. The performance table compares the Fund’s performance to that of a broad-based securities market benchmark, a style specific benchmark and a peer group benchmark with investment objectives and strategies similar to the Fund. The performance table below does not reflect charges assessed in connection with your variable product; if it did, the performance shown would be lower. The Fund’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of its future performance. Updated performance information is available on the Fund’s Web site at www.invesco.com/us. Series I shares are not offered by this prospectus. The Series I shares and Series II shares invest in the same portfolio of securities and will have substantially similar performance, except to the extent that the expenses borne by each share class differ. Series II shares have higher expenses (and therefore lower performance) resulting from its Rule 12b-1 plan, which provides for a maximum fee equal to an annual rate of 0.25% (expressed as a percentage of average daily net assets of the Fund).
Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text] rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturns The bar chart and performance table provide an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows changes in the performance of the Fund from year to year as of December 31. Series II shares performance shown prior to the inception date is that of Series I shares adjusted to reflect the Rule 12b-1 fees applicable to Series II shares. Series II shares performance shown for 2004 is the blended return of Series II shares since their inception and restated performance of Series I shares adjusted to reflect the Rule 12b-1 fees applicable to Series II shares. For periods prior to April 30, 2004, performance shown relates to a predecessor fund advised by INVESCO Funds Group, Inc. (IFG), an affiliate of Invesco Advisers, Inc. All performance shown assumes the reinvestment of dividends and capital gains and the effect of the Fund’s expenses. The performance table compares the Fund’s performance to that of a broad-based securities market benchmark, a style specific benchmark and a peer group benchmark with investment objectives and strategies similar to the Fund.
Performance Availability Website Address [Text] rr_PerformanceAvailabilityWebSiteAddress www.invesco.com/us
Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text] rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture The Fund’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of its future performance.
Bar Chart [Heading] rr_BarChartHeading Annual Total Returns
Bar Chart Does Not Reflect Sales Loads [Text] rr_BarChartDoesNotReflectSalesLoads The performance table below does not reflect charges assessed in connection with your variable product; if it did, the performance shown would be lower.
Bar Chart Closing [Text Block] rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock Best Quarter (ended June 30, 2003): 14.47%

Worst Quarter (ended September 30, 2008): -20.43%

Performance Table Heading rr_PerformanceTableHeading Average Annual Total Returns (for the periods ended December 31, 2011)

Series II shares | Invesco V.I. Utilities Fund | Class: Series II shares
 
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases (as a percentage of offering price) rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice   
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of original purchase price or redemption proceeds, whichever is less) rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOther   
Management Fees rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.60%
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets 0.25%
Other Expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.44%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 1.29%
1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 131
3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 409
5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 708
10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 1,556
2002 rr_AnnualReturn2002 (20.52%)
2003 rr_AnnualReturn2003 17.18%
2004 rr_AnnualReturn2004 23.24%
2005 rr_AnnualReturn2005 16.55%
2006 rr_AnnualReturn2006 25.25%
2007 rr_AnnualReturn2007 20.32%
2008 rr_AnnualReturn2008 (32.51%)
2009 rr_AnnualReturn2009 14.61%
2010 rr_AnnualReturn2010 6.01%
2011 rr_AnnualReturn2011 16.15%
Highest Quarterly Return, Label rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel Best Quarter
Highest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate Jun. 30, 2003
Highest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn 14.47%
Lowest Quarterly Return, Label rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel Worst Quarter
Lowest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate Sep. 30, 2008
Lowest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn (20.43%)
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 16.15% [1]
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 2.76% [1]
10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 6.74% [1]
Inception Date rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Apr. 30, 2004
Series II shares | Invesco V.I. Utilities Fund | S&P 500 Index (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes)
 
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 2.09%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 (0.25%)
10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 2.92%
Series II shares | Invesco V.I. Utilities Fund | S&P 500 Utilities Index (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes)
 
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 19.91%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 3.71%
10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 6.42%
Series II shares | Invesco V.I. Utilities Fund | Lipper VUF Utility Funds Category Average
 
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 7.92%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 3.45%
10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 7.05%
[1] Series II shares' performance shown prior to the inception date is that of Series I shares restated to reflect the 12b-1 fees applicable to the Series II shares. Series I shares' performance reflects any applicable fee waivers or expense reimbursements. The inception date of the Fund's Series I shares is December 30, 1994.