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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 I shares | Invesco V.I. S&P 500 Index Fund
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Risk/Return [Heading] rr_RiskReturnHeading Fund Summary - Invesco V.I. S&P 500 Index Fund - Series I shares
Objective [Heading] rr_ObjectiveHeading Investment Objective
Objective, Primary [Text Block] rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock The Fund’s investment objective is to provide investment results that, before expenses, correspond to the total return (i.e., the combination of capital changes and income) of the Standard & Poor’s® 500 Composite Stock Price Index.
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 I 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 4% of the average value of its portfolio.
Portfolio Turnover, Rate rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate 4.00%
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.

The Example 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.

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 will normally invest at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in common stocks of companies included in the Standard & Poor’s® 500 Composite Stock Price Index (S&P 500 Index). Invesco Advisers, Inc. (the Adviser), the Fund’s investment adviser, passively manages the Fund’s assets by investing in stocks in approximately the same proportion as they are represented in the S&P 500 Index. For example, if the common stock of a specific company represents five percent of the S&P 500 Index, the Adviser typically will invest the same percentage of the Fund’s assets in that stock. The Fund may invest in foreign securities represented in the S&P 500 Index.

The Adviser seeks a correlation between the performance of the Fund, before expenses, and that of the S&P 500 Index of 95% or better. A figure of 100% would indicate perfect correlation. The Fund may also make temporary investments in money market instruments to manage cash flows into and out of the Fund.

The Fund can invest in derivatives, including futures contracts. The Fund can invest in futures contracts, including index futures, to seek exposure to certain asset classes. A futures contract is a standardized agreement between two parties to buy or sell a specific quantity of an underlying instrument at a specific price at a specific future time. The value of the futures contract tends to increase and decrease in tandem with the value of the underlying instrument. Futures contracts are bilateral agreements, with both the purchaser and the seller equally obligated to complete the transaction. Depending on the terms of the particular contract, futures contracts are settled through either physical delivery of the underlying instrument on the settlement date or by payment of a cash settlement amount on the settlement date.

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:

Indexing Risk. The Fund is operated as a passively managed index fund. As such, the adverse performance of a particular stock ordinarily will not result in the elimination of the stock from the Fund’s portfolio. The Fund will remain invested in common stocks even when stock prices are generally falling. Ordinarily, the Adviser will not sell the Fund’s portfolio securities except to reflect additions or deletions of the stocks that comprise the S&P 500 Index, or as may be necessary to raise cash to pay Fund shareholders who sell Fund shares.

The Fund’s ability to correlate its performance, before expenses, with the S&P 500 Index may be affected by, among other things, changes in securities markets, the manner in which the S&P 500 Index is calculated and the timing of purchases and sales, and also depends to some extent on the size of the Fund’s portfolio, the size of cash flows into and out of the Fund and differences between how and when the Fund and the Index are valued.

Derivatives Risk. The performance of derivative instruments is tied to the performance of an underlying currency, security, index or other instrument. In addition to risks relating to their underlying instruments, the use of derivatives may include other, possibly greater, risks. Derivatives involve costs, may be volatile, and may involve a small initial investment relative to the risk assumed. Risks associated with the use of derivatives may include counterparty, leverage, correlation, liquidity, tax, market, interest rate and management risks. Derivatives may also be more difficult to purchase, sell or value than other investments. The Fund may lose more than the cash amount invested on investments in derivatives. Investors should bear in mind that, while the Fund intends to use derivative strategies, it is not obligated to actively engage in these transactions, generally or in any particular kind of derivative, if the investment manager elects not to do so due to availability, cost, market conditions or other factors.

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.

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. The performance table compares the Fund’s and Morgan Stanley Variable Investment Series S&P 500 Index Portfolio’s (the predecessor fund) performance to that of a broad-based securities market benchmark/style specific benchmark and a peer group benchmark with investment objectives and strategies similar to those of the Fund. The bar chart and performance table below do not reflect charges assessed in connection with your variable product; if they did, the performance shown would be lower. The Fund’s and predecessor fund’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of its future performance.

The returns shown prior to June 1, 2010 are those of the Class X shares of the predecessor fund, which are not offered by the Fund. The predecessor fund was advised by Morgan Stanley Investment Advisors Inc. The predecessor fund was reorganized into Series I shares of the Fund on June 1, 2010. Series I shares’ returns will be different from the predecessor fund as they have different expenses.

All performance shown assumes the reinvestment of dividends and capital gains.
Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text] rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturns The bar chart shows changes in the performance of the Fund from year to year as of December 31. The performance table compares the Fund’s and Morgan Stanley Variable Investment Series S&P 500 Index Portfolio’s (the predecessor fund) performance to that of a broad-based securities market benchmark/style specific benchmark and a peer group benchmark with investment objectives and strategies similar to those of the Fund.
Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text] rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture The Fund’s and predecessor 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 bar chart and performance table below do not reflect charges assessed in connection with your variable product; if they did, the performance shown would be lower.
Bar Chart Closing [Text Block] rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock Best Quarter (ended June 30, 2009): 15.92%

Worst Quarter (ended December 31, 2008): (22.05)%

Performance Table Heading rr_PerformanceTableHeading Average Annual Total Returns (for the periods ended December 31, 2011)
Series I shares | Invesco V.I. S&P 500 Index Fund | Class: Series I 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 0.12%
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets none
Other Expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.28% [1]
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 0.40%
1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 41
3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 128
5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 224
10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 505
2002 rr_AnnualReturn2002 (22.48%)
2003 rr_AnnualReturn2003 27.85%
2004 rr_AnnualReturn2004 10.59%
2005 rr_AnnualReturn2005 4.64%
2006 rr_AnnualReturn2006 15.56%
2007 rr_AnnualReturn2007 5.23%
2008 rr_AnnualReturn2008 (37.07%)
2009 rr_AnnualReturn2009 26.34%
2010 rr_AnnualReturn2010 14.87%
2011 rr_AnnualReturn2011 1.85%
Highest Quarterly Return, Label rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel Best Quarter
Highest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate Jun. 30, 2009
Highest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn 15.92%
Lowest Quarterly Return, Label rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel Worst Quarter
Lowest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate Dec. 31, 2008
Lowest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn (22.05%)
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 1.85%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 (0.43%)
10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 2.64%
Inception Date rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate May 18, 1998
Series I shares | Invesco V.I. S&P 500 Index 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 I shares | Invesco V.I. S&P 500 Index Fund | Lipper VUF S&P 500 Funds Index
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 1.77%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 (0.53%)
10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 2.63%
[1] "Other Expenses" are based on estimated amounts for the current fiscal year.