Resquesting Legal Documents

Legal Documents

A. Documents from Austria

Vital records
(Birth, marriage, and death certificates)

Please contact the local Vital Records Registry (Standesamt) of the village/town/city concerned and ask for the required document to be issued in the "international" version (to avoid any translation hassles later on). The addresses and phone numbers of all Vital Records Registries in Austria are listed in the Austrian phone directory or at www.help.gv.at.

Please note that until 1938 (in Burgenland until 1895), the births, marriages, and deaths were registered by the local churches and religious communities. Starting in 1870 and lasting until 1938, vital records of individuals without a religious affiliation were issued by the county government. In the province of Burgenland, vital records have been issued by the towns and villages since 1895.

As a hint: Vital records issued by Austrian authorities generally require an apostille to be valid in the United States (see link: Certification of Documents). Thus, please do not forget to ask for an apostille as well when requesting an Austrian civil document.

b) Driver's License

In the cae of loss or theft of your Austrian driver's license abroad, you may request a replacement at the competent authority in Austria via the Embassy. The Embassy itself does not issue driver's licenses.

To request a replacement for a stolen/lost driver's license, please provide the following documents:
- Application (in German only)
- ID (passport)
- 1 passport picture (same criteria as for Austrian passports)
- if applicable: police report for your lost/stolen driver's license
- proof of residence in Austria (Meldezettel)

It is not compulsory to swap your old-format driver's license for a driver's license in check card size. The fee for this application is Euro 45,60 and must be paid in US $ upon receipt of your driver's licence according to the exchange rate at the time.

c) Other legal documents and certificates

Certificates of good conduct (criminal records) from Austria may be requested via the Consulate General or one of the Honorary Consulates. For further information, please see the link "Certificate of good conduct (criminal records)."

Copies of Austrian divorce decrees may be obtained by directly contacting the District Court which has issued the decree. We recommend calling prior to a personal visit. Addresses and phone numbers are listed at www.help.gv.at.

d. Personal Identity Cards (Personalausweis)

Since 2009, Personal Identity Cards (Personalausweis); accepted by some countries as cross-border travel documents) may also be obtained through the Austrian Embassy.

This procedure requires

• Application (in German only)
• Same documents needed when requestion a new passport
• Conuslar fees: payment must be made in US$ per money order (payable to Embassy of Austria) or cash (exact change only please)

For more information (German only) please visit
https://www.help.gv.at/Portal.Node/hlpd/public/content/3/Seite.030000.html

B. Documents issued by governmental authorities and agencies located in the area covered by the Embassy

Austrian citizens living in Austria who need official documents and certificates from governmental authorities and agencies located in the area covered by the Embassy are kindly asked to directly contact either the governmental agency (e.g. village, county) in the US or the citizen help desk at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Vienna at www.bmeia.gv.at.

The Embassy of the United States in Vienna, Boltzmanngasse 16, 1090 Vienna, Tel.: (+43-1) 31339-0, Fax: (+43-1) 310 06 82, E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , http://austria.usembassy.gov/ informs as follows:

Documents that must be obtained from a U.S. State
Vital Records are documents such as birth, death or marriage certificates. In the U.S., state, county or city governments, depending on location, usually hold such records. Here is some information to assist you in obtaining copies of such records.

Where to Write for Vital Records

Note: For your U.S. document to be accepted by the Austrian authorities, for example if you plan to get married, they also require that you provide an Apostille. This document gives you specific instructions on how to obtain the Apostille.
Fee-based on-line services that help obtain records

• One such service is VitalChek (800-255-2414), which allows you to request birth, death, and marriage certificates online, by phone, or by fax.
• Another service called U.S. Birth Certificate.net can help you obtain or amend a Consular Report of Birth Abroad, in addition to obtaining a birth certificate. You must have a physical street address to use this service (no APO's, FPO's, or PO Boxes).

Embassy of Austria
Consular Section
3524 International Court, NW
Washington, D.C., 20008

Consulate Office Hours:
Monday through Friday,10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
(except Austrian and U.S. holidays )

E-mail: consularsection[at]austria.org