General information on documents

For the application, documents and evidentiary material must be presented as originals and as copies. The authorities will check the copies and certify their full conformance with the original.

NOTE If you can prove that production of any such document or evidence is impossible or not possible with reasonable effort, the authorities may dispense with such requirement upon duly justified request. Any such request should be submitted together with the application for a residence title. Once the application has been denied by way of official notice, requests to this effect are no longer admissible

The authorities may request that documents which are drawn up in a language other than German be submitted in a German translation. Moreover, documents must on request be submitted as certified documents.

NOTE
Whether foreign documents are recognized without further requirements in Austria or whether a legalisation or apostille is required depends on the existence of an agreement between Austria and that state whose authorities have issued the document. General information on the recognition of foreign documents is available on the website of the Federal Ministry of European and International Affairs: http://www.bmeia.gv.at/en/travel-stay/documents-and-authentications/

NOTE
Translations do not qualify as documents, but as expert services. They must always be submitted together with the already certified original document. Therefore, it is not mandatory to legalise translations of foreign documents. However, the Austrian authorities may ask for a translation being made by a sworn and court certified Austrian translator. As an advantage, these translations do not require any further certification unlike a translation made abroad. A list of sworn and court certified Austrian translators/interpreters is available on the website of the Federal Ministry of Justice: http://www.sdgliste.justiz.gv.at/edikte/sv/svliste.nsf/suche!OpenForm