Documents from Austria
Austrian citizens may ask the Consulate General in Chicago to help them obtain civil documents from Austria.
A fee will be charged.
Please note: Due to strict Austrian privacy laws, documents and official certificates can be requested only by the subject or their spouse, children or parents. Therefore, the following information must be included in the request:
a) Purpose for which the document is needed
b) Relationship to the person whose record is being requested
c) Proof of that relationship (please send e.g. copy of your passport, copy of marriage certificate etc.).
Civil Documents
Certificates of Birth, Marriage, and Death
Please contact the local Vital Records Registry (Standesamt) of the village / town / city concerned and request that the document you are looking for be issued on an "international" form (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 and on the Government Agency Help website.
Please note that before 1938 (in Burgenland before 1895) the registration of births, marriages and deaths was done by local churches and religious communities. From 1870 to 1938, civil documents for individuals without a religious affiliation were issued by the county government. In the province of Burgenland, civil documents have been issed by the towns and villages since 1895.
Tip: Civil documents issued by Austrian authorities generally need an apostille to be valid and recognized in the United States (see link: "Authentication"). Therefore, please do not forget to also apply for an apostille when requesting an Austrian civil document.
Driver's License
If you have lost your driver's license or it has been stolen, you must apply for a duplicate at the competent authority in Austria (local police department [major cities] or county government) directly. The Consulate is not authorized to issue driver's licenses.
The necessary forms (for downloading) and the addresses of the competent authorities are to be found on the Government Agency Help website. Your "new" driver's license will then be sent to a Consulate (career or honorary Consulate) where you can pick it up after having paid the fees. Please note that you must come to the Consulate in person.
Other Documents and Certificates
Certificates of good conduct (criminal record) from Austria can be requested via the Consulate General or one of the Honorary Consulates. Further information can be found by following the link below to "Criminal record (certificate of good conduct)".
Copies of Austrian divorce decrees can be obtained by contacting the District Court which issued the decree directly. It is recommended that you call first. Addresses and phone numbers are listed on the Government Agency Help website.
Documents issued by governmental authorities and agencies located in the area covered by the Consulate General
Austrian citizens living in Austria who need official documents and certificates from governmental authorities and agencies located in the area covered by the Consulate are kindly asked to contact the governmental agency (e.g. village, county) in the US directly.
Addresses, phone numbers, and links to governmental authorities and agencies in the US are listed at:
