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IMPORTANT: We can only mail Consular products to addresses within Austria. There is no option for in-person pickup. If you live outside of Austria, please contact us at ConsulateVienna@state.gov to discuss your options.
U.S. Citizens with “LIFE OR DEATH” EMERGENCIES ONLY, please call (+43 1) 31339-0 and ask to speak with “American Citizen Services”.
From the United States, dial 011-43-1-31339-0
For all other non-emergency U.S. citizen requests, please email ConsulateVienna@state.gov.
International Parental Child Abduction
International parental child abduction is the removal or retention of a child outside their country of habitual residence in breach of another parent or guardian’s custody rights.
One of the highest priorities of the Department of State and U.S. embassies and consulates abroad is to provide assistance to U.S. citizens incarcerated abroad. The Department of State is committed to ensuring fair and humane treatment for U.S. citizens imprisoned overseas. We stand ready to assist incarcerated citizens and their families within the limits of our authority in accordance with international, domestic, and foreign law. More information available at Travel.State.gov.
When an U.S. citizen dies abroad, the Bureau of Consular Affairs assists the family and friends. The Bureau of Consular Affairs attempts to locate and inform the next-of-kin of the U.S. citizen’s death. The Bureau of Consular Affairs provides information on how to make arrangements for local burial or return of the remains to the United States. The disposition of remains is subject to U.S. and local (foreign) law, U.S. and foreign customs requirements, and the foreign country facilities, which are often vastly different from those in the United States.
When a U.S. citizen is the victim of a crime overseas, he or she may suffer from physical, emotional or financial injuries. It can be more difficult because the victim may be in unfamiliar surroundings, and may not know the local language or customs.
Emergency Financial Assistance
U.S. consular officers, in certain situations, can assist Americans abroad who are temporarily destitute because of unforeseen circumstances. Americans who find themselves in these circumstances should contact the U.S. Embassy Vienna/U.S. Consular Section or the State Department’s Office of Overseas Citizens Services at 1-888-407-4747 (during business hours) or 202-647-5225 (after hours). Consular officers can help destitute Americans contact family, bank, or employer to arrange for transfer of funds. In some cases, these funds can be wired through the Department of State.
If you reside in Austria and have questions regarding services provided by the Social Security Administration (SSA), you must contact the SSA Federal Benefits Unit (FBU) located in Frankfurt, Germany. For more information on their services and how to contact them, please visit their webpage at: https://de.usembassy.gov/social-security/. For comprehensive information on SSA’s services abroad, please visit SSA’s webpage Service Around the World. If you are already receiving SSA benefits payments, there will be no change in the method of distribution of those payments.
Service members, Veterans, and their beneficiaries can apply for benefits services on the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) website at www.va.gov. The Federal Benefits Unit (FBU) can also be of assistance if Veterans and beneficiaries have questions about benefits and services.
If you are a U.S. citizen or Lawful Permanent Resident (green card holder), you are responsible for filing U.S. federal income tax returns while abroad. You will find useful information on the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) website, such as Frequently Asked Questions about taxes or how to apply for an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN). If you are a U.S. government employee working overseas, you cannot claim the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion. For additional information, visit the IRS website.
U.S. embassies and consulates overseas assist the Selective Service System with its registration program abroad.
Now all U.S. citizens can receive their blank ballots electronically. Depending on the state in which you are eligible to vote, you may get your ballot by email, fax, or internet download. To start, go to www.FVAP.gov to complete a new Federal Post Card Application (FPCA), print and sign the form then return it to your local election office in the United States. We recommend overseas U.S. citizens get in the habit of completing FPCAs each January. You should include your email address on the form so it’s easier for your election officials to reach you if there is a problem. If your state delivers ballots electronically by fax only, be sure to include your fax number. If you request electronic delivery and include your email address or fax number, you’ll receive your blank ballot 45 days before general and mid-term elections and generally 30 days before special, primary, and run-off elections for federal offices.
Consular Affairs (CA) is the public face of the Department of State for millions of people around the world. We provide many services, and the most common are listed below.
U.S. Citizens overseas can renew passports, replace passports, or apply for new passports.
The Department of State assumes no responsibility or liability for the professional ability or reputation of, or the quality of services provided by, the entities or individuals whose names appear on the following lists. Inclusion on this list is in no way an endorsement by the Department or the U.S. government. Names are listed alphabetically, and the order in which they appear has no other significance. The information on the list is provided directly by the local service providers; the Department is not in a position to vouch for such information.
Legal assistance Medical Assistance Civil Documents How to Obtain Vital Records Criminal Record Lost/Stolen ItemsAustrian attorneys are prohibited by law from accepting cases on a contingency basis. Those attorneys below who accept collection cases usually assess their fees by mutual agreement or on the basis of a complex recommended fee guide established by ordinance.
Although the hospitals, doctors and medical groups listed have been selected with care, the Embassy cannot assume responsibility for their professional ability and integrity and has no control over the professional fees they charge. Private medical practitioners in Austria establish their own fees. Furthermore, hospitals and physicians they will not settle fee claims directly with U.S. insurance companies. Therefore, the U.S. citizen patient will be expected to pay his bill at the time of treatment/consultation. The patient may thereafter present his paid bill to his U.S. insurance carrier, if any, for reimbursement. Medicare is not valid for medical expenses in Austria.
Civil records have been carefully prepared and preserved in nearly all areas of Austria. Thus, civil documents such as birth, death and marriage certificates are usually available. Some difficulty and delay may be encountered, however, since record keeping functions are decentralized and procedures for obtaining documents and fees assessed vary from area to area.
The U.S. Embassy/Consular Section does not keep copies of the documents it issues, such as Consular Reports of Birth. These documents are filed in Washington. We also do not keep any files of Austrian civil documents, such as birth certificates, marriage certificates, etc. Other records, such as birth certificates of people born in the U.S. are stored in the state of origin.
U.S. citizens and some foreigners may be asked to present a “certificate of good conduct” or “lack of a criminal record” for a variety of reasons for use abroad including adoption, school attendance, employment, etc. U.S. law enforcement authorities may not be familiar with such a procedure since it is not commonly requested in the United States. There are a variety of options available to U.S. citizens and foreigners seeking to obtain proof of their lack of a criminal record.
We understand that the number of Austrian children available for adoption is very limited and that local authorities have a long waiting list of prospective adoptive parents. Furthermore, Austrian authorities have been reluctant in some instances to release children for foreign adoption. Unless the prospective parents know of a specific child personally or through acquaintances, there are two methods of locating an Austrian child for adoption.
U.S. citizens may enter into marriage in Austria. The procedure is, however, somewhat complex. For this reason, U.S. citizens contemplating marriage in Austria should be completely familiar with the following provisions:
Before proceeding with the Consular Report of Birth abroad, note that all children born after June 11, 2017, the U.S. citizen parent has to have been physically present in the U.S. five years prior to the child’s birth, two of which must have been after the age of 14. The U.S. citizen parent must be the genetic or the gestational parent and the legal parent of the child under local law at the time and place of the child’s birth.
For information about divorce or legal separation, please contact the respective Austrian district court (Bezirksgericht). A list of courts is available online: Die österreichische Justiz. Owing to the formal requirements of Austrian juridical procedure as well as the complexities which may arise in a divorce action, it would normally be expected that the parties to a divorce action in Austria would engage the services of an Austrian attorney.
Death of a U.S. Citizen in Austria
Austrian Procedural Formalities in the Event of the Death of a U.S. Citizen
Genealogical Research in Austria
The U.S. Embassy cannot undertake genealogical research in Austria, nor does the Embassy maintain historical information or immigration records which would be useful for such a purpose. There are outlined below, however, various possibilities whereby interested persons might be able to obtain desired information. It must be emphasized that the Embassy is not in a position to assume responsibility for the quality or timeliness of the services rendered by the entities listed on this page.
One can become a U.S. Citizen through a variety of means—birth in the United States, birth abroad to a U.S. citizen parent, or through the naturalization process. For all of these, a specific series of legal requirements must be met. At the U.S. Embassy Vienna, we can provide certification of U.S. citizenship for eligible individuals born abroad to U.S. citizen parents.
Renunciation Claims to U.S. Citizenship (over age 18)Claims to U.S. Citizenship (over age 18)
In addition to the naturalization process, the United States recognizes the U.S. citizenship of individuals according to two fundamental principles: jus soli, or right of birthplace, and jus sanguinis, or right of blood.
Outside of Office Hours, contact: (+43 1) 31339-0
Outside of Austria: (+43 1) 31339-0
Emergency Contact – All Locations Get Travel Alerts International Parental Child Abduction Arrest of a U.S. Citizen Death of a U.S. Citizen Victims of Crime Emergency Financial Assistance
