A criminal record certificate is an official document issued by the competent internal affairs or justice authorities confirming that a person has no criminal convictions on record at the time of issue and is not wanted in connection with criminal proceedings, or that their convictions have been expunged.
A criminal record certificate may be required in the following situations:
- Applying for a visa;
- Applying for a temporary residence permit;
- Applying for a residence permit for long-term stay;
- Applying for citizenship;
- Applying for employment;
- Applying for admission to an educational institution;
- Background checks for adoption and guardianship proceedings;
- Submitting evidence in court proceedings;
- Getting married.
Key facts at a glance
- The Austrian criminal record certificate (Strafregisterbescheinigung) is issued by the police; the criminal records register is maintained centrally by the Vienna State Police Directorate (Landespolizeidirektion Wien).
- Since 1 January 2026 a flat fee applies: an ordinary certificate costs €26, €18 when applying via ID Austria, and a special certificate €29.
- The certificate is issued in paper or electronic form, in most cases in German and English; an electronic certificate via ID Austria is issued instantly.
- For use abroad, a paper certificate with a conventional apostille on a physical carrier is the safer choice.
- The apostille on the certificate is issued by the Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs (BMEIA).
- For countries that are not parties to the Hague Convention, consular legalisation applies instead of the apostille.
- Schmidt & Schmidt arranges the apostille, legalisation, translation and worldwide delivery of the completed document.
Glossary: key terms in German
| Criminal record certificate | Strafregisterbescheinigung |
| Criminal records register | Strafregister |
| State Police Directorate | Landespolizeidirektion |
| Police commissariat | Polizeikommissariat |
| Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs | Bundesministerium für europäische und internationale Angelegenheiten (BMEIA) |
| Apostille | Apostille |
| Consular legalisation | Konsularische Beglaubigung / Legalisierung |
| Electronic identity | ID Austria |
| Sworn (court-certified) translator | Gerichtlich beeideter Übersetzer |
| Flat fee | Pauschalgebühr |
What is a Criminal Record Certificate in Austria?
In Austria, the criminal record certificate is officially called a “criminal records register extract” (Strafregisterbescheinigung). The register of convictions is maintained, and certificates are issued at the central level, by the Vienna State Police Directorate (Landespolizeidirektion Wien).
The issuance of criminal record certificates in Austria is governed by the Criminal Records Act of 1968 (Strafregistergesetz, sections 10, 10a and 11) and other legislation.
The system for issuing criminal record certificates in Austria is more complex than in most other countries, although simpler than in neighbouring Germany, for example. To obtain a certificate, the applicant must complete identity verification at least once. This can be done in person when submitting the application (in which case the certificate may then be received by post or by another person under a power of attorney), in person on collection, or when submitting an online application using a digital signature.
The certificate is generated on the basis of the criminal records database (Strafregister) and is issued in paper or electronic form, in most cases in German and English.
There are several main types of criminal record certificate in Austria:
- the ordinary criminal record certificate (the basic one, obtained by individuals on application);
- special criminal record certificates for work with children and young people, care and nursing, as well as the absence of convictions for terrorist and anti-state offences, genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes (issued after confirmation by the employer).
The certificate contains the following information: number, surname, first name, academic degree, sex, date of birth, place of birth, conviction data, and the date and time of issue.
The certificate includes judgments of Austrian courts, as well as judgments of foreign courts transmitted to Austria through official channels.
Certificates suitable for apostille certification are issued in paper and electronic form (Austria has implemented electronic apostille procedures, e-Apostille). However, it is more reliable to obtain a paper certificate with a conventional apostille on a physical carrier — it will be accepted in all States party to the 1961 Hague Convention.
Cost of a Criminal Record Certificate in Austria
Since 1 January 2026, a flat fee (Pauschalgebühr) applies to the criminal record certificate in Austria, introduced by the Tax Amendment Act 2025 (Abgabenänderungsgesetz 2025). The basic rates are:
- €26 — an ordinary criminal record certificate applied for by the standard procedure;
- €18 — an ordinary certificate applied for electronically via ID Austria or EU Login (the fee is reduced by €8);
- €29 — a special criminal record certificate (for example, for work with children and young people); the fee is likewise reduced when applying via ID Austria.
The apostille, translation and delivery are charged separately. The state fee for the apostille is charged by the Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs; the exact amount should be confirmed at the time of application. Schmidt & Schmidt’s service fee is calculated individually, depending on the scope of services and the destination country.
Processing time for a Criminal Record Certificate in Austria
The time needed to obtain a paper criminal record certificate in Austria may vary depending on where the application is submitted and the delivery address. An electronic certificate via ID Austria is issued instantly. Additional time is required for the apostille, translation and delivery.
How to obtain a Criminal Record Certificate in Austria
There are several main ways to obtain a criminal record certificate in Austria:
- a paper certificate by in-person request;
- a paper certificate by online request;
- an electronic certificate by electronic request.
How to obtain a paper certificate by in-person request
If the applicant lives in a locality that has a State Police Directorate or a police commissariat, they should apply there. In Vienna, any police commissariat may be used. If there are no relevant police offices in the locality, the application is made to the municipality.
The application may be submitted either at the place of permanent residence or at the place of stay. The reception hours for issuing criminal record certificates may differ from the institution’s general opening hours, so it is best to check them in advance.
To submit the application, a photo identity document is required (if the application is submitted under a power of attorney — a copy of the identity document of the person acting as applicant), as well as the application itself, which must state all previous surnames and first names (if any). Any change of surname or first name must be supported by the relevant official document. Academic titles, if any, must also be documented.
An application for a paper certificate may also be submitted online via ID Austria (id-austria.gv.at). The applicant may request that the paper certificate be sent by post: by default, delivery is made via the state postal service, but ordinary post may be requested separately.
How to obtain an electronic certificate
An electronic request for a criminal record certificate is submitted via ID Austria (id-austria.gv.at). The certificate is issued instantly.
Applying for a certificate under a power of attorney
A feature of Austrian law is that one of the two steps (submitting the application or collecting the certificate) can be completed only after personal identity verification — so the other step may be carried out under a power of attorney. The person who submits the application or collects the certificate on behalf of another must prove their legal authority to act on that person’s behalf (a power of attorney or other legal basis).
In addition to the power of attorney, you must have your own identity document with you and a copy of the identity document of the person for whom the certificate is issued.
Obtaining a certificate through a consulate
To obtain a criminal record certificate through a consulate or the consular section of an Austrian embassy abroad, the following documents must be provided:
- Application form;
- Identity document;
- Receipt confirming payment of the fee.
When obtaining criminal record certificates, personal data must be checked carefully: any error or typo will make the document invalid.
Important: criminal record certificates issued by Austrian consulates are not eligible for legalisation or apostille certification. For use abroad, it is generally necessary to obtain a paper certificate from the police, have it apostilled, and subsequently translate it into the language of the country where the document will be used.
Apostille for an Austrian Criminal Record Certificate
Austria is a party to the 1961 Hague Convention, which it acceded to in 1967.
An apostille is an internationally standardised form of authentication used to certify a document for presentation in countries that recognise this form of legalisation. It usually takes the form of a special stamp or certificate. In recent years, electronic apostilles (e-Apostilles) have also become more widespread — a digital certification confirming the authenticity of documents issued in electronic form.
Apostilles for Austrian criminal record certificates are issued by the Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs (Bundesministerium für europäische und internationale Angelegenheiten, BMEIA). This procedure is governed by the Apostille Act No. 27/1968.
A paper criminal record certificate may be submitted for apostille certification to the BMEIA legalisation unit without an appointment or by ordinary post. To obtain an electronic apostille (e-Apostille), the electronic certificate must be sent to the dedicated e-mail address beglaubigungen(at)bmeia.gv.at and the resulting invoice paid.
What is an apostille?
What is an apostille? Why do I need an apostille? How do I get an apostille? - Our video will explain everything you need to know about the apostille. If you have a document that needs to be certified with an apostille for use abroad, Schmidt and Schmidt will assist you! We provide apostille services in more than 100 countries worldwide.
Consular legalisation of an Austrian Criminal Record Certificate
If the country in which the Austrian criminal record certificate is intended to be used is not a party to the 1961 Hague Convention, such as the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the document must undergo the more complex and costly procedure of consular legalisation.
Consular legalisation is a multi-stage procedure for verifying the authenticity of a document for use in countries that are not parties to the 1961 Hague Convention.
To complete the consular legalisation of an Austrian criminal record certificate, the following steps must be followed:
- Obtain the criminal record certificate;
- Have the certificate legalised by the competent notarial authority;
- Arrange an official translation of the document;
- Have the document legalised by the consulate or consular section of the embassy of the destination country.
Due to the number of steps involved, this procedure is time-consuming and relatively expensive. Some countries do not have consulates in Austria, meaning that the final stage of legalisation may need to be completed in another country where the relevant consulate is located.
What is consular legalization?
In our video we are explaining what consular legalization is and where to apply for it.
Schmidt & Schmidt will assist you in all issues concerning the legalization.
Schmidt & Schmidt offers legalization in more than 80 countries all over the world.
Using an Austrian Criminal Record Certificate in Russia
To obtain a residence permit or Russian citizenship, foreign nationals are required to submit criminal record certificates. A certificate may also be needed for employment, admission to certain universities and in a number of other situations.
Russia and Austria are both parties to the Hague Convention of 5 October 1961, which allows the simplified legalisation procedure — the apostille — to be used. This means that, as a rule, affixing an apostille in Austria is sufficient to give the certificate legal force in Russia.
In addition, to submit an Austrian criminal record certificate in Russia, it must be accompanied by a notarised translation into Russian in accordance with the laws of the Russian Federation.
Official Translation of an Austrian Criminal Record Certificate
An Austrian criminal record certificate is issued in German and English. To use it abroad, an official translation must be prepared in accordance with the laws of the country where the document will be submitted — by a sworn, certified, notarised, or court-appointed translator in the destination country.
Translations of the certificate prepared in Austria (except where they are made as part of the consular legalisation procedure) are unlikely to be accepted abroad.
Useful links: official resources in Austria
- polizei.gv.at — how to obtain the criminal record certificate (Strafregisterbescheinigung) and the addresses of police commissariats;
- oesterreich.gv.at — the central government service portal and electronic submission via ID Austria;
- bmeia.gv.at — the Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs: apostille and consular legalisation;
- hcch.net — the up-to-date list of States party to the Hague Convention and their competent authorities.
Document delivery
After obtaining a criminal record certificate and having it apostilled or legalised, it is often necessary to send the document to another country. In such cases, both the speed and security of delivery are important, particularly when original official documents are involved.
Schmidt & Schmidt arranges international document delivery worldwide. We use reliable logistics solutions and modern tracking systems, allowing shipments to be monitored at every stage of transit and helping ensure timely delivery to the recipient.
Our specialists handle documents carefully and confidentially and assist with any issues that may arise during international shipping, including carrier requirements and customs clearance procedures.
We can arrange delivery of completed criminal record certificates, apostilled documents, translations, and other official papers to most countries worldwide, serving both private clients and law firms and other organisations.
How can we help?
We will be happy to assist you in obtaining a criminal record certificate in Austria, including apostille certification and legalisation for use abroad, as well as translation and delivery anywhere in the world.
You can always contact Schmidt & Schmidt. We have extensive experience in obtaining and legalising a wide range of documents and provide all the necessary services in this area, including obtaining notarised copies, translation, preparing the required powers of attorney, legalising documents with government authorities and consulates of foreign countries, and delivering completed documents to most countries worldwide.
You can find more information about the legalisation and apostille procedures on our website.
