Notification of the birth

The notification of the birth is not identical to the issuing of the birth certificate.

The birth must be notified within one week.

The registry office in the child’s place of birth (e.g. location of the hospital):

•  the Registry Office or Registry Office Association^{German text} of the municipality;
• in Chartered Cities: the the Registry Office of the Municipal Administration^{German text};
  • in Vienna: the Registry Offices (City of Vienna)^{German text} in whose area (district) the birth took place.

The birth is automatically reported to the registry office by the hospital where the child is born.

In the case of home births, the birth is reported by the doctor or midwife who was present at the birth.

If the above cases do not apply, then, if necessary,

• the director of the hospital or clinic in which the child was born;
• the doctor or midwife who was present at the birth;
• the father, the mother or the other parent of the child, if they are able to do so;
• the authority or police department conducting investigations into the birth;
• other persons who have knowledge of the birth based on their own observations.

Some registry offices and hospitals cooperate with one another, meaning that the hospitals concerned send the registry office the documents required for issuing the first birth certificate together with the ‘Notification of Birth’ (Anzeige der Geburt) form. Please inquire at your hospital or at the competent registry office.

Following the notification of the birth, the registry office will issue, at the request of the mother or parents, the birth certificate, a certificate of registration of residence and, if the child has Austrian citizenship, a certificate of nationality.

The parents/parent must submit the following no later than one (1) week after the birth:

• written declaration regarding the first name,
• marriage certificate or partnership certificate of the parents,
• if the parents were not married, the mother's birth certificate and the mother's most recent marriage certificate,
• proof of dissolution or annulment of the marriage or registered partnership,
• proof of the parents' nationality,
• proof of the parents' main residence if they live abroad,
• the birth confirmation, if the birth has not been reported by the head of a hospital, the midwife, or the doctor who assisted with the birth.

Foreign documents in a foreign language must be submitted with a translation. These must also be apostilled or certified.

Further information is available from the Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs (BMEIA)/Office for Consular Certifications (0501150-4425; beglaubigungen@bmeia.gv.at).

There are no costs or fees payable.

• Personenstandsgesetz 2013 (PStG 2013)
• Personenstandsgesetz-Durchführungsverordnung 2013 (PStG-DV 2013)

• Online Service Birth Notification via oesterreich.gv.at
• Birth – Notification (doctor/midwife) – Template^{German text}
• Stillbirth – Notification (doctor/midwife) – Template^{German text}
• Stillbirth – Notification (midwife) – Template^{German text}