Once a baby is born, it is mandatory for those responsible to register that him or her so as to acquire and get a birth certificate. Not only in Austria but, this happens in all other countries since such a documents serves many purposes ranging from identifying who one is, when he or she came in the world, which hospital one was born from, the parents including the father and mother, which all combine to identify the babies nationality.
Birth certificates are legal documents which are issued by governments through their responsible bodies which are tasked to handle such issues. And in Austria, its is either the hospital, the midwife, the parents, the authority, police office investigating and or any other persons aware of it who should declare and register the birth so as for the certificate to be issued.
The Austria laws requires a birth to be registered within one week when the child is one. What happens is that either of the persons mentioned above takes on that activity so as the “register office will issue your child’s birth certificate”, after all supporting documents being brought forward.
You are required to present the documents required to the register office in order to have the birth certificate issued. In addition, a residential registration form [Meldezettel] will be issued. If the child is an Austrian citizen, a proof of citizenship will also be issued. Read on how to get a New / Exchange Drivers license…
Steps for successful birth registration and certificate issuance
– As a rule, the child’s name, the parents’ names, the child’s sex, time of birth and place of birth will be recorded on the birth certificate [Geburtsurkunde].
– If you have not decided your child’s first name directly after delivery, you must contact the register office [Standesamt] at the very latest within one month after the birth and have the name recorded there.
– If a child is born during an intact marriage, the husband will be recorded in the birth certificate as the child’s father. In case of death or divorce the 300 day deadline must be taken into consideration.
– If a child is not born during an intact marriage, the biological father can be registered in the child’s birth certificate provided the following conditions are met:
– If the father makes an acknowledgement of paternity [Vaterschaftsanerkenntnis] with the consent of the youth welfare office (this sort of acknowledgment of paternity can only be made for children with an Austrian citizenship) or if the fatherhood is proven by court.
Deadlines
Births must be registered within one week. In general, the head of the hospital or, in the case of home births, the physician or the midwife must register a birth.
Responsible Authority
– The local civil status office responsible for the baby’s place of birth (e.g., location of the hospital):
– The register office or register office association [Standesamt oder Standesamtsverband] of the municipality
– In statutory cities: the register office [Standesamt] of the Magistrate
– In Vienna: the register offices [Standesämter in Wien] in Vienna (MA 26)
Fees involved
– Registration of a birth: free of charge
– Issuance of a birth certificate: free of charge
– Issuance of the first proof of citizenship: free of charge
Taking a visit on this site www.help.gv.at will help you understand more information about the same process with regard for example “if the baby’s mother are single, divorced or widowed or if you have a registered partnership, married” and etc.. Once everything is as required, your child should be issued with one.
