Apostille, legalization and translation of documents

The legalization of foreign documents proves their authenticity. The legalization is important for students with certificates from foreign universities which need to be recognized or if such certificates are required for the admission at an Austrian University. Please find more information about the admission to the different study programs at the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna at our homepage .

The required form of legalization of documents differs from country to country: It is important in which country the certificate has been issued, the nationality of the student is not relevant.

The information about this topic has been divided into the following parts:

1. Apostille
2. Full legalization
3. Exemption from legalization
4. Translation of documents

01. Apostille

An apostille is necessary for countries which are members of the Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Public Documents. Please find a list of all countries which require an apostille here.

If your documents have been issued in one of these countries, please contact the competent authority in the relevant country. Please find a list with contacts of the competent authorities which are responsible for issuing the apostille.

Please note: The issuing of an apostille can take some time, therefore we ask you to act as quickly as possible as soon as you know that an apostille is required for your documents.

02. Full legalization

Please find a list with all countries which require a full legalization of documents here

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The full legalization of documents takes place in three steps:

1. Legalization by the competent ministry of the country in which the document has been issued, usually the ministry of education or science
2. Supplementary legalization by the foreign ministry of the relevant country
3. Approval of the Austrian diplomatic authority (Embassy, Consulate, Honorary Consulate) in the relevant country

Please contact the university that issued your document if you do not know which ministry is responsible for the first step. Normally they can inform you which ministry is responsible for legalization.

Derogation for documents issued in Iran before May 2014: After the full legalization process these documents have to be inspected by the attorney of the Austrian Embassy in Tehran regarding the authenticity of the documents and their content. Click here for more information.

Please note: The issuing of a full legalization can take some time, therefore we ask you to act as quickly as possible as soon as you know that a full legalization is required for your documents.

03. Exemption from legalization

No legalization or apostille is required if an inter-state agreement about the mutual recognition of public documents exists between Austria and the relevant country. Please find a list with all countries for whom no legalization is required here: Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Liechtenstein, Macedonia, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Sweden, Switzerland, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia.
Furthermore the legalization has been suspended for some countries at the moment. Please find a list with the relevant countries here. If your documents have been issued in one of these countries, please contact the Registrar’s Office of the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna.

04. Translation of documents

All documents have to be submitted in German or English. If the original document is not issued in one of these languages, the document has to be translated. The translation has to be made by a certified, court-approved translator officially recognized by the issuing country.
Please note the following:

• The original document must have all necessary legalizations before translation.
• Any stamps, seals or legalization notices (including those on the reverse side of the document) must also be translated. The apostille itself does not need to be translated.
• The translation must be permanently attached to the original document by the translator.
• If the translation has been made by an Austrian certified, court-approved translator the translation does not need additional legalization. Click here for a list of court-approved certified translators in Austria: http://www.sdgliste.justiz.gv.at.
• Translations carried out in the relevant country need to be made by a certified, court-approved translator and have to be legalized like foreign original documents as well.