1. Do I have to do something?
There is no action required on your part, if
- there is a photo of you available (from an Austrian passport, an Austrian identity card, an Austrian driving licence in a credit-card format or the register of foreign nationals)
- or a legal exception applies to you.
If you are 70 years of age or older or if you qualify for care level 4, 5, 6 or 7, you are not required to submit a photo. No action is required on your part and you will automatically receive your new e-card before the old one expires.
- If we already have a photo from your passport, identity card, driving licence in a credit-card format, or the register of foreign nationals, it will be automatically transferred to the e-card.
- If no photo is available, an e-card will be issued without a photo.
Persons 70 years of age or older or qualified for care level 4, 5, 6 or 7 may voluntarily submit a photo for the e-card to the competent registration office. You will receive the new e-card before the old one expires.
If no photo is available and no exception applies it is not possible to issue a new e-card!
Therefore if you
- don´t have an Austrian passport, an Austrian identity card, an Austrian driving licence in a credit-card format or a document of the register of foreign nationals
- are older than 14 and younger than 70 years of age
- and do not qualify for care level 4, 5, 6 or 7
you have to submit a photo.
Using the Foto-Sofort-Check you can easily verify if a photo of you is available at the moment.
If there is a photo of you available from a document it has to be used for the new e-card according to a legal order.
2. When should I submit a photo?
Please submit a passport photo to the office which is responsible for you as soon as you are requested to do so by your doctor or social insurance institution. There is no action required on your part until then.
A list of all registration offices can be found here.
This way your new e-card with a photo can be issued before the old one expires.
The submission of a photo does not trigger an earlier issuing of your new e-card!
If you have to submit a photo you do not receive a letter from your social insurance institution.
If it is not possible to issue a new e-card because of a missing photo you will be informed that you have to bring a photo the next time you visit a doctor or you get in contact with your insurance institution.
3. What do I have to bring along?
You have to come in person to the registration office which is responsible for you and bring:
- a photo according to the passport photo requirements
- your current e-card or your Austrian social insurance number
- As an Austrian citizen you have to show your ID and proof of citizenship (original documents).
- As a non-Austrian citizen you have to bring your travel document (e.g. passport or ID).
4. What happens if I don´t bring a photo?
If there is no photo available and therefore your e-card cannot be produced your old e-card remains valid within Austria.
The next time you visit a doctor or you get in contact with your social insurance institution you will be informed that you have to submit a photo.
From the first request by the social insurance institution or your doctor a transition period of 90 days - regulated by law - starts to run.
Due to COVID-19 this transition period has been extended to 150 days until further notice.
During this transition period medical treatment in Austria is possible with your old e-card or social security number and ID.
If you do not provide a photo within the transition period your old e-card will be blocked.
You can get a temporary electronic e-card replacement voucher from your social insurance institution.