Country Guide – Legalization

Formal requirements for academic certificates and transcripts:

As part of your application, you will be required to submit
• Bachelor's degree certificate (master's and PhD)
• Bachelor’s degree transcript and/or diploma supplement (master's
and PhD)
• Master's degree certificate (PhD)
• Master's degree transcript and/or diploma supplement (PhD)
These documents may need to be translated and/or legalized depending
on which country they were issued in. Below is a comprehensive list of
legalization requirements for each country, as well as FAQs for each
category and additional resources. For any further questions, please
contact us at [email protected]
 Tip: Countries are listed alphabetically by category. You can also
download this PDF file and use the keyboard shortcut “ctrl + F” to
search for your country.

 Note: If your documents were issued in Austria, no translation or

legalization procedures are required. Simply upload a scan of the
original document or an official copy.
Translation requirement:
Documents can be submitted in English or German. Documents issued
in multiple languages, wherein one of the languages is English or
German, are also accepted.
Regardless of issuing country, if your documents were not issued in
English or German, a certified (if issued in a country exempt from
legalization) or certified and legalized translation (all other countries) will
be required.
 Important Note: Documents must be legalized before they are
translated!

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 Exempt from legalization:
If your document was issued in a country that has a bilateral legalization
agreement with Austria, it is exempt from any form of legalization.
• Belgium (BGBl. I No. 115/1998)
• Bosnia and Herzegovina (BGBl. No. 224/1955)
• Bulgaria (BGBl. No. 268/1969)
• Croatia (BGBl. No. 224/1955)
• Czech Republic (BGBl. No. 309/1962)
• Finland (BGBl. No. 244/1988)
• France (BGBl. No. 236/1980)
• Germany (BGBl. No. 139/1924)
• Hungary (BGBl. No. 305/1967)
• Italy (BGBl. No. 433/1977)
• Liechtenstein (BGBl. No. 213/1956)
• North Macedonia (BGBl. No. 224/1955)
• Montenegro (BGBl. No. 224/1955)
• Netherlands (BGBl. No. 239/1982)
• Norway (BGBl. No. 455/1985)
• Poland (BGBl. No. 79/1974)
• Romania (BGBl. No. 112/1969)
• Serbia (BGBl. No. 224/1955)
• Slovakia (BGBl. No. 309/1962)
• Slovenia (BGBl. No. 224/1955)
• Sweden (BGBl. No. 555/1983)
Legalization via an Apostille:
→ What is an Apostille?
An Apostille is a validation stamp ensuring that a document is
legally recognized in foreign countries that have signed the Hague
Convention.

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 → Where/how can I get an Apostille?
You can find more information on the competent authority in the
issuing country here:
https://www.hcch.net/en/instruments/conventions/authorities1/?cid=
41
• Albania (BGBl. III No. 114/2004)
• Andorra (BGBl. III No. 6/1997)
• Antigua and Barbuda (BGBl. No. 400/1986)
• Argentina (BGBl. No. 80/1988)
• Armenia (BGBl. No. 346/1995)
• Australia (BGBl. No. 111/1995)
• Azerbaijan (BGBl. III No. 79/2005)
• Bahamas (BGBl. No. 264/1979)
• Bahrain (BGBl. III No. 306/2013)
• Barbados (BGBl. No. 259/1996)
• Belarus (BGBl. No. 215/1993)
• Belize (BGBl. No. 215/1993)
• Bolivia (BGBl. III No. 181/2018)
• Botswana (BGBl. No. 231/1970)
• Brazil (BGBl. III No. 168/2016)
• Brunei (BGBl. No. 251/1988)
• Canada (BGBl. III No. 51/2024)
• Chile2
• (BGBl. III No. 168/2016)
• China (BGBl. III No. 172/1997, BGBl. III No. 41/2000, BGBl. III No.
51/2024)
o (including Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and
Macao, except Taiwan)
• Cape Verde (BGBl. III No. 180/2011)
• Colombia (BGBl. III No. 72/2001)
• Costa Rica (BGBl. III No. 180/2011)
• Cyprus (BGBl. No. 368/1972)
• Denmark (BGBl. III No. 183/2006)
• Dominica (BGBl. III No. 121/2004)
• Dominican Republic (BGBl. III No. 15/2023)
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 • Ecuador (BGBl. III No. 79/2005)
• El Salvador (BGBl. III No. 24/1997)
• Estonia (BGBl. III No. 4/2002 in its applicable version III 53/2005)
• Eswatini (BGBl. No. 264/1979)
• Fiji (BGBl. No. 434/1971)
• Georgia (BGBl. III No. 158/2006)
• Greece (BGBl. No. 307/1985)
• Grenada (BGBl. III No. 168/2002)
• Guatemala (BGBl. III No. 181/2018)
• Guyana (BGBl. III No. 116/2019)
• Honduras (BGBl. III No. 79/2005)
• Iceland (BGBl. III No. 79/2005)
• India (BGBl. III No. 154/2005)
• Indonesia (BGBl. III No. 184/2022)
• Ireland (BGBl. III No. 116/1999)
• Israel (BGBl. No. 264/1979)
• Jamaica (BGBl. III No. 24/2022)
• Japan (BGBl. No. 231/1970)
• Kazakhstan (BGBl. III No. 4/2002)
• Korea, Republic of (BGBl. III No. 1/2007)
• Latvia (BGBl. No. 38/1996)
• Lesotho (BGBl. No. 368/1972)
• Liberia (BGBl. No. 99/1996)
• Lithuania (BGBl. III No. 172/1997)
• Luxembourg (BGBl. No. 61/1992) (see lit. c)
• Malawi (BGBl. No. 27/1968)
• Malta (BGBl. No. 38/1969)
• Marshall Islands (BGBl. No. 550/1992)
• Mauritius (BGBl. No. 231/1970)
• Mexico (BGBl. No. 604/1995)
• Moldova (BGBl. III No. 158/2006)
• Monaco (BGBl. III No. 29/2003)
• Morocco (BGBl. III No. 168/2016)
• Namibia (BGBl. III No. 103/2001)
• New Zealand (BGBl. III No. 167/1999)
• Nicaragua (BGBl. III No. 7/2013)
• Oman (BGBl. III No. 180/2011)
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 • Palau (BGBl. III No. 64/2020)
• Panama (BGBl. No. 61/1992)
• Paraguay (BGBl. III No. 128/2014)
• Peru (BGBl. III No. 180/2011)
• Philippines (BGBl. III No. 94/2023)
• Portugal (BGBl. No. 129/1969)
• Russian Federation (BGBl. III No. 606/1992)
• Rwanda
• Saint Kitts and Nevis (BGBl. No. 111/1995)
• Saint Lucia (BGBl. III No. 220/2002)
• Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (BGBl. III No. 121/2004)
• Samoa (BGBl. III No. 167/1999)
• San Marino (BGBl. No. 111/1995)
• São Tomé and Principe (BGBl. III No. 136/2008)
• Saudi Arabia (BGBl. III No. 184/2022)
• Seychelles (BGBl. No. 264/1979)
• Singapore (BGBl. III No. 24/2022)
• South Africa (BGBl. No. 346/1995)
• Spain (BGBl. No. 264/1979) (see lit. c)
• Suriname (BGBl. No. 264/1979)
• Switzerland (BGBl. III No. 157/1973) (see lit. c)
• Tonga (BGBl. No. 368/1972)
• Trinidad and Tobago (BGBl. III No. 184/2000)
• Türkiye (BGBl. No. 446/1985) (see lit. c)
• Ukraine (BGBl. III No. 4/2004)
• Vanuatu (BGBl. III No. 103/2009)
• Venezuela (BGBl. III No. 116/1999)
• United Kingdom (BGBl. No. 27/1968)
• United States (BGBl. No. 462/1981)
• Uruguay (BGBl. III No. 7/2013)

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 Full diplomatic legalization:
→ What is full diplomatic legalization?
Full diplomatic legalization is required for countries that are neither
signees of the Hauge Convention nor part of a bilateral agreement
with Austria. Full diplomatic legalization means that the document
is legalized three separate times: once by the competent ministry,
once by the ministry of foreign affairs, and once by the Austrian
diplomatic representation in the issuing country.
→ How do I get my documents fully diplomatically legalized?
Step 1: Legalization by the competent sectorial Ministry (e.g.
Ministry of Education) in the issuing country
Step 2: 'Overlegalization' by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the
issuing country
Step 3: Verification by the Austrian diplomatic representation in the
country of origin.
→ I have questions about this process. Who should I contact?
Contact the relevant representation by visiting:
1. Your foreign representation in Austria:
https://www.bmeia.gv.at/en/embassies-consulates/search-for-
foreign-representations-in-austria/

2. Your Austrian representation in your country of origin or the

issuing country of the document:
https://www.bmeia.gv.at/en/embassies-consulates/search-for-
austrian-representations

• Algeria
• Angola
• Bangladesh
• Benin
• Bhutan
• Burkina Faso
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 • Cambodia
• Cameroon
• Central African Republic
• Côte d’Ivoire
• Cuba
• Djibouti
• Egypt
• Eritrea
• Ethiopia
• Gabon
• Gambia
• Ghana
• Guinea
• Guinea-Bissau
• Haiti
• Holy See (see lit. c)
• Iran, Islamic Republic of
• Jordan
• Kenya
• Kiribati
• Kosovo
• Kuwait
• Kyrgyzstan
• Laos, People‘s Democratic Republic
• Lebanon
• Libyan Arab Jamahiriya / Libya
• Madagascar
• Malaysia
• Maldives
• Mali
• Malta, Sovereign Order of (see lit. c)
• Mauretania
• Micronesia, Federated States of
• Mongolia
• Mozambique
• Nauru
• Nepal
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 • Niger
• Nigeria
• Pakistan
• Palestine, Territories administered by the Palestinian National
Authority
• Papua New Guinea
• Qatar
• Senegal
• Sierra Leone
• Solomon Islands
• Sri Lanka
• Syria, Arab Republic of
• Taiwan
• Tajikistan
• Tanzania, United Republic of
• Thailand
• Timor-Leste (East Timor)
• Togo
• Tunisia
• Turkmenistan
• Tuvalu
• Uganda
• United Arab Emirates
• Uzbekistan
• Vietnam
• Yemen
• Zambia
• Zimbabwe
Full diplomatic legalization with special considerations:
Documents issued in these countries require full diplomatic legalization,
as above, and will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis in accordance
with Austrian law.
• Afghanistan
• Burundi
• Chad
• Comoros
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 • Congo (Brazzaville)
• Congo, Democratic Republic of (Kinshasa)
• Equatorial Guinea
• Iraq
• Korea, Democratic People’s Republic of
• Myanmar
• Somalia
• South Sudan
• Sudan
I still have questions:
You may find the following resources helpful. If you have further
questions, please contact us at [email protected]
• Learn more via the BMBWF (Austrian Ministry for Education,
Science, and Research) Specific Topics on Recognition
o https://www.bmbwf.gv.at/en/Topics/Higher-education---
universities/Recognition-of-qualifications/SpToReCg.html
o More information can be found under “Legalization of Foreign
Documents in Higher Education”
• City of Vienna Apostille or diplomatic certification of foreign
documents - country list
o https://www.wien.gv.at/english/administration/civilstatus/egov-
info/certification.html#a
Other documents requiring translation and legalization:
If you are not an EU, EEA, or Swiss national, you are considered a “Third
Country National” for residency purposes. Depending on what type of
visa you are applying for, you may also need to submit your birth
certificate and a police letter with your visa application. These
documents must either be issued in English or German, or be
accompanied by a certified translation, and they must be legalized in
accordance with Austrian law. You may choose to have these documents
translated and legalized at the same time as your university documents.
For questions or more information regarding this topic, please contact
[email protected]

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