Full Diplomatic Legalisation

Legalisation Guidelines

All documents issued in this state must be legalised (i.e. have been subject to the full legalisation process) in order to be recognised in Austria.

Full legalisation means that once the documents have gone through the national authentication process in the respective country (with the last authentication step being the Foreign Ministry of that country), they must additionally be legalised by an Austrian authority.

Full legalisation may be provided by the competent Austrian Representation (= Embassy, Consulate) in the respective country.

Please note:

1. Certifications can only be affixed to the  original documents. (Enclosures must be inseparably attached to the original  and must also bear a seal of confirmation).
2. FH JOANNEUM will only accept photocopies of documents with an endorsement of proof of authenticity of the document. A mere confirmation stating that the photocopy is in agreement with the original document is therefore not deemed sufficient.

Translation Guidelines

All documents necessary for a full application which were originally not issued in German must be submitted in the form of certified translations into German or English.

Please note:

Translations must be done by a  legally sworn interpreter who is officially registered in that particular country.

The interpreter has to confirm that the translation before him or her fully corresponds to the original by affixing the following:

• date of the translation,
• signature,
• seal/stamp of the legally sworn interpreter.

List of legally sworn interpreters in Austria: http://www.sdgliste.justiz.gv.at/

Procedure: certification and translation

1. The original documents  themselves must bear all necessary signs of authentication before being translated since these certifications and/or  endorsements on the original must also be fully translated.
2. The legalised documents must be translated by a legally sworn interpreter.
3. In the case that a translation consists of more than one sheet, these are to be inseparably attached together by means of a vignette or label. The attachment of the individual sheets must be recognisable from the seal/stamp which must be partly on the vignette and partly visible on the first page of the translation.