Accreditation for permanent foreign correspondents

Permanent foreign correspondents can use the online accreditation system to be accredited for permanent representation.

International journalists in Austria receive a cheque-card-size digitalized badge containing their personal data and a photograph, identifying you to authorities as a permanent correspondent for your medium in Austria. To be accredited for the first time or to extend a valid accreditation in Austria you are kindly requested to observe the following procedures:

1) Online accreditation

The following documents must be attached to your online accreditation as electronic attachments (format jpg, doc, or pdf):

a) letter of assignment from your editor (employer) which must

  • be on paper with the original letter head,
  • be signed, stamped and dated by the chief editor,
  • indicate the length of your assignment.

Facsimiles and emails cannot be accepted!

b) valid passport and, for non-EEA citizens, residence permit:

Copies of the pages containing your personal data, the issuing authority, and the validity date. If you are not from the European Economic Area (EEA) and plan to stay in Austria for more than six months, you need a residence permit. For first-time accreditation, a residence permit (e.g. "Residence Permit – Special Cases of Gainful Employment") or, temporarily, a category D visa for collecting a residence permit (note ABH.AT on the visa vignette) is required.

c) national or international press ID card

d) curriculum vitae

e) valid photograph (only in format jpg) on which you are perfectly recognizable. Please do not use a scan from a document as this will not give the required image quality.

b), c) d) only necessary in case of first time application!

Start here your online accreditation for international media representatives

2) Personal appearance at the Federal Chancellery (only in case of FIRST TIME ACCREDITATION, not for EXTENSION of accreditation period)

After you submitted your application electronically the Federal Chancellery will contact you in order to arrange for a personal meeting at:

1010 Vienna
Ballhausplatz 1
Room EG 31.A
Phone: +43 1 531 15-20 25 61

Please bring the following original documents with you:

a) letter of assignment from your editor (employer) (see 1a)
b) valid passport and, if applicable, residence permit/category D visa (see 1b)
c) sample copies of your journalistic work (articles, photographs, videos etc.)

General guidelines for accreditation

First-time accreditation is valid for one year. For extensions, a new letter of assignment from your medium (see 1a) and proof of your journalistic work (see 2c) are required.

The final decision on whether and for which period of time an accreditation certificate will be issued rests with the Federal Chancellery.

The Federal Chancellery must be informed of any of the following changes without delay:

  • change of address
  • change of phone number or email address
  • change of media enterprise for which the accreditation certificate was issued
  • termination of assignment as foreign correspondent in Austria

Important Note

We point out that your data will be subject to both a factual and a security review. In particular, we check whether you qualify as a media employee.

The legal basis for the security check is § 55a Abs. 1 Security Police Act, Federal Law Gazette No. 566/1991 as amended.

Since May 25, 2018, your data has been subject to the provisions of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of April 27, 2016, on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data, on the free movement of such data, and repealing Directive 95/46/EC (GDPR) as well as the Data Protection Act as amended by the Data Protection Amendment Act (Datenschutzgesetz) of May 25, 2018. As a user, you consent to the processing of data in line with this declaration.

If you are not an Austrian citizen, your residence and employment status are regulated by the Foreigners Act (relevant are particularly the provisions in § 8 and § 43 Settlement and Residence Act, Federal Law Gazette I No. 100/2005 as amended) as well as the Austrian Act Governing Employment of Foreign Nationals (Federal Law Gazette No. 218/1975 as amended).

Contact

Federal Chancellery
Ballhausplatz 1, 1010 Vienna
Room EG 31.A/ground floor: only prior to appointment by telephone
Phone: +43 1 531 15-20 25 61 or 20 24 24
Email: federalpressservice@bka.gv.at