The situation
According to verbal notification from the immigration authorities, foreign nationals must now submit an apostilled/legalized police clearance certificate from every country in which they have lived for more than six months during their entire life with their residence permit application. 

Impact
This will significantly prolong the residence permit application process, which previously required a police clearance certificate only from the foreign national's home country.  Pending applications are also subject to this rule. 

Certificate details
The police clearance certificate cannot be older than three months from the date on which the application is filed at the immigration authority. 

Looking ahead
While currently, only the immigration office in Vienna is requiring residence applicants to meet this stricter rule, immigration authorities in other districts in Austria may follow.

Fragomen will report on other immigration departments that apply this rule as this information becomes available. This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen or send an email to emea@fragomen.com.

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