Meldezettel in Austria – Meaning, Obtaining, and Information

The Meldezettel is actually the form needed in Austria to obtain the residence registration certificate (Meldebestätigung). This form serves to provide the necessary information for registration in the Zentrale Melderegister, the central residence register, when reporting a new address, a change of address, or deregistration. Based on this information, the Meldebestätigung, or residence registration certificate, is issued.

Why Do I Need a Meldezettel?

Anyone who resides permanently in Austria is required to register and report all minors living with them to the local authorities. For example, registration is necessary for someone moving into a residence in Austria for the first time, thus establishing a new primary residence (in which case, the previous residence is deregistered simultaneously), or setting up a new secondary residence. For newborns, registration can be done along with the submission of the birth certificate by simply filling out a Meldezettel form. In this case, further registration with the local authority is not required.

Primary and Secondary Residence

A residence that a person wishes to make their main living place is considered a primary residence. This determination can be made based on factors such as the length of time spent there, proximity to the workplace, or closeness to family members’ residences. The decisive factor is not whether the individual calls it the primary residence, but what emerges from the overall living conditions related to work, economy, and social relationships.

Secondary residences indicate connections to one aspect of life, such as where people spend their leisure time or engage in periodic activities. In Austria, individuals can establish as many secondary residences as they wish, but only one primary residence.

The primary residence has implications for various areas, such as voting rights, school attendance, kindergarten enrollment, parking permits, and eligibility for benefits.

Requirements Related to the Meldezettel

Essentially, anyone with a valid residence in Austria can request a residence registration certificate from the appropriate local authority. The requirement is that the accommodation must indeed be provided (confirmed by the accommodation provider upon issuing the Meldebestätigung).

Registration must be completed within three days of moving into a new residence; otherwise, the individual commits a violation, which can result in a fine of up to 726 euros, and in repeated cases, up to 2,180 euros. Registering without actually residing at the reported address is a so-called apparent registration violation, which is also illegal.

How Do I Get a Meldezettel?

The Meldebehörde (local registration authority) is always the authority corresponding to the new residence. This is found at the municipality office in towns, the city office in cities with district rights, and the district office in Vienna.

Registration can be done in person, via courier, or by mail, but not by fax or email. The Meldezettel form, which can be obtained from the relevant authorities, some tobacco shops, or downloaded and printed online, is required for registration. For personal registration, the Meldebestätigung is issued immediately. Registration is free of charge.

In addition to readable personal details, the Meldezettel form also records religious affiliation, which is optional. It is advisable to state no religion, as otherwise, the declared denomination may soon request a significant annual contribution, which is enforced if not paid.

If known, the ZMR number, a twelve-digit number used by authorities for identification, should also be provided on the form. The signatures of the Meldepflichtige (person registering) and the Unterkunftgeber (accommodation provider or landlord) are also mandatory. In the case of self-owned property, the owner provides the accommodation. Each person must complete a separate Meldezettel form and submit it to the authority. Assistance is available at the relevant authority if needed.

The following documents are required:

• An official document showing the applicant’s first and last name, maiden name, date of birth, place of birth, and nationality, such as a birth certificate.
• For non-Austrian citizens: a valid passport.
• For newborns: the child’s birth certificate.

In Hungary, any registrar can issue a new birth certificate upon request, already including a multilingual supplement at no extra charge, which covers the official languages of the EU, including German. Therefore, a separate translation is not required. If applying for the new birth certificate somewhere other than the original issuing location, it is advisable to contact the chosen location in advance. They will request the documents from the original issuer, who will scan the old records. These will then become accessible in the new state system, covering all recent births and uploading older records upon request. Once the requested records appear in the online system, the registrar can issue the new birth certificates for the whole family free of charge, including the multilingual supplement.

For minors, the legal guardian must complete the Meldezettel registration. For mentally disabled individuals, their adult representative registers them.

Online services are also available for registration and deregistration. The online application, which can be completed using the Bürgerkarte, takes approximately one week to process, and the Meldebestätigung is sent by mail. A 3-euro administrative fee applies for the Meldebestätigung. If deregistering a residence without re-registering, it can be done on oesterreich.gv.at. However, note that after online deregistration, digital re-registration is not possible. The Meldebescheinigung (residence registration certificate) remains valid until the address changes, after which a new registration is required.

Residence Registration for the Homeless

Those without a permanent residence can obtain a residence registration certificate if they can prove that their primary place of residence for at least one month is exclusively within a certain community, and can designate a contact location they regularly visit, such as a homeless shelter or social office.

What Should I Do If My Information Changes?

If personal details change, such as after marriage, there is no need to make a new registration with the local authority. Name changes, citizenship acquisition, or loss are automatically forwarded and recorded in the ZMR.

What If I Lose My Residence Registration Certificate?

If the residence registration certificate (Meldebestätigung) is lost, anyone can request a replacement or obtain residence registration information by presenting an ID with a photo at the appropriate local authority.

This requires an official request and notification by mail. The fee for the certificate is 14.30 euros, with local register inquiries costing 2.10 euros, and central residence register inquiries costing 3.30 euros.

Meldezettel Download

Below is an example of how the Meldezettel looks, but do not use these illustrations. Make sure you use the latest version! The official Meldezettel version is available for download here.