The Austrian e-card is linked to the electronic administration system of Austria’s social insurance system, which includes health, accident, pension and unemployment insurance.
The e-card does not contain software functions but holds identification data.
The cardholder’s administrative data is stored on the e-card. It should show your name, academic title, insurance number, card serial number, sex and user group identification.
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It is most often used when people want to access doctors or fill prescriptions using their insurance in Austria. The Alpine country has compulsory health and pension insurance administered by different companies. Who you are insured with will depend on your employment status. Most people are insured with the ÖGK company, but self-employed workers, for example, need to be insured by SVS.
Regardless of your insurer, you will have an e-card in Austria. So even changing companies (if you go from self-employed to a hired employee, for example) won't mean you need to change your e-card.
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So what is changing?
In 2020, Austria announced it would start issuing a "new generation" of e-cards, which would have a photo of the insured person as an extra security measure.
Around 85 percent of all cardholders automatically receive a new e-card with a photo without having to do anything because the social security system gets the pictures from existing registers.
If the government has an official photo of you from a passport, identity card, driver's license or through the foreign office (from a visa application, for example), then you won't need to do anything, and before your e-card expires, you will receive a new one with your photo.
However, if the government does not have your picture - which can happen if you don't need a visa to stay in the country and have no Austrian driver's license (a common situation among EU residents and pre-Brexit Brits), you will need to submit a photograph.
You can quickly check if there is a photo currently available for you HERE.
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The only legal exceptions to the photo requirements are people younger than 14 or older than 70 or people classified as care levels 4, 5, 6 or 7.
What type of photograph can I bring?
The photo must meet the criteria of a passport photograph.
"The photo must be 35 mm wide and 45 mm high. The head must take up about 2/3 of the picture and the distance between the eyes must be at least 8 mm. The photo must not be older than six months and the person must be recognisable without any doubt. The photograph must be in colour", according to the official requirements.
There are several shops and booths in Austria that can help you take and print photographs in compliance with all the requirements.
How do I submit my photograph?
If Austria does not have your picture, you need to submit it.
This being Austria, things are not as easy as just sending an email of your photo, but the good news is that you can at least make an appointment online. You can schedule an appointment to send your e-card photo HERE.
You need to hand over the photo in person and have your e-card or social security number with you. If you do not have Austrian citizenship, you will also need your passport.
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When should I bring a photo?
You don't need to submit a photo immediately, but before your expiration date (which you can check on the back of your e-card). The government recommends you bring a passport photo to the office responsible three to four months before the expiration date.
If your card doesn't have an expiration date or the date is after December 31st 2023, you need to submit a photo before 2024. The main issue to keep in mind is that a new e-card will only be issued once they have your image. So, if you lose your e-card, you will also need to send in a picture before getting a new one.
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Don't worry, though: if you miss any deadline or lose your e-card, you can still access services. At your next contact with the social security company or your next doctor's visit, you will be informed of the need to submit a photograph.
You can submit a photograph earlier than recommended, but that doesn't mean you will get a new e-card before yours expires. It could, however, avoid any hurry in the future when you realise your card is about to expire.
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