1. Do I have to do something?
If you have an e‑card without an expiry date (print *** on the back) wait until you are requested by your doctor or your social insurance institution.
You will usually receive a new e‑card as soon as the conditions for issuing a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) are met.
There is no action required on your part, if there is a photo of you available from
- an Austrian passport,
- an Austrian identity card,
- an ID Austria,
- an Austrian driving licence in a credit-card format,
- a document of the register of foreign nationals
- a photo registration for your e‑card within the last 7 years
or if a legal exception applies to you.
If no photo is available and no exception applies it is not possible to issue a new e‑card!
You have to submit a photo as soon as you are requested to do so by your doctor or your social insurance institution if you
- don´t have an Austrian passport, an Austrian identity card, an ID Austria, an Austrian driving licence in a credit-card format, a document of the register of foreign nationals
- you haven't already registered a photo for your e‑card within the last 7 years and
- are older than 14 and younger than 70 years of age
- and do not qualify for care level 4, 5, 6 or 7.
Using the Foto-Sofort-Check you can easily verify if a photo of you is available at the moment.
If there is a photo of you available from a document it has to be used for the new e‑card according to a legal order.
2. When should I submit a photo?
Please submit a passport photo to the office which is responsible for you as soon as you are requested to do so by your doctor or social insurance institution. There is no action required on your part until then.
A list of all registration offices can be found here.
This way your new e‑card with a photo can be issued before the old one expires.
The submission of a photo does not trigger an earlier issuing of your new e‑card!
If you have to submit a photo you do not receive a letter from your social insurance institution.
If it is not possible to issue a new e‑card because of a missing photo you will be informed that you have to bring a photo the next time you visit a doctor or you get in contact with your insurance institution.
3. What do I have to bring along?
When you are requested to bring a photo you have to come in person to the registration office which is responsible for you and bring:
- a photo according to the passport photo requirements
- your current e‑card or your Austrian social insurance number
- As an Austrian citizen you have to show your ID and proof of citizenship (original documents).
- As a non-Austrian citizen you have to bring your travel document (e.g. passport or ID).
4. What happens if I don´t bring a photo?
If there is no photo available and therefore your e‑card cannot be produced your old e‑card remains valid within Austria.
The next time you visit a doctor or you get in contact with your social insurance institution you will be informed that you have to submit a photo.
From the first request by the social insurance institution or your doctor a transition period of 150 days - regulated by law - starts to run.
During this transition period medical treatment in Austria is possible with your old e‑card or social insurance number and ID.
If you do not provide a photo within the transition period your old e‑card will be blocked.
After the transition period you need a temporary electronic e‑card replacement voucher for doctors' visits which can be issued by your responsible social insurance institution on application. The contact details of all health insurance institutions can be found here.
ATTENTION: It is not possible to redeem e‑prescriptions (e‑Rezept) at the pharmacy with a blocked e‑card. You need a printout of the e-prescription or the 12-digit e‑Rezept ID. If you are present at the medical practice when the e‑prescription is issued ask your doctor for a printout. If you are not there in person you can ask for the 12-digit e‑Rezept ID by phone.