The Portal HELP.gv.at
The first place to go for questions about public authorities or eGovernment services is the .
The HELP.gv.at site as a "one-stop-shop" portal and the application of the citizen card as a uniform system of electronic identification in Austria contributed significantly to its success. Entire procedures are able to be carried out electronically without changes in the type of media, starting from filling out an application form and paying fees, to internal processing (ELAK) and delivering official documents and notifications.
The website is designed to be barrier-free so that it can be used with ease by those with special needs or older people with diminished eyesight. The navigation was designed to be as simple and straightforward as possible so that users do not need to click around too much in order to find the desired area. All available content is listed from A to Z and also arranged according to topic into major categories and themes. Categories such as Education (which includes forms for registering for school), Documents (like the form for applying for a passport), or Finances (where online income tax forms are located) can be found on the HELP.gv.at platform.
The HELP.gv.at site also contains general information on eGovernment services and provides links to the corresponding solutions. The menu item "Forms/Online procedures" contains an exhaustive list of application forms for all public authorities in Austria, from A to Z. The application forms found here can be downloaded, filled out and sent to the corresponding authority by regular post or eMail. Many of the application forms can even be filled out and signed directly online, entirely paperless and without any further action necessary.