Blind shipments as well as postage exemptions under the Geneva Convention

The program "Blind mailings and postage exemptions according to the Geneva Convention" enables postage-free letter mailings for blind people in the Vienna region as well as postage exemptions for groups privileged under the provisions of the Geneva Convention. Private individuals who belong to the defined recipient group and provide appropriate proof of their eligibility receive a subsidy in the form of full exemption from letter fees – excluding any applicable air surcharges. The funding guideline is continuously managed by the Federal Ministry for Housing, Arts, Culture, Media and Sport and is available indefinitely. The goal is to sustainably strengthen the communication ability and social participation of persons in need of support and to ensure their provision within Austria.

Interested participants must submit confirmation of their eligibility as blind mail or according to the Geneva Convention. Applications can be submitted at any time and are not subject to any deadline. An inclusive funding practice imposes no restrictions regarding nationality or religion and follows a gender-neutral understanding. Upon approval, the postage exemption is applied immediately without having to overcome insurance-related or institutional hurdles. Thus, the measure makes an important contribution to equal opportunities in access to information and communication services and relieves the target group of financial barriers in postal traffic.