People living abroad may need a birth certificate in Portugal for nationality, marriage, inheritance, residence, court proceedings or other administrative procedures.
In most cases, travelling to Portugal is not necessary. The application may be handled by a person or professional based in the country. However, before requesting the document, it is essential to determine which format the receiving authority requires: an online certificate, a paper certificate, an international-format certificate, an apostilled document or a certified translation.
Our law office is based in Portugal and provides assistance with obtaining the certificate, arranging an apostille and certified translation when required, and sending the original document abroad.
Do you need a Portuguese certificate? Send us a copy of the document by WhatsApp or email, if available. We will review the document and provide a quote (CLICK HERE).
What is a Portuguese birth certificate?
A birth registered in Portugal is documented in a birth registration record. This record contains the birth details and any subsequent annotations, such as marriage, divorce or death.
The birth certificate is the document that officially proves the information contained in that registration record. Therefore, although some people search for “birth registration record Portugal”, the document normally presented to public authorities is called a birth certificate.
Can I obtain the certificate while living outside Portugal?
Yes. According to the Institute of Registries and Notaries — IRN, a third party may request your birth certificate or another person’s certificate.
Therefore, in most cases, anyone living in Brazil, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Switzerland or another country may hire a law office in Portugal to obtain the document.
Online birth certificate or paper birth certificate?
This is one of the most important decisions. An online certificate and a paper certificate should not be confused.
Online birth certificate in Portugal
An online certificate is not necessarily provided as a PDF file. After the application is submitted, the applicant receives a code that allows the information to be viewed online.
According to the IRN, providing this code has the same legal value as presenting a paper certificate. The access code for a birth certificate is valid for six months.
On the date of publication of this article, the official government fee for an online certificate is €10. However, a foreign authority may not accept the Portuguese access code alone. Therefore, confirm the receiving authority’s requirements before requesting the document.
Paper birth certificate
A paper certificate is issued in person by a Civil Registry Office in Portugal. On the date of publication, the official government fee indicated by the IRN is €20.
Our law office can obtain the paper certificate and receive the original document in Portugal. Depending on the client’s needs, we can then arrange the apostille, translation and international delivery by DHL.
International-format certificate
An international-format certificate is intended for presentation to foreign authorities and contains information in several languages.
According to the official gov.pt portal, this format may only be requested in person or by post and is issued exclusively on paper.
However, an international-format certificate does not automatically replace an apostille or translation in every country. Its acceptance depends on the destination country, the relevant procedure and the requirements of the receiving authority.
How to obtain a birth certificate in Portugal
The procedure may be divided into the following steps:
1. Confirm the purpose of the document
First, ask the receiving authority:
- which type of certificate is required;
- whether it accepts an online access code;
- whether it requires the original paper document;
- whether the document requires an apostille;
- whether a translation is required;
- and whether it imposes any issue-date or validity requirement.
Confirming these points helps prevent you from obtaining a document that will not subsequently be accepted.
2. Identify the correct birth registration record
If you have an old certificate or photocopy, send it to us for review. The previous document will usually contain the information required to locate the registration record.
If you do not have a copy, the following information may be required:
- the registered person’s full name;
- the parents’ names;
- the date or year of birth;
- the place of birth;
- the Civil Registry Office where the birth was registered, if known;
- the registration number and year, if available.
The more accurate the information, the lower the risk of delays or locating the wrong registration record.
3. Request the appropriate certificate
Once the registration record has been identified and the required format confirmed, the application is submitted to the competent public office.
When we provide this service, our law office monitors the application in Portugal and informs the client of the main developments.
4. Arrange an apostille or translation when required
If the foreign authority requires legalisation of the document, the certificate may need a Hague Apostille or another legalisation procedure.
Likewise, if the authority does not accept documents in Portuguese, a certified translation may be required. Our law office provides certified translations in Portugal.
5. Send the document abroad
After the certificate has been issued and the additional services have been completed, we can send a digital copy to the client. The original paper document may be delivered by DHL to the specified address.
The shipping cost is calculated after we receive the destination country and postal code.
Does a Portuguese birth certificate need an apostille?
As a general rule, a foreign document will only be accepted when it has been apostilled.
The Hague Apostille certifies the authenticity of the signature, the capacity in which the signatory acted and, where applicable, the seal or stamp affixed to the public document.
According to the Portuguese Public Prosecution Service, certificates issued by Civil Registry Offices are among the public documents that may be apostilled. On the date of publication, the official government fee for an apostille is €10.20.
Documents presented outside the European Union
If the destination country is a party to the Hague Apostille Convention, the foreign authority may require an apostille. If the country is not a party to the Convention, consular legalisation or another procedure may be necessary.
Therefore, documents should not automatically be apostilled. First, confirm the requirements with the authority that will receive the certificate.
For further information, visit our page about apostilling documents in Portugal.
When is a certified translation required?
A translation may be required when the foreign authority does not accept documents in Portuguese.
Before ordering a translation, confirm:
- the required language;
- whether the translation must be completed in the issuing country or destination country;
- whether the authority accepts a translation certified in Portugal;
- whether the apostille must be attached before or after the translation;
- and whether an international-format certificate is sufficient.
Our law office also provides certified document translation services. The translation can be coordinated with the certificate request and apostille, avoiding several separate shipments.
What information should I provide for a quote?
To allow us to review the request, please send:
- a simple photocopy of the certificate, if available;
- the format required by the receiving authority;
- whether an apostille is required;
- the language of any required translation;
- the destination country and postal code for sending the original.
If you are unsure which formalities are required, send us the instructions provided by the foreign authority. We can review them before requesting the certificate.
Benefits of hiring professional assistance in Portugal
People living abroad may find it difficult to identify the correct type of certificate, communicate with Portuguese public offices, arrange an apostille and organise international delivery.
With professional assistance, the client can combine the following into a single service:
- identification of the appropriate document;
- obtaining the certificate in Portugal;
- monitoring the application;
- apostilling the document when required;
- providing a certified translation;
- sending a digital PDF copy;
- delivering the original by DHL.
Frequently asked questions
Can I request a new copy of my Portuguese birth certificate?
Yes. In Portugal, the expression normally used is “request a birth certificate”. The new document proves the information contained in the birth registration record.
Are the birth registration record and birth certificate the same thing?
Not exactly. The birth registration record is the information kept in the Portuguese Civil Registry system. The birth certificate is the document that proves the information contained in that record.
Is the online certificate valid?
Yes. According to the IRN, the access code has the same legal value as a paper certificate. However, a foreign authority may require the original paper document.
How long is the certificate valid?
The access code for an online birth certificate is valid for six months. For paper certificates, the receiving authority may require a recently issued document, even when the certificate itself has no general expiry date.
Can the original be sent to another country?
Yes. Once the service has been completed, the original may be sent by DHL. The shipping cost depends on the country and postal code.
Request your Portuguese birth certificate
If you are outside Portugal and need a Portuguese birth certificate, send us a photocopy of the document or the registration details.
Please also tell us the destination country and the purpose for which the certificate will be used. We can then determine whether you need an online certificate, an original paper certificate, a full copy, an international-format certificate, an apostille or a certified translation.
Adriano Martins Pinheiro
Lawyer registered with the Portuguese Bar Association
Transparency notice: our law office provides private legal assistance. We are not a Civil Registry Office, the Institute of Registries and Notaries, the Public Prosecution Service or any other public authority. Official government fees and professional legal fees are separate charges.
Request a quote: https://advocaciapinheiro.com/en/apostille-of-documents-in-portugal/
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