How to Legalize and Translate Documents for Use in Portugal
Documents issued abroad must be legalised to produce legal effects and be recognised by the Portuguese authorities.
Depending on the country where the document was issued, this may require an Apostille or consular legalization, as well as a certified translation, when necessary.
Ensuring that these formalities are correctly fulfilled is essential for the acceptance of documents in Portugal and for the smooth progression of any administrative or legal procedure.
Below is a structured overview of the process:
Legalisation of Documents
Foreign documents must be duly legalised in the country where they were issued to be recognised in Portugal.
This may be done through:
Apostille - applicable to documents issued in countries that are signatories to the Hague Apostille Convention1
Authentication by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, followed by legalization by the relevant Portuguese Consulate - applicable where the Hague Apostille Convention does not apply
Certified Translation
Documents issued in a foreign language must, as a rule, be translated into Portuguese.
However, for the purposes of proceedings before AIMA, documents issued in, or translated into, English, Spanish, or French are currently accepted without the need for translation into Portuguese.
Translations must be duly certified by a competent authority, such as:
A lawyer or solicitor
A notary
A Portuguese consulate
Another entity legally authorised to certify translations
*** If the translation is carried out outside Portugal, it must generally be legalised in accordance with the applicable rules.
Additional Formalities in Portugal
Depending on the nature and intended use of the document, further steps may be required, including:
Civil registry transcription (e.g. birth or marriage certificates)
Recognition of academic qualifications
Formal validation of powers of attorney
Simplified Regime within the European Union
Within the European Union, the legalisation of certain public documents has been significantly simplified.
Under Regulation (EU) 2016/1191, in force since 16 February 2019, public documents issued in an EU Member State no longer require apostille or consular legalisation for use in another EU country.
This applies, in particular, to documents such as:
• Birth certificates
• Marriage certificates
• Death certificates
• Criminal record certificates
In some cases, multilingual standard forms may also be used, avoiding the need for translation.
Validity Considerations
Certain documents are subject to limited validity periods. For example:
Criminal record certificates: valid for 3 months
Marriage certificates: generally valid for up to 6 months
Birth certificates: typically valid for 1 year
It is advisable to confirm validity requirements in advance to avoid delays.
Key Considerations
• Most of public documents issued outside Portugal must be legalized in order to be legally valid in Portugal
• Certified translations, if not executed in Portugal, must also be legalized
• Requirements may vary depending on the country where the documents in question were issued
Ensuring full compliance at the outset can significantly reduce processing times and mitigate the risk of rejection.
For tailored guidance, professional legal advice is recommended.
This Informative Note is intended for general distribution to clients and the information contained herein is provided as a general and abstract overview. The contents of this Informative Note may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, without the express consent of the author. If you should require further information on this topic, please contact us at info@reispintolaw.com.
