Schmidt & Schmidt offers document retrieval services in Portugal. It often happens that civil status documents are lost or damaged, or you need to obtain current copies of documents. In this case, it is necessary to request duplicate documents. Often, those who have left Portugal face difficulties in this procedure. Our service allows you to request documents in Portugal remotely and we can carry out courier delivery of the document to anywhere in the world.
Validity of civil status documents in Portugal
Civil status documents issued in Portugal generally have a validity period of no more than 6 months, after which they must be replaced with new ones containing up-to-date data.
When to obtain duplicate documents in Portugal
A duplicate birth certificate, marriage certificate, name change certificate, divorce certificate, criminal record certificate or death certificate may be required to register a marriage abroad, a newborn child, citizenship, inheritance, data verification for pension applications, opening bank accounts, employment and other bureaucratic issues.
What documents can be requested in Portugal:
- Birth certificate
- Marriage certificate
- Divorce certificate
- Death certificate
- Gender reassignment certificate
- Certificates of good conduct
- Educational documents
- Other civil status documents
Birth certificate
A birth certificate is an official document provided by the Registrar or acting Registrar of the relevant Civil or Consular Register. It verifies details of an individual's birth, including the date, sex, and, if applicable, the time of birth and family relationships.
Additionally, digital birth certificates are available, authenticated with a digital stamp from the Department of Registers and Notaries, using information stored in the Civil Registers' central database.
If you are requesting a birth certificate on behalf of someone else, you must provide proof of power of attorney for that person, along with a form of their identification. This requirement does not apply if you are reapplying for a birth certificate for a dependent or a child under 18.
If the birth registry is over 100 years old, reach out to the registry office before requesting the certificate to confirm whether the record has been transferred to the district archive. If it has been transferred, you will need to request the certificate directly from the district archive.
A birth certificate can be requested online through the Internet. Once issued, the certificate is accessible for six months using an access code. Sharing this access code is equivalent to providing a paper birth certificate.
To request a birth certificate online, visit the certificate request page on the Civil Online platform. You can authenticate yourself using the digital certificate from your Citizen's Card or professional card (e.g., for lawyers or notaries), or proceed without authentication by completing the form with your details. Select the type of certificate you need (birth) and pay via ATM or credit card.
Required documents
- Valid ID
If you hold a Citizen Card:
- Citizen Card
- Pin code for the card’s authentication
- Card reader
Marriage certificate (Certidão de Casamento)
The marriage certificate is the legal record of marriage, used to verify marital status. It is usually required for procedures such as changing the last name, applying for spousal benefits, immigration applications and for inheritance matters. It can be obtained at the Civil Registry Office in the city or town where the marriage took place. Applications can often be submitted in person, online via the Ministry of Justice’s website, or by mail.
The registration is done through the nearest Portuguese Consulate. Once the process is completed by the Consulate a certification of registration is sent to the applicant.
If the marriage registry is over 50 years old, contact the registry office before requesting the certificate to verify whether the record has been transferred to the district archive. If it has, you will need to request the certificate directly from the archive.
Required documents
- Portuguese identification document (BI or CC)
- Statement by the bride about the names she will be using after the marriage
Divorce certificate (Certidão de divórcio)
A divorce certificate serves the purpose to verify the legal dissolution of a marriage. It is required for procedures such as remarrying, updating marital status on legal records, immigration applications, and legal matters involving custody, support, or property division.
The certificate can be requested at the Civil registry offices, the citizens bureaus and at the IRN's registry Spaces. The certificate must be requested in person and is delivered in the moment.
Required documents
- The marriage certificate (certidão do registo de casamento)
- Written request that a married couple wants to divorce
- Prenuptial agreement (certidão da convenção antenupcial)
Death certificate (Certificado de Óbito)
A death certificate serves the purpose to provide official confirmation of a person’s death. It is often needed for legal and financial matters such as settling estates, claiming life insurance, finalizing wills, notifying government agencies and closing bank accounts.
The certificate may be online or issued in paper. Any individual can request a death certificate.
If the death registry is more than 30 years old, contact the registry office before requesting the certificate to confirm whether the record has been transferred to the district archive. If it has, you will need to request the certificate directly from the archive.
Required documents
- Full transcript of marriage and birth certificates of the spouse
- Date and place of death
- Identification of the requester and proof of eligibility
Criminal record certificate
The criminal record certificate is needed for job applications in various sectors, including security and surveillance, applicants are usually required to present a current criminal record certificate. In most cases, this certificate should be no more than three months old. It contains information about the criminal record of people over 16 years old.
You can request the certificate for yourself or on behalf of someone else (provided the requester is over 18 years old) through online services, by telephone (for Portuguese citizens only), in person, or by post. However, certificates for foreign nationals can only be obtained in person at a Criminal Identification Services desk or a courthouse.
You or a legal representative is authorized to make the application for the issue of the certificate.
Required documents
- Full name
- Identity document number
- Place of birth
- Date of birth
- Nationality
Educational Documents
Foreign educational documents only carry the same legal value as Portuguese documents if they are exempt from legalization or have undergone the necessary legalization process. Documents from countries with bilateral agreements with Portugal are fully exempt from legalization. Documents from countries that are part of the Hague Convention of 1961 undergo a simplified procedure called apostille. If neither countries are part of the convention or have bilateral agreements they undergo consular legalization
Apostille of duplicate documents in Portugal
Portugal joined the Hague Convention on the Simplified Legalization of Documents on the 4th of February 1969.
Thus, documents issued in Portugal are subject to legalization under a simplified procedure - apostille, after notarized translation into any language, such documents acquire full legal force in the territory of the wished destination.
You can order an apostille for copies and duplicates of documents from Portugal from us.
When is an apostille needed
An apostille is a special stamp that confirms the authenticity of an official document. It can be used to certify documentation issued by government agencies, local government bodies, and structures that the state has granted special powers.
In our video we tell you what an apostille is, why it is needed, how and where it can be done, and also about the history of document apostilling.
If you need to affix an apostille to a document issued in a foreign country, please contact us for further assistance.
We provide apostille services in more than 100 countries worldwide.
