The official Portuguese document
The certificate is issued through the Portuguese criminal record system managed by DGAJ.
It can be requested by a person over 16 for their own record. Another adult can request it with authorization through the applicable representative route. Legal persons have a separate company criminal record process.
The current certificate costs €5 through the official service and is valid for 90 days.
It is issued in Portuguese and English and contains an access code that can be used to retrieve the certificate through the official portal during its validity.
A Portuguese police certificate is not a worldwide background check
The document is about the criminal record information held in the Portuguese system.
It can contain Portuguese convictions and other criminal decisions communicated to Portugal under the applicable international framework. For EU citizens, information from the country of nationality can also be included through the European criminal-record exchange framework.
That does not mean a Portuguese certificate replaces police certificates from every other country where you have lived.
If your immigration or citizenship checklist asks for police certificates from several countries, Portugal is usually one part of that file.
Common reasons people need it
People often search for a Portugal police clearance certificate when preparing:
- immigration or residence applications abroad;
- citizenship or naturalisation files;
- employment background checks;
- professional licensing;
- work involving children;
- adoption or family procedures;
- compliance or due-diligence files.
The purpose matters. Portugal asks for it when the certificate is requested, and it can affect the information shown on the certificate.
Which Purpose Should You Use for a Portuguese Criminal Record?
How to get it if you are outside Portugal
Portugal has several routes.
Your identity and digital access determine which Criminal Record Online route applies. Current authentication options include Portuguese digital identification, supported eIDAS identification and eligible Chave Móvel Digital routes.
There is also a dedicated application for residents abroad. It is specifically for people who do not live in Portugal.
A third option is to authorize someone to request the certificate in Portugal.
Portugal Papers handles the Portuguese request for clients worldwide, including apostille, certified translation and international delivery.
Do you need an apostille?
The destination sets the answer.
For international use, the document route is built around the destination country and the authority receiving it.
For Hague destinations that require authentication, apostille is the standard route. Eligible Portuguese citizens using a negative criminal record in another EU Member State can use the multilingual Annex XI route instead of apostille or translation.
Send us the authority's checklist or destination. We translate it into the correct Portuguese document path.
Do you need a translation?
The Portuguese criminal record is currently bilingual Portuguese/English.
That removes the need for an English translation in many procedures. For another language, Portugal Papers arranges the certified translation as part of the file.
Inside the EU, eligible Portuguese citizens with a negative record can use Annex XI for the multilingual route.
Check the access code before ordering a new certificate
If you already have a Portuguese criminal record, look at the access code and expiry date on the document.
A valid code can be used on the official portal to retrieve the current certificate during its 90-day validity.
If the code is still live, use the current certificate and move directly to apostille, translation or submission without paying for a duplicate request.
FAQ
Need the actual certificate, not another explanation?
Send us your current country, the purpose and where the certificate will be used. We obtain the Portuguese document and prepare the apostille, translation and delivery steps for the file.