Using a Portuguese Criminal Record in the EU: Annex XI

Who can get Annex XI

The current Portuguese portal limits Annex XI to:

• Portuguese citizens;
• a criminal record certificate with negative content, meaning no criminal convictions shown for this purpose;
• use connected with another EU Member State.

If you are a foreign citizen with a Portuguese criminal record, this specific route is not available to you under the current portal rules.

If the certificate contains convictions, Annex XI is also not available through this route.

Annex XI does not replace the Portuguese certificate

This point matters.

The European Standard Certificate must accompany the Portuguese criminal record certificate. It is not a standalone substitute.

Both documents are issued together for practical use and share the same validity period.

Think of Annex XI as the multilingual EU form attached to the underlying Portuguese criminal record.

How to obtain it

The current Criminal Record Online portal allows an eligible user to obtain the European form from the details of a valid criminal record request in My Requests.

The user selects the target language and downloads the European certificate.

Use this quick eligibility check:

1. that you are a Portuguese citizen;
2. that the certificate is still valid;
3. that the record is negative;
4. that the document is being presented in another EU Member State.

Why Annex XI is often better than apostille plus translation

For the right case, Annex XI is the simpler route.

It exists specifically to reduce formalities for public documents moving between EU Member States. The official Portuguese portal describes it as a multilingual document that aims to eliminate the need for translation or apostille.

Use the receiving authority's checklist as the operating rule for the file.

Send us that checklist and we prepare the Portuguese document set around it.

When to use apostille or translation instead

Use the ordinary apostille or translation route when:

• you are not a Portuguese citizen;
• the certificate is not negative;
• the destination is outside the EU;
• the receiving authority asks for a different document or form;
• the certificate is expired;
• the procedure requires a separate certified translation for another reason.

In those cases, the ordinary criminal record, apostille and translation routes remain available.

Apostille for a Portuguese Criminal Record Certificate

What Portugal Papers handles

Annex XI itself is available through the official Criminal Record Online portal for eligible users.

Portugal Papers handles the wider file around it. Send us the destination and the authority's requirement, and we prepare the right combination of:

• a fresh Portuguese criminal record;
• Annex XI;
• apostille;
• certified translation;
• paper delivery;
• other Portuguese documents for the same application.

Send us the full checklist and we build the Portuguese document set around the receiving procedure.

FAQ