When this page applies
This page is for people who need a Portuguese death certificate for immigration, citizenship, marriage, inheritance, family, legal, administrative or another procedure outside Portugal. It is especially relevant for users who are no longer physically in Portugal and need a Portuguese civil registry document for use abroad.
What to confirm before you request
- Receiving authority
- Freshness requirement
- Online or paper
- Apostille/legalization
- Accepted language/translation
Formats and legalization
The Portuguese death-certificate access code has no expiry period and has the same legal value as paper in Portugal. A foreign authority may still require a recently issued certificate. For covered death-related public documents between EU Member States, Regulation (EU) 2016/1191 removes the apostille requirement. A multilingual standard form is a translation aid attached to the public document.
Common scenarios
- Inheritance, succession or probate
- Pension or insurance
- Civil-status or administrative update
- Bank, property or legal file
- Immigration, citizenship or family procedure where proof of death is requested
- Existing certificate needing only preparation
Order and preparation in one path
Portugal Papers can obtain and prepare the certificate in one path: certificate, paper if required, apostille if required, certified translation if required, and delivery.
Not sure which Portuguese document you need? Use the Document Navigator only if you genuinely do not know which document is required.
Frequently asked questions
Does the death-certificate code expire?
No. The death-certificate code does not expire, although a receiving authority may still require a recently issued certificate.
Do I always need apostille or a certified translation?
No. Apostille and translation are not automatic; whether they are required depends on the receiving authority.
Does apostille apply between EU Member States?
For covered death-related public documents between EU Member States, Regulation (EU) 2016/1191 removes the apostille requirement.
A receiving authority may still require a recent issue?
Yes. Even though the certificate has no expiry period, a receiving authority may still require a recently issued certificate.
Requirements for document acceptance, apostille, translation and delivery depend on the receiving authority. Portugal Papers provides private assistance and guidance, not official government decisions.