Apostille for a Portuguese Criminal Record Certificate

Start with the destination, not the stamp

Apostille is one of the main routes for using a Portuguese criminal record abroad. The destination tells us when to use it.

What matters is:

• the country where you will use the certificate;
• the authority receiving it;
• whether a Hague Convention route applies;
• whether an EU multilingual form can be used instead;
• whether the authority also wants a translation or paper delivery.

Send us the destination before ordering extra steps. It is cheaper and safer to prepare the right document once.

If you already have the certificate

A current Portuguese criminal record normally includes an access code and is valid for 90 days.

If your certificate is still valid, send it to us. We verify it and move directly to the apostille route without ordering a replacement unless the receiving procedure requires a fresh issue.

Useful items to send:

• the PDF or a clear copy of the certificate;
• the access code, if available;
• the destination country;
• any written requirement from the receiving authority.

If you need the certificate too

We handle both parts under one request:

1. obtain the Portuguese criminal record certificate;
2. confirm the international-use requirement;
3. arrange the apostille in Portugal;
4. add certified translation for the destination language;
5. organize paper delivery worldwide.

If you live outside Portugal, see our dedicated Portuguese Criminal Record from Abroad service.

Electronic and paper apostilles

Portugal issues electronic apostilles for electronic public documents. The official rule is that an electronic public document should receive an electronic apostille.

Electronic apostille is official, but many receiving offices still work more smoothly with a paper document chain. In practice, we use both electronic and paper routes and choose the format that works best for the destination.

We check the document format and destination before choosing the practical route. The goal is not to sell an e-apostille or a paper apostille. The goal is to give you a document the receiving authority can actually use.

When Annex XI is the better EU route

Inside the European Union, eligible Portuguese citizens with a negative criminal record can use the European Standard Certificate, Annex XI. It is multilingual and is designed to simplify use of the Portuguese certificate between EU Member States without translation or apostille.

Annex XI is available for the eligible Portuguese-citizen, negative-record route and accompanies the Portuguese criminal record certificate. The two documents travel together.

Portuguese Criminal Record in the EU: Annex XI

Certified translation

The Portuguese criminal record is currently issued in Portuguese and English, which already covers many international procedures.

For another language, we arrange a certified translation in the correct order with the apostille and the underlying certificate.

Send us the destination and we prepare only the document steps that belong in that file.

What the Portuguese apostille costs officially

The official fee for issuing or verifying a Portuguese apostille is €10.20.

Portugal Papers charges a service fee for document checking, handling, submission, collection and coordination. The current public Apostille Service price must be reused from the site's approved pricing source.

FAQ