Get a Portuguese Criminal Record Certificate from Abroad

This service is for you if

A Portuguese criminal record is commonly needed after you leave Portugal for a new visa, residence application, job, citizenship file, professional licence or another procedure abroad.

This page is especially useful if:

• you used to live in Portugal and now live elsewhere;
• you are not a Portuguese citizen;
• you no longer have easy access to Portuguese public services;
• you need someone in Portugal to handle the request;
• the certificate must then be apostilled, translated or sent on paper.

Already have a valid certificate? Send us the PDF or access code and tell us where you need to use it. We use the existing document whenever it is still valid and move straight to the next step.

Portugal has a specific route for residents abroad

The Portuguese Criminal Record Online service has a dedicated application for people who live outside Portugal. It is not meant for residents in Portugal.

Portugal also provides other official routes. Your identity documents and digital access determine which one applies. The online portal accepts Portuguese digital identification, supported eIDAS identification and eligible Chave Móvel Digital routes. A representative in Portugal is another established option.

Portugal Papers handles the request and the rest of the document chain through one team in Portugal.

Official government fee: €5 per criminal record certificate.

Government requests made through the dedicated residents-abroad route can take up to 10 working days after the required documents are received and payment is confirmed.

What we handle

Tell us who the certificate is for and why you need it. We confirm the request route before asking for the full file.

We handle the full document chain you need:

• the Portuguese criminal record request;
• the authorization and representative route;
• collection of the issued certificate;
• apostille in Portugal;
• certified translation;
• paper delivery by courier or tracked post.

The destination sets the document chain. We prepare the certificate, apostille, translation and delivery in the combination required for that use.

What we normally need from you

For a standard request, expect to provide:

• a valid identification document;
• your full name, date and place of birth, nationality and parentage details;
• the purpose of the certificate;
• the country and authority where it will be used, if relevant;
• the authorization or signed ID copy required for the selected representative route.

We confirm the checklist first, so you send only the documents needed for the request.

The purpose is not just a formality

Portugal asks for the purpose of the criminal record certificate because the purpose affects what information appears on the document, especially for employment, regulated activities and work involving children.

If an employer, immigration authority or licensing body gave you exact wording, send it to us. It is better to use the real purpose than a vague description.

Which Purpose Should You Use for a Portuguese Criminal Record?

Do you need an apostille?

The destination determines whether you need one.

For international use, we prepare the certificate for the destination country and the authority receiving it.

For Hague Convention destinations, apostille is the standard authentication route when the receiving authority requires formal authentication. Inside the European Union, eligible Portuguese citizens with a negative criminal record can use the multilingual Annex XI route instead of apostille or translation.

Tell us the destination. We confirm the correct route before the document is prepared.

Already have an access code?

Portuguese criminal record certificates include an access code. During its validity, that code can be used on the official portal to retrieve the current certificate.

If your code is still valid, send the certificate or code details securely and tell us what you need next. We move directly to apostille, translation or delivery whenever the current certificate is still usable.

How to Verify a Portuguese Criminal Record Access Code

FAQ