Portugal Visa Documents: Apostille, Translation and Legalisation

What needs an apostille, a translation, or neither

The documents needing the most preparation are usually the criminal record certificate, family civil status certificates, parental authorisations and, on some work routes, diplomas or professional certificates.

An apostille is used for covered public documents from a Hague Convention country. Otherwise, the usual route is Portuguese consular legalisation. An apostille certifies the document's origin, signature and seal, not the truth of its contents.

Private evidence such as bank statements, payslips, tax returns, insurance and most employer letters is not generally listed for apostille. Portuguese documents such as leases and property deeds also do not need an apostille for use in Portugal.

Use the relevant route guide, such as the D7 visa guide, digital nomad visa guide or D2 visa guide, to identify what your visa needs. This guide explains how to authenticate, translate and time those documents.

What the law actually says

Portuguese immigration legislation does not contain one general rule saying that every visa or residence permit document must be apostilled, legalised or translated.

At the visa stage, the starting point is Article 12 of Regulatory Decree 84/2007. It identifies documents required for national visa applications, including the foreign criminal record for residence visas, and exempts applicants under 16 from criminal record information. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs document rules and the competent consulate or VFS checklist then provide the practical authentication requirements.

At the AIMA residence permit stage, Article 51(9) of Regulatory Decree 84/2007 says that foreign public and private documents follow the regime in the Code of Civil Procedure, subject to international conventions and special regimes. Article 440 of the Code of Civil Procedure provides for consular legalisation of foreign authentic documents while preserving European rules and international conventions. For a Hague Convention country, the apostille replaces consular legalisation.

The MNE residence visa list expressly requires the criminal record certificate to carry a Hague Apostille where applicable or otherwise be legalised. Other details often come from the post handling the application. First confirm which Portuguese consulate or VFS centre has jurisdiction, then use that post's current checklist.

Apostille or consular legalisation: which applies to your country

Portugal has been a Hague Apostille Convention party since 1969. China has been covered since 7 November 2023, Canada since 11 January 2024, Bangladesh since 30 March 2025, Algeria since 9 July 2026 and Viet Nam since 11 September 2026. Thailand was not yet covered on 2 October 2026 because the Convention enters into force there on 28 February 2027.

Examples of countries outside the Convention include Angola, Mozambique, Nigeria, Ghana, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Lebanon, Iran, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Malaysia. For a document from a non Convention country, the general route is legalisation through the Portuguese diplomatic or consular mission in the issuing country, unless a bilateral or other special regime applies.

EU Regulation 2016/1191 exempts certain public documents issued by one EU Member State for use in another. It does not cover third country documents, diplomas, bank records, tax records or company documents. Its criminal record provision is limited to an EU citizen's record issued by that citizen's Member State of nationality.

The master table: document by document

Document	Visa application stage	AIMA appointment stage	Apostille or legalisation	Translation	How recent
Foreign criminal record	Required from age 16 for residence visas, subject to route and post rules. Applicants under 16 are exempt under Article 12(7).	Applicants under 16 are also exempt at residence permit stage under Article 53(5). General residence visa holders, D2 applicants and remote workers are not asked for a foreign record again on the current AIMA route pages reviewed. Some other AIMA routes, including certain highly qualified, teaching, cultural and higher education permits, still list it. Family reunification requires a duly authenticated foreign record.	At visa stage, apostille if applicable, otherwise legalisation. At AIMA, follow the relevant route page where a foreign record is requested.	AIMA's recognition page says English, French and Spanish do not need translation, but the legal rule it cites is narrower and AIMA's family reunification pages say foreign language documents must be translated. Check the route page.	The law sets no general limit. Several visa posts use 90 days or 3 months.
Birth or marriage certificate	Used to prove family ties.	Current AIMA family reunification pages require duly authenticated proof of family ties, including applicable marriage and birth certificates.	Often yes for foreign certificates. Covered EU public documents may be exempt.	AIMA's family reunification pages require foreign language documents to be accompanied by a translation. AIMA's separate recognition page gives a broader English, French and Spanish exemption, so the official guidance is not completely aligned.	No general official maximum age verified.
Bank statements, payslips, tax returns	Common income and means evidence.	AIMA may verify means through databases or supporting documents depending on the route.	No apostille requirement found in the visa lists reviewed.	No single general visa stage rule verified.	Follow the period requested by your route and post.
Employment contract or employer letter	Common on employment and remote work routes.	Employment or service relationship evidence can be required depending on the route.	Usually no apostille stated. VFS UK D1 requires the employer or contracting party's signature to be notarised or certified.	Post specific.	Follow the checklist.
Portuguese lease or property deed	Accommodation evidence.	Current AIMA pages use an address declaration with supporting ownership, landlord or host evidence.	No apostille.	No translation if in Portuguese.	Accommodation duration rules differ by visa post.
Travel or health insurance	Visa evidence unless an applicable waiver applies.	The general Article 77 AIMA page asks for health insurance or proof of SNS coverage.	No apostille requirement found.	No general rule found.	Follow the post's coverage requirement.
Degree or professional qualification	Relevant for regulated professions and highly qualified routes. Under VFS UK D1, certificates or diplomas are required only if the profession is regulated. VFS UK D3 requires the applicable professional certificates or diplomas.	AIMA may verify professional qualifications through the competent authority, professional order, representative entity or employer.	When required under VFS UK D1, and under D3, the qualification must be apostilled or otherwise authenticated. U.S. checklists reviewed do not use the same general wording.	Post and procedure specific.	No general age limit.
Parental authorisation or custody order	May be required where a minor is not travelling with the person or persons exercising parental responsibility. Posts may require a recognised signature and may also require an apostille or legalisation, so check the current checklist.	Family reunification can require written authorisation from the non resident parent authenticated by a Portuguese consular authority, or the relevant custody decision.	Depends on the applicable visa checklist and document.	Post specific.	No general age limit verified.
Passport copy	Usually a plain copy. Newark asks for a notarised biographical page copy.	The AIMA family reunification page for a family member outside Portugal asks for a certified passport copy. For a family member already in Portugal it asks for a valid passport.	Normally no apostille for the visa photocopy.	Not normally relevant.	Passport validity rules apply separately.

Police certificates: USA, UK and Canada

Applicants under 16 are exempt from providing criminal record information for a residence visa under Article 12(7) of Regulatory Decree 84/2007. Article 53(5) gives the same exemption at the residence permit stage. For applicants aged 16 and over, police certificate timing can be critical because several posts impose a 90 day or 3 month limit even though the law and general MNE portal do not set one.

Country	Certificate	Apostille authority	Official fee and time	Post rule
USA	FBI Identity History Summary for applicants who have lived in the USA for over a year. FBI fee: USD 18.	U.S. Department of State.	USD 20 per federal document. Mail applications are stated to be processed within five weeks of receipt in the applicable service category.	Washington and current VFS USA require the apostilled FBI record to be issued less than 90 days before submission. Newark uses 3 months before the appointment.
UK	ACRO Police Certificate.	FCDO Legalisation Office.	Standard paper apostille: GBP 45 plus delivery, usually up to 25 working days. ACRO certificates cannot use the UK e-Apostille service.	VFS UK requires the apostilled ACRO certificate for applicants aged 16 and over and requires it to have been issued within the last 90 days.
Canada	RCMP certified criminal record check. Federal fee: CAD 25 plus any local fingerprinting fees.	Global Affairs Canada handles federal documents centrally. Provincial authorities handle documents within their assigned competence, and Canadian diplomatic missions abroad can also issue apostilles within their competence. The Embassy of Canada in Lisbon states that it can apostille federal documents, including RCMP certified criminal record checks, for CAD 50 per document.	Global Affairs Canada's central apostille service is free. Its page stated it was processing requests received 25 business days earlier, with mailing time in addition.	Toronto requires an apostilled RCMP record within 3 months. Ottawa says only RCMP records are accepted and instructs applicants to obtain an apostille from Global Affairs Canada, so applicants to Ottawa should follow that post specific instruction.

Canada creates a practical issue for 16 and 17 year old applicants. Portuguese rules exempt only people under 16, but the Government of Canada states that Canadian criminal record checks are issued only to people over 18. A 16 or 17 year old applicant should therefore raise this with the Portuguese consulate handling the application rather than assume that an RCMP certificate can be obtained.

An FBI result is a federal document, so its apostille comes from the U.S. Department of State, not a state Secretary of State. Plan the police certificate around the appointment. See our guide to timing a Portugal visa application.

Birth and marriage certificates

The MNE list asks accompanying family members for proof of family ties but gives no universal age limit or single authentication formula for every post. VFS UK's 2026 checklist is more specific: relevant family certificates must be apostilled or, for a non Convention country, authenticated by the competent Portuguese diplomatic representation. For minors it asks for an unabridged birth certificate showing the biological parents.

No official source reviewed set a general 3 month or 6 month age limit for birth or marriage certificates at the visa stage.

At the AIMA family reunification stage, the current Article 98 pages are more explicit. They ask for duly authenticated evidence of family relationships. Depending on the case, this can include a duly authenticated marriage certificate, birth certificate or adoption decision. The page for a family member outside Portugal also asks for a certified copy of that family member's passport.

For covered EU civil status documents, Regulation 2016/1191 removes the apostille requirement and may allow a multilingual standard form instead of translation. For later applications, see the guide to Portugal family reunification rules.

Financial, work and housing documents

The official visa lists reviewed do not require apostilles for ordinary bank statements, payslips, tax returns or pension evidence. Remote work lists ask for work and income evidence but do not state an apostille requirement for those documents.

Employment routes can differ. VFS UK D1 requires the employer or contracting party's signature on the work contract, promissory contract or related declaration to be notarised or certified. The U.S. checklists reviewed do not use the same requirement.

Portuguese housing documents do not need an apostille. A Portuguese term of responsibility can require the host's signature to be recognised. Current AIMA pages for the general residence permit, D2 and remote work routes ask for a declaration of the applicant's address with supporting evidence appropriate to the applicant's housing situation.

For related evidence, see proof of accommodation, financial requirements for moving to Portugal and insurance for a Portugal visa application.

Degrees and professional qualifications

VFS UK D1 asks for professional certificates or diplomas only where the profession is regulated in Portugal. Where they are required, the checklist says they must be legalised with a Hague Apostille or, if issued by a country outside the Convention, authenticated by the competent Portuguese diplomatic authority.

VFS UK D3 requires the applicable professional certificates or diplomas and applies the same apostille or authentication rule. The U.S. visa checklists reviewed do not use the same general wording for qualifications.

For a U.S. qualification, the Portuguese Consulate in San Francisco describes a route where the school official makes a sworn statement regarding the validity of the document before a notary, after which the notarised certification is presented to the competent Secretary of State for apostille authentication. In the UK, a qualification certificate can be legalised after certification by a notary or solicitor.

At AIMA, the regulation allows professional qualifications to be verified through the competent authority, professional order, representative entity or employer, depending on the permit type.

Translations: who can certify them and when you need one

Portugal does not operate a single national register of sworn translators. Portuguese law allows translations to be made or certified by a Portuguese notary, registrar or registry officer, lawyer or solicitor practising in Portugal, recognised chamber of commerce, or a suitable translator whose translation is certified through one of those routes. Portuguese consulates in the country where the document was issued and the issuing country's consulate in Portugal are also recognised routes.

At the visa stage, VFS UK says certified translations are required for documents not issued in English or Portuguese. Toronto's visa guidance also accepts English or Portuguese for the minor birth certificate rule. The U.S. residence visa checklists reviewed contain no general translation sentence.

AIMA's own guidance is not completely consistent. Its general "Reconhecimento de documentos" page says documents in English, French and Spanish do not need translation. However, the legal rule AIMA cites permits translation to be dispensed with only when the competent official understands the language.

AIMA's current Article 98 family reunification pages pull in the other direction. They say documents written in a foreign language must be accompanied by a translation and identify recognised routes including a Portuguese notary, a Portuguese consulate in the issuing country or that country's consulate in Portugal.

Visas.pt's view: follow the translation rule on the page or checklist for the specific procedure you are using. Do not assume that every English, French or Spanish document will automatically be accepted untranslated in every AIMA procedure. For a document that will be used for family reunification, the cautious approach is to follow the translation instruction on the current Article 98 page. If an apostille is in another language, translating it together with the underlying document is also cautious practice, but no Portuguese source reviewed expressly states that the apostille itself must always be translated.

What AIMA asks for again after you arrive

After entering Portugal with a residence visa, the applicant normally attends AIMA for the residence permit. See AIMA appointments in 2026.

Article 51(11) says applicants do not have to prove again situations already established during the visa procedure where they remain unchanged and are present in AIMA's electronic flow. Article 42-A also directs AIMA to obtain information from official databases where possible and request supporting documents when those checks cannot be made.

The current AIMA pages now make the position more concrete. The general Article 77 residence permit page used by residence visa holders such as D7 applicants lists a valid passport, residence visa, means of subsistence, address evidence, family relationship evidence where relevant, tax and social security registration where applicable, and health insurance or SNS coverage. It does not list a foreign criminal record, apostille or translation requirement.

The current Article 89(1) page for independent professional activity, relevant to the D2 route, also does not list a foreign criminal record. The current remote work page for residence visa holders likewise does not list one.

That does not mean a foreign police certificate is never requested from a residence visa holder at AIMA. Current AIMA pages for some other residence permit categories, including highly qualified activity, teaching, cultural activity and higher education, still list a foreign criminal record even where the applicant holds a residence visa. Applicants should therefore check the AIMA page for their own permit type and keep the apostilled original.

Family reunification is different again. AIMA's current Article 98 pages require a foreign criminal record from the family member's country of nationality or the country where they lived for more than one year, duly authenticated. They also require duly authenticated proof of family ties and, depending on the case, certified passport copies, marriage certificates, birth certificates, adoption decisions and parental authorisations.

The Article 98 pages also state that foreign language documents must be accompanied by a translation. This sits alongside AIMA's separate general page saying English, French and Spanish documents do not need translation, so applicants should follow the specific AIMA page for their permit type.

Keep the apostilled or legalised originals even where the AIMA page does not ask for them again. AIMA can request further evidence when official database checks are not possible or when additional proof is needed.

For a separate route, see AIMA document rules for non EU family members of EU citizens.

Where consulates and VFS centres differ

Post	Police certificate	Other differences
Washington and current VFS USA	FBI for applicants resident in the USA over a year, apostilled, under 90 days at submission.	No general translation sentence. Washington retains the passport during processing.
Newark	Federal record within 3 months before the appointment, with federal apostille.	Notarised copy of the passport biographical page.
VFS UK	ACRO for applicants aged 16 and over, apostilled, within the last 90 days.	Public documents must be legalised as applicable. Translation required if not English or Portuguese. Family certificates must be legalised.
Toronto	RCMP within 3 months, apostilled.	Minor birth certificate translated if not Portuguese or English.
Ottawa	Only RCMP records accepted, with an apostille from Global Affairs Canada.	Applicants should follow Ottawa's post specific apostille instruction even though other Canadian authorities can issue apostilles in other circumstances.

Some older or local checklists still ask for a signed consent form authorising consultation of the Portuguese criminal record even though the current version of Article 12 no longer contains that visa requirement. If your own current post checklist still asks for the form, follow that checklist.

An old 2020 VFS USA checklist still online allows an unopened sealed FBI envelope as an alternative to an apostille. The November 2025 Washington and VFS USA checklists require the FBI record to be apostilled and do not repeat that option. Use the current checklist and current Portugal e-Visa guidance.

The order of steps and a timing plan

A practical sequence is to obtain the document, authenticate it, then translate the complete authenticated document if translation is needed. This is practical guidance rather than one express immigration rule.

1. Confirm your jurisdiction. Know which post will decide the visa application.
2. Read its current checklist. Mark apostille, legalisation, signature and translation requirements.
3. Order time sensitive documents carefully. Police certificates often have a 90 day or 3 month post level limit.
4. Use the correct authentication authority. The apostille comes from an authority competent for the country and type of document concerned.
5. Translate after authentication where needed. Translate the complete document you intend to present.
6. Keep originals. Check the AIMA page for your permit type before the residence permit appointment.
7. Recheck requirements before submission. Consular and AIMA document lists can change.

The timing can be tight. U.S. Department of State mail processing for the relevant federal apostille service is stated as within five weeks of receipt. The UK standard paper apostille is usually up to 25 working days plus delivery. Global Affairs Canada stated that it was processing requests received 25 business days earlier, with mailing time in addition.

Common mistakes

• Using the wrong apostille authority. FBI records are federal, while U.S. state documents use the relevant state authority.
• Ordering a police certificate too early. The visa post may apply a 90 day or 3 month limit to the underlying certificate.
• Missing the under 16 exemption. Portuguese rules exempt applicants under 16 from criminal record information at both visa and residence permit stages.
• Assuming an RCMP check is available to a 16 or 17 year old. Canada says its criminal record checks are issued only to people over 18, so raise the issue with the Portuguese consulate.
• Using an outdated checklist. Old VFS PDFs can remain online after requirements change.
• Apostilling everything. Ordinary bank statements, insurance and Portuguese leases generally do not need it.
• Assuming English is always accepted without translation. AIMA's general guidance, underlying legal rule and family reunification pages do not use identical wording.
• Assuming one post's rules apply everywhere. Consulates and VFS checklists differ.
• Legalising in the wrong jurisdiction. Authentication must come from an authority competent for the document concerned.
• Discarding originals after the visa. Some AIMA routes request the foreign police certificate again and AIMA can ask for further supporting evidence.

Common questions

Do all documents for a Portugal residence visa need an apostille?

No. Public documents such as criminal records, civil status certificates and some professional qualifications are documents that may require apostille or legalisation. Bank statements, insurance, Portuguese leases and many private supporting documents normally do not need an apostille unless your post's checklist says otherwise.

Does an FBI background check need an apostille for a Portugal visa?

For applications handled under the current Washington and VFS USA checklists, yes, where a criminal record is required. Applicants under 16 are exempt from criminal record information. The FBI Identity History Summary is a federal document and its apostille comes from the U.S. Department of State.

Does an ACRO police certificate need an apostille for Portugal?

Yes under the current VFS UK residence visa checklists for applicants aged 16 and over. The ACRO Police Certificate must be legalised with a Hague Apostille from the UK Legalisation Office and issued within the last 90 days.

Does an RCMP criminal record need an apostille for Portugal?

For applicants who are required to provide a Canadian criminal record, the Canadian post instructions reviewed require an apostilled RCMP record. Applicants under 16 are exempt under Portuguese rules, but Canada states that it issues criminal record checks only to people over 18, so applicants aged 16 or 17 should raise the issue with their Portuguese consulate.

Do English documents need to be translated into Portuguese?

Not always, but the official guidance is not completely consistent. AIMA's general recognition page says documents in English, French and Spanish do not need translation, while the legal rule it cites allows translation to be dispensed with where the competent official understands the language, and AIMA's family reunification pages say foreign language documents must be translated. Follow the specific checklist or AIMA route page for the procedure you are using.

Does Portugal have sworn translators?

Portugal does not have an official national register of sworn translators. A translation can instead be made or certified through routes recognised by Portuguese law, including notaries, registrars, lawyers or solicitors practising in Portugal, recognised chambers of commerce and the applicable consular routes.

Do birth and marriage certificates have to be less than 6 months old?

No general official 3 month or 6 month age rule was verified for birth or marriage certificates at the visa stage. If your consulate, VFS checklist or AIMA procedure gives a specific requirement, follow that instruction.

Will AIMA ask for my foreign police certificate again?

It depends on the residence permit route. The current AIMA pages for general residence visa holders, D2 independent activity and remote work do not list the foreign police certificate again, but some AIMA pages for highly qualified activity, teaching, cultural activity and higher education do, and family reunification requires a duly authenticated foreign criminal record. Check the AIMA page for your permit type and keep the apostilled original.

Should I apostille first or translate first?

A practical sequence is to obtain the document, apostille or legalise it, then translate the complete authenticated document if a translation is required. That sequence is practical guidance rather than a single express rule in the immigration legislation, so the checklist of the authority receiving your document remains decisive.

How Visas.pt can help

Visas.pt's Complete Visa Assistance package costs EUR 1,595 and includes document checking before submission, NIF and bank account assistance, video consultations with an immigration lawyer and a live interpreter for visa interviews.

If your case involves unusual documents or conflicting instructions, you can also book an immigration consultation. For the wider process, see how to apply for a Portugal visa.

Next step: if you want your file checked before submission, review the Complete Visa Assistance service.

Sources

• Regulatory Decree 84/2007, consolidated text
• Code of Civil Procedure, Article 440
• AIMA, recognition of documents
• AIMA, general residence permit, Article 77(1)
• AIMA, independent professional activity, Article 89(1)
• AIMA, remote professional activity with residence visa
• AIMA, family reunification with family member outside Portugal, Article 98(1)
• MNE, residence visa documentation
• HCCH, Apostille Convention status table
• UK government, legalise a document
• Global Affairs Canada, document authentication
• U.S. Department of State, authentication services
• VFS UK, Portugal D7 residence visa checklist
• Embassy of Portugal in Washington, visa information