# FAQs: Attesting foreign documents to use in Portugal

> Frequently asked questions about legalizing foreign documents for submission to authorities in Portugal - birth certificates, marriage certificates, criminal record certificates, academic documents and other documents required for Portuguese visa and citizenship applications.

**Source** [FAQs - Authenticating document to use in Portugal](https://www.isarey-document-attestation.com/Portugal-certify-FAQs)>
**Related:** [Attest Documents for use in Portugal](https://www.isarey-document-attestation.com/Certify-documents-Portugal) · [Apostille Portuguese Documents for international use](https://www.isarey-document-attestation.com/Portugal-Legalization-Services) · [Get a Quotation](https://www.isarey-document-attestation.com/Document-Attestation-Inquiry)

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## General Questions

### How can foreign documents be certified for official use in Portugal?
Documents issued in countries which are signatories to the Apostille Convention can be authenticated for use in Portugal by obtaining an apostille stamp from the authorities of the country of issue. This Apostille stamp should be recognised directly by Portuguese authorities as confirming the document’s authenticity. Countries which issue apostilles include United Arab Emirates - Taiwan - Malaysia - Thailand - Qatar
Documents issued in countries which are not signatories to the Apostille Convention must be legalized in the country of issue and additional by the local Portuguese embassy or consulate.


### Can foreign documents required for submission to Portugal be authenticated with an Apostille?
Yes - if the issuing country is a member of the Apostille Convention, then an Apostille Stamp issued in the issuing country will be accepted by Portuguese authorities.Submission within the European Union
Certain documents do not require Apostilles for submission to authorities in Portugal when they are issued in another European Union Member State (the receiving authority should accept the original or a certified copy).
When applying for certain public documents, a multilingual standard form may be requested to accompany the original. A multilingual standard form must always be issued and signed by an authority of the EU country where the public document is issued, providing a translation aid designed to help the receiving authority to understand a public document which is in a language not accepted by Portugal.
See: [EU Multilingual standard forms](https://e-justice.europa.eu/35981/EN/public_documents_forms)
Documents not requiring Apostilles for use in Portugal include birth, death, marriage certificates, absence of a criminal record (a clean criminal record of a citizen of the issuing country), certificates of nationality and residence:
See: [Regulation (EU) 2016/1191](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=LEGISSUM%3A230101_2)
Other documents, including academic certificates, still require Apostille certification and certified translation to be valid in Portugal.
Multilingual certificates of no impediment to marriage
Certificates of no impediment to marriage should not require Apostille stamps for submission in Portugal when issued by one of the following countries (Munich CIEC Convention):
Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, Moldova, Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey.


### What is Portuguese embassy document attestation?
Document attestation by Portuguese embassies is a procedure to legalize foreign documents that are required for submission to authorities in Portugal or in support of Portuguese visa or citizenship applications. Normally the document must be legalized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the issuing country before being submitted to the embassy for attestation. A certified translation may also be required.
Since Portugal is a member of the Apostille Convention, documents issued by other countries that are signatory countries of the Apostille Convention can be legalized with an Apostille Stamp issued by the competent authority of the issuing country and do not require attestation by a Portuguese embassy to use in Portugal.
[Check legalization procedures by country](https://www.isarey-document-attestation.com/country-list-authentications-apostilles)

## Other documents

### How can I certify a translation of a foreign document for use in Portugal?
A first option is to carry out a translation of the document in the country of origin. If the country of origin is a signatory to the Apostille Convention, a translation certified under local law can then be authenticated with an Apostille Stamp, giving the translation validity in Portugal.
If the originating country is not a member of the Apostille Convention and does issue Apostilles, a local translation will need to be certified by the originating country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and by the Portuguese embassy or consulate. The Portuguese embassy may require a translation in any case in order to attest the original document. The embassy may have specific requirements for the translation, otherwise in most countries a locally certified, sworn or notarized translation can be authenticated by the originating country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and then by the Portuguese embassy, making it valid for use in Portugal.