Living in Portugal - Private Life

Birth Registration

The registration of a child should be made up to 20 days after the birth, preferably in the Registration Office (Conservatória do Registo Civil) of the area where the birth has taken place. 

Registration can also be made in other Registration Offices and, in this situation, the records will be transferred to the Registration Office of the area where the birth occurred. 

The registration can be made by each of the parents or by both. The name chosen for the child should be in Portuguese or adapted to it, except if one of the parents is not Portuguese (in this case foreign names may be used).

Parents should take their identity cards and the health bulletin (Boletim de Saúde) of the child when registering the birth.

Marriage

Two types of marriage are possible: catholic and civil. The legal procedures to take into account are the same for both. The Catholic Church should be contacted in the case of a catholic marriage. 

The current restrictions to marriage are as follows:

• only people of different gender may marry
• the minimum age is 18 years (or 16 years subject to parent's authorisation)

Other restrictions relate to familiar relations and the delay required between two marriages.

The marriage process

To start a marriage process it is necessary to go to a Registration Office (Conservatória do Registo Civil) of the area of residence of one of the members with the following documents:

• Birth document (Certidão de Nascimento) of both members issued not more than 6 months before
• Identity cards or Passports of both members

The names of both members will be affixed in the respective Junta de Freguesia for public consult during one month. If someone, during this period, has something against the marriage should inform the Registration Office. After that the marriage can be done. The official marriage ceremony requires the presence of two witnesses.

Death

The death of someone should be reported to the Registration Office (Conservatória do Registo Civil) of the residence area within 48 hours after it occurs. Usually this procedure is done by the agency that deals with the funeral. The Tax Office should also be informed within 30 days of the death in case the death person has own possessions. It is also required to present a Medical Death Certificate.

Nationality

Portuguese nationality is given under the following circumstances:

• to those who have born in Portugal and whose parents are Portuguese
• to those who have born outside Portugal and the parents are Portuguese (if they that when the registration)
• to those who have born in Portugal and the parents has residence in Portugal since 6 or 10 years to the date of birth
• to those who are married with a Portuguese for more than 3 years (if that was in the marriage)
• to a child adopted by a Portuguese
• other situations subject to some requisites

Useful references:

• Ministério da Justiça
  Rua do Ouro, 6
  1149-019 Lisboa
  Tel: 213 222 300
  Fax: 213 423 198
  Website
• INFOCID – Sistema Interdepartamental de Informação ao Cidadão
  Tel: 213 605 300
  Fax: 213 605 395

Text last edited on: 01/07/2003

Source: European Union
© European Communities, 1995-2007
Reproduction is authorised.