Certified Translation & Notary Portugal

Certified Translation & Notary Services in Portugal

Every step of relocating to Portugal requires documents — and most of those documents need to be in the right format, at the right level of certification, for the right authority. The wrong type of translation or missing apostille can delay a visa, a residency application or a property purchase by weeks. We coordinate certified translations and notary services correctly, first time.

From €80 · From · Sworn translations · Apostilles · Notary

Why Document Certification Matters for Relocation

Portuguese authorities — from AIMA to the notary, from Finanças to the consulate — have specific requirements for how foreign documents must be presented. A translation is not simply a translation: it must be produced by a sworn translator recognised by the Portuguese state. A foreign birth certificate is not simply a birth certificate: it may need to be apostilled in the country that issued it before it has any legal standing in Portugal.

Getting this wrong means rejection, resubmission and lost weeks. We know exactly what each authority requires for each document type, and we ensure every document in your file is at the correct level of certification before submission.

Types of Certification

Sworn / Certified Translations

Produced by a tradutor juramentado (sworn translator) who is officially recognised by the Portuguese Ministry of Justice. Their translations carry a certification stamp and signature. Required by AIMA, Finanças, notaries and most Portuguese public bodies for documents in a foreign language.

Apostille

A Hague Convention certification that authenticates a public document's origin so it can be used in another signatory country. Applied in the document's country of origin — a UK birth certificate gets a UK apostille, a US criminal record gets a US State Department apostille. We advise on which documents need apostilles and assist with the request process where possible.

Notary Services

Notaries in Portugal authenticate documents, certify signatures, and process powers of attorney. Many property transactions, company formations and succession documents require notarisation. We coordinate notary appointments and ensure you attend with the correct documents — and translate throughout the appointment.

Powers of Attorney

A power of attorney (procuração) allows a trusted representative to act on your behalf in Portugal — useful for signing contracts, attending appointments or managing affairs while you are abroad. We arrange the notarisation and any required translations.

Connected Services

Translation and notary services are required across most of our work:

Residency and visa applications — certified translations of criminal records, birth certificates and income documents are standard requirements
Driving licence exchange — certified translation of your foreign licence is required by IMT
Will and succession planning — notary services are central to any Portuguese will

Frequently Asked Questions

About certified translation & notary portugal in Portugal

A certified translation is one produced by a sworn translator (tradutor juramentado) who is officially recognised by the Portuguese state. Their translations carry a certification stamp and signature confirming the accuracy and completeness of the translation. Many Portuguese authorities — including AIMA, Finanças and notaries — accept only certified translations for official documents.

An apostille is an official certification that authenticates the origin of a public document so it can be recognised in another country that is a signatory to the Hague Convention. If you are submitting a foreign document (birth certificate, criminal record, marriage certificate) to Portuguese authorities, it typically needs an apostille from the issuing country before it can be legally used in Portugal. We advise on which documents need apostilles and arrange them where possible.

For a D7 or Digital Nomad Visa application, documents that typically require certified translation include: birth certificate, marriage certificate (if applicable), criminal record certificate, proof of income documents, employment contracts, and any educational qualifications. We confirm exactly which documents require translation and at what level of certification for your specific visa category.

A standard certified translation typically takes 3–7 business days depending on document length and complexity. Urgent translations can often be arranged in 24–48 hours for a premium. Apostille arrangement from foreign authorities adds time — typically 2–6 weeks depending on the country. We factor all of this into your overall application timeline.