The documents required for the Portuguese nationality process must be up to date and within the validity period established by the competent authorities. This includes documents such as birth certificates, marriage certificates, criminal records, among others.

For example, birth and marriage certificates usually have more flexible validity periods, as they refer to static events in a person’s life. On the other hand, documents such as criminal records have shorter validity periods and need to be renewed regularly to ensure they are up to date at the time of nationality application submission.

Additionally, it is essential to consider the time required to obtain and apostille or legalize documents. Depending on the country of origin and local procedures, it may take weeks or even months to gather all the necessary documentation and ensure its validity before the Portuguese authorities.

Therefore, it is highly recommended to start the process of obtaining documents well in advance to avoid unnecessary delays in the nationality process.

Nationality Department

Ana Santos Fontes | Maria Moura Fonseca | Ana Luíza Fronczak