P06E - Birth Certificates

For people born in Portugal 

The Civil Registry Offices (Conservatória do Registo Civil) maintain records of births and issue Birth Certificates. The Registry issues a simple certificate called a Certidão de Nascimento. 

Registration must be made at the Civil Registry representative at the maternity hospital where the child was born (at the Nascer Cidadão counter) or where the mother was transferred after delivery. If it is not possible to register at the maternity hospital, you can register at any Civil Registry office in the next 20 days after birth or online through the website https://justica.gov.pt/Servicos/Registar-nascimento by choosing the option “Registar nascimento online”, however you’ll need to have the Digital Mobile Key (CMD - Chave Móvel Digital) activated in order to proceed with this option. Once registration is complete, you will receive, free of charge: the birth certificate, by post, and a copy of the registration, in PDF, by email.

If at least one of the parents is a foreign national the name chosen for the child may be one recognised by the country. To register such a name, you will first need to obtain a certificate from the Consulate stating that the name is recognised. 

Many children born of non-Portuguese will also have the right to take up the nationality of their parents. Should you wish to maintain the child’s rights to another nationality you are also advised to contact your Consulate. Many countries also require the registration of the birth at the Consulate. 

Copies of the Birth certificate, known as Certidão de Nascimento, are required for certain procedures such as when applying for registration in the social security system. Anyone born in Portugal can request a Certidão de Nascimento from any Civil Registry. The prices to pay for this certificate depends on its purpose (it can vary between €10 and €20).

As mentioned before, the Birth Certificate can be requested:

• online (if you have a CMD) and will be available for consultation for up to 6 months.

• in paper (needs to be requested at the counter) and it has no validity term. It remains valid unless it is misplaced, lost, stolen or is in poor condition. In these cases, you can request a duplicate of the document, upon payment of a fee. You can schedule an appointment through the Siga portal or the SigaApp mobile application.

In the online Birth registration, you can declare the birth and apply for the newborn’s first Citizen Card (Cartão de Cidadão), up to the age of one, in a single request and free of charge.

When registering online, you must upload:

• proof of birth document issued by the hospital (Declaração de nascimento)

• photo of the baby’s face*

Both files must be uploaded in one of the following accepted formats: PDF, JPG, JPEG, or PNG.

*Photography Requirements

The photograph of the baby's face for the Cartão de Cidadão must meet the following requirements:

• Color photograph

• Taken from the front at a distance of 60 to 80 cm from the child

• The image must be centered and clear

• The background must be neutral and light-colored

• JPEG format

The child must be in a vertical position. If the child is under one year old, they can be lying on a white or light-colored blanket, and may have their eyes closed, provided they have a neutral expression (without frowning or having their mouth open).

The photograph must not:

• Include any support or object holding the child

• Include another person holding the child

• Have reflections or shadows on the child's face or the background

• Show the child wearing accessories, such as a hat or headband