Citizenship by Adoption

A foreign national adopted by a Portuguese citizen may acquire Portuguese citizenship by declaration, provided that:

• The adoption was granted or confirmed by a final and unappealable decision;*
• They have ties of effective connection to the Portuguese community, assessed according to the parameters of Art. 6(1)(c) to (i) of the Nationality Act (including knowledge of the Portuguese language and culture, no sentence of actual imprisonment of more than 3 years for the crimes set out in the law, and no threat to national security); and
• They have not held public office of a not predominantly technical nature nor performed non-compulsory military service for a foreign State.

*If the adoption judgment was issued by a foreign court, it can only be relied on for purposes of acquiring citizenship after being reviewed and confirmed by a Portuguese court through proceedings for the recognition (review) of a foreign judgment in Portugal (revisão e confirmação de sentença estrangeira) (Arts. 978 et seq. of the Portuguese Code of Civil Procedure).

Fee: €250 (adults). For minors, please contact us.

If the adoptee was born abroad, the following documents are required:

• Birth registration certificate, if possible a full copy issued by photocopy, duly legalized and accompanied by a translation, if written in a foreign language;
• Birth registration certificate of the Portuguese adoptive parent, a full copy and, if possible, issued by photocopy. This birth registration certificate can be obtained ex officio by the registry services;
• Certificate of the decision that granted the adoption. If the decision was issued by a foreign court, it must first be reviewed and confirmed by a Portuguese court, unless it is a decision issued in a country with which an Agreement has been concluded waiving review and confirmation of the judgment. As a rule, the Portuguese court that granted the adoption or that reviewed and confirmed the foreign decision sends a certificate ex officio to the competent Registry Office (Conservatória); and
• Documents proving effective connection to the Portuguese Community.

If the adoptee is over 16:

• Criminal record certificates issued by the competent authorities of the country of birth and of nationality, as well as of the countries where the applicant has had or has residence since age 16, accompanied by a translation if written in a foreign language; and
• Documents proving the nature of any public office held or non-compulsory military service performed for a foreign State, where applicable; these documents are only submitted if the applicant has been in these circumstances.

If the adoptee was born in Portugal, the following documents are required:

• Birth registration certificate of the Portuguese adoptive parent, a full copy and, if possible, issued by photocopy. This birth registration certificate can be obtained ex officio by the registry services; and
• Certificate of the decision that granted the adoption, for annotation on the adoptee's birth record. As a rule, the court that grants the adoption sends a certificate ex officio to the competent Registry Office (Conservatória).