Documents for marriage in Portugal
Check the documents for a civil marriage in Portugal: identity, birth records, capacity to marry and any previous-marriage records. We review what applies to your couple before filing.
Which documents do foreign couples need?
Start with identity documents, a birth certificate and evidence of capacity to marry. The Portuguese civil registry assesses the file for each partner. The exact preparation depends on nationality, where documents were issued and any previous marriage.
Use the checklist below to prepare your case review. It is a starting point, not a personalised list of documents to order.
Your document checklist
Before ordering replacements, tell us which documents you already have, their issuing countries, languages and issue dates.
- Identity: a valid passport or other accepted identity document.
- Birth: a birth certificate issued under the rules of your country.
- Capacity to marry: the relevant certificate, or the applicable alternative if your country does not issue it.
- Previous marriage: tell us about any divorce or widowhood so we can check the supporting records needed.
- Names: flag spelling differences and name changes across your documents.
- Preparation for Portugal: check authentication and translation requirements before arranging either.
Certificate of matrimonial capacity or an alternative
IRN lists a matrimonial capacity certificate issued within the previous six months. If the country does not issue this certificate, IRN instead lists a declaration confirming that it is not issued.
Do not assume a document called an affidavit, single-status certificate or no-objection letter is automatically interchangeable. We review your document route before filing.
Apostille, legalisation and translation
Authentication and translation are separate checks. The right preparation depends on the document, issuing country and applicable rules. Confirm what is needed before paying for either service.
IRN describes exceptions to certified Portuguese translation, including certain documents in English, French or Spanish and qualifying EU public documents. We check the route for your file rather than treating every foreign document alike.
Previous marriage and inconsistent records
Tell us at the case-review stage if either partner was previously married, is widowed or uses a different name from the one on a birth certificate. Send the information about the records you already hold.
We review potential gaps before filing. An additional record, corrected spelling or explanation may be needed; the answer depends on the individual file.
Prepare the documents before planning your appointment
Our support covers reviewing the document route, explaining what needs preparation and coordinating the Portuguese registry process. If an interpreter is needed for the appointment, we arrange one.
Document preparation happens before the appointment. A checklist alone does not confirm that a file is ready or that a date has been arranged.
Not sure which documents apply to your case?
Send us your citizenships, countries of residence, marital status and the documents you already have. We will review your situation and explain the next step.