Portuguese Nationality for Children of Portuguese Parents
Granting of Portuguese nationality and birth registration for children of a Portuguese father or mother born abroad.
Legal advice for analyzing the relationship, documentation, and preparation of the Portuguese nationality application, according to the circumstances of each case.
Does a child of Portuguese parents have the right to Portuguese nationality?
Children born abroad to a Portuguese mother or father may acquire original Portuguese nationality, provided that the conditions stipulated in Portuguese law are met.
Depending on the case, the process may involve registering the birth in the Portuguese civil registry or filing a declaration for the attribution of Portuguese nationality. Before submitting the application, it is important to verify the parentage, the registration of the Portuguese parent, and the documentation applicable to the specific situation.
Base legal: artigo 1.º, n.º 1, alínea c), da Lei n.º 37/81, de 3 de outubro (Lei da Nacionalidade), e artigo 8.º do Regulamento da Nacionalidade Portuguesa.
How does the process of granting Portuguese nationality to children work?
The granting of Portuguese nationality allows a child born abroad to a Portuguese mother or father to be considered Portuguese by origin when the conditions stipulated in the Nationality Law are met.
The law provides for two options: registering the birth in the Portuguese civil registry or declaring that the person wishes to be Portuguese. The appropriate way to apply and the necessary documentation depend on the specific circumstances of the case.
Once the procedure is completed, the birth is integrated into the Portuguese civil registry, allowing for its certification and subsequent acts of civil identification.
Legal basis: Article 1, paragraph 1, subparagraph c), of Law No. 37/81, of October 3 (Nationality Law), and Article 8 of the Portuguese Nationality Regulations.
Civil registration of a Portuguese citizen born abroad
No Brasil, é comum encontrar a expressão “registro civil de português nascido no exterior”. Em Portugal, utiliza-se a expressão registo civil, e o nascimento ocorrido no estrangeiro pode ser integrado no registo civil português quando estiverem preenchidos os pressupostos legais aplicáveis.
No caso dos filhos de mãe portuguesa ou de pai português nascidos no estrangeiro, a inscrição do nascimento no registo civil português é uma das formas previstas pela Lei da Nacionalidade para a atribuição da nacionalidade portuguesa originária.
O procedimento não deve ser confundido com uma simples transcrição administrativa de um documento estrangeiro. É necessário verificar a situação do progenitor português, a filiação, o registo de nascimento estrangeiro e os demais elementos relevantes para determinar o procedimento adequado.
Base legal: artigo 1.º, n.º 1, alínea c), da Lei n.º 37/81, de 3 de outubro (Lei da Nacionalidade), e disposições aplicáveis do Código do Registo Civil e do Regulamento da Nacionalidade Portuguesa.
What documents are needed for a child of Portuguese parents to obtain Portuguese nationality?
The necessary documentation must be verified according to the specific situation of the applicant and the Portuguese parent.
In general terms, the process may require the applicant's birth certificate, identification document, information relating to the birth registration of the Portuguese father or mother, and the declaration necessary for the application for nationality.
Documents issued abroad may be subject to legalization or apostille, and if they are not written in Portuguese, a duly certified translation may be required.
Antes da apresentação do pedido, é importante verificar se existem divergências de nomes, datas, filiação ou outros elementos nos registos civis, pois essas circunstâncias podem exigir análise ou regularização prévia.
Situations that deserve attention before submitting the request.
Although granting Portuguese nationality to children of Portuguese citizens may seem like a simple procedure, some circumstances require more careful verification before submitting the application.
É especialmente importante analisar situações em que existam divergências entre certidões, alterações de nome, questões relativas ao estabelecimento da filiação, registos portugueses que necessitem de atualização ou diferenças entre os dados constantes dos documentos brasileiros e portugueses
It may also be necessary to check the registration status of the Portuguese father or mother beforehand and determine the appropriate procedure for the specific case.
A preliminary review of the documentation allows for the identification of any issues that need to be addressed before submitting the nationality application.
PRECISA ANALISAR O SEU CASO?
Attorney Felipe Marinho Aires will be able to analyze the registration status and documentation applicable to your request.
Frequently asked questions about Portuguese nationality for children
1. My father or mother is Portuguese. Am I entitled to Portuguese nationality?
Children born abroad to a Portuguese mother or father may obtain original Portuguese nationality, provided that the conditions stipulated in the Nationality Law are met.
A lei prevê esta possibilidade quando o nascimento seja inscrito no registo civil português ou mediante declaração de que querem ser portugueses. É importante verificar a filiação, o registo do progenitor português e a documentação aplicável ao caso concreto.
2. Do I need to live in Portugal to apply for citizenship as a child of a Portuguese citizen?
No. For this type of allocation, the law does not establish residency in Portugal as a requirement.
The application can also be submitted by those living abroad, provided the permitted submission methods are observed.
3. Does a child of Portuguese citizens need to prove an effective connection to Portugal?
The requirement of effective ties to the national community is not included in the provision for children as stipulated in Article 1(1)(c).
The Nationality Law addresses this requirement in other instances, such as that provided for in the subparagraph of the same paragraph.
4. Can I apply for Portuguese nationality if my Portuguese father or mother has already passed away?
The death of the Portuguese parent, in itself, does not appear to be an impediment in the rule of attribution to the children.
However, it is necessary to provide documentary proof of parentage and the situation of the Portuguese parent, in addition to other elements applicable to the application.
5. My Portuguese father or mother has passed away. Can I still apply for citizenship?
The death of the Portuguese parent, in itself, does not eliminate the possibility foreseen for a child of Portuguese parents born abroad. However, it will be necessary to adequately prove parentage and identify the registration of the Portuguese parent, in addition to presenting the documentation applicable to the case.
The registration situation should be analyzed especially when there are documentary discrepancies or issues relating to parentage. (Legal basis: Article 1, paragraph 1, subparagraph c) of the Nationality Law.)
6. Is Portuguese nationality for a child of a Portuguese citizen acquired by attribution or by acquisition?
For a child of a Portuguese mother or father born abroad, as defined in Article 1, paragraph 1, subparagraph c), this is a matter of granting original Portuguese nationality, not naturalization.
Article 1 is included in the chapter of the Law dedicated to the granting of nationality and qualifies these people as Portuguese by origin. Official Gazette. Legal basis: Article 1, paragraph 1, subparagraph c), of the Nationality Law.
7. O que significa “registo civil de português nascido no estrangeiro”?
For children of Portuguese citizens born outside of Portugal, the Nationality Law stipulates that registration of the birth in the Portuguese civil registry is one of the situations that allows for the attribution of original Portuguese nationality.
In Brazil, it is common to search for this topic as "registro civil de português nascido no exterior" (civil registration of a Portuguese citizen born abroad). In Portugal, the terminology used is "registo civil" (civil registration). Official Gazette. Legal basis: Article 1, paragraph 1, subparagraph c) of the Nationality Law.
8. What documents are needed for a child of Portuguese citizens to apply for nationality?
The required documents depend on the circumstances of the case. The official guidance currently available from Justiça.gov.pt includes, among other things, an identification document, a legalized birth certificate, and information relating to the registration of the Portuguese parent.
Before applying, it is advisable to verify parentage, names, dates, and other information in the records, especially when there are discrepancies between Portuguese and foreign documents.
Legislation and official sources
As informações desta página têm caráter geral e são elaboradas com base na legislação portuguesa vigente e nas orientações disponibilizadas pelas autoridades portuguesas. A aplicação das normas depende das circunstâncias de cada caso.
Nationality Law — Law No. 37/81, of October 3
Updated version — Lisbon District Attorney General's Office (PGDL)
Regulations on Portuguese Nationality — Decree-Law No. 237-A/2006, of December 14
Updated version — PGDL
Portuguese nationality — information and procedures
Justiça.gov.pt / Institute of Registries and Notaries