Criminal Record Certificate in Portugal: Online, Foreign Residents and Validity

• Nationality does not prevent an eligible person requesting their own Portuguese record; online identity requirements are narrower.
• DGAJ currently specifies online CMD obtained with Portuguese CC/BI, or a valid Citizen Card with reader and PINs. Do not assume passport-based CMD works here.
• The usual certificate fee is €5. Choose the actual purpose, not a convenient category that could produce the wrong evidence.
• Distinguish a three-month non-code certificate from a chosen access-code period of up to one year; check the recipient's requirements too.

A certificado do registo criminal is evidence about the Portuguese criminal record for the purpose requested. Start with the organisation asking for it: which country's record, which purpose, how recent, and in what format? A request for a Portuguese document is not automatically a request for the country where you previously lived. Do not pay for several versions before you know what the receiving organisation needs.

Can foreigners get a Portuguese criminal record certificate?

Yes. DGAJ lists people of any nationality over 16 requesting their own record. Its in-person route accepts a valid passport, residence title or other suitable civil identity document, not only a Portuguese Citizen Card. Requesting another person's information is different: an authorised adult over 18 must attend in person with the required authorisation and identification. Parent/guardian routes require proof of the capacity in which they act.

Which request route fits my situation?

Use the issuing authority's current service instructions to choose the counter and check appointments before travelling. Telephone requests also exist, but require active CMD and a biometric-capable phone with the Autenticação.gov app. Ask the service whether your identity setup is supported rather than treating telephone access as a universal workaround.

Does a passport-based CMD work for Registo Criminal Online?

Do not assume so. The general Justiça service mentions CMD, but DGAJ's more specific current instructions require CMD obtained with a Portuguese Cartão de Cidadão or Bilhete de Identidade, or a valid Citizen Card with reader and PINs. Those descriptions differ. The CMD activation guide explains foreign-document activation; that wider activation entitlement does not prove acceptance by this particular portal. If your setup differs, ask DGAJ or use an eligible in-person route.

What should I prepare before requesting it?

• The receiving organisation's written request: country, purpose, format, freshness and submission date.
• Your valid identity document and consistent personal details; resolve spelling or document discrepancies with the service.
• Whether the activity involves regular contact with minors or a profession with special requirements.
• The correct request channel, access-code period where applicable, payment method and safe delivery contact.
• For a representative: the official signed authorisation and the identity evidence prescribed for both people.

Purpose matters because the information shown can differ according to the legal reason for the certificate. Ask the employer or receiving authority for the exact purpose; do not select an unrelated one just because it looks shorter. This guide does not interpret a person's convictions, predict employment or immigration decisions, or advise how to remove entries. Those questions belong to the responsible authority or a qualified adviser.

How do I complete and check the request?

1. 1
   Clarify the document

   Confirm that the request is for Portugal's record and identify the exact purpose. Keep the receiving organisation's instructions.

2. 2
   Choose an eligible channel

   Check identity and residence requirements before entering a request. Do not declare residence abroad if you live in Portugal.

3. 3
   Check the details before paying

   Verify identity, purpose, delivery contact and any chosen code period. Use only the official service's current payment instructions.

4. 4
   Check the issued result

   Verify the certificate or access code, purpose and validity shown. If details are wrong, contact the issuing service before sending it onwards.

5. 5
   Deliver only what is required

   Use the receiving organisation's secure channel and retain acknowledgement. Keep the access code private; do not put it in a public support message.

How much does it cost and how long does it take?

The usual fee is €5, with exemptions for specified statutory purposes—not a general foreigner or online exemption. Processing depends on the route and document. DGAJ describes immediate online issue after payment, three business days for certain technical or Espaço Cidadão foreign-document cases, and ten business days for the residents-abroad application. Postal delivery, where available, adds time. General Justiça guidance and the linked abroad instructions show different timelines; do not treat any of these as a guaranteed arrival date.

If a submission deadline is close, ask the issuing service about your exact route and ask the recipient whether it accepts a receipt or later delivery. A payment confirmation is not the certificate. If payment appears received but no result is available, retain the reference and contact the service before starting a duplicate paid request. Never send a helper your banking credentials, authentication PIN or one-time code.

Is the certificate valid for three months or one year?

Both figures relate to different things. Current DL 171/2015 Article 15 gives certificates not obtained through an access code three months from issue. Article 19 allows a chosen access-code validity period of up to one year for the stated purpose; consultation obtains the certificate at that moment. Check the actual code's period instead of assigning one year to every request. A recipient may separately require a particular purpose or a recently issued document; code validity alone does not answer that requirement.

The official portal's personal area lets you follow requests and obtain or cancel an access code. Cancellation of the code under Article 25-A is not deletion of criminal-record entries. Consult the current consolidated rules when distinguishing code access from the record itself. Share a usable code only with an authorised recipient that actually needs it.

Can someone request it for me?

The authorised representative attends in person. Use the official DGAJ authorisation form: identify both people, the purpose and the required signature. The service also specifies the representative's identification and the holder's document or certified copy, with the prescribed exclusive-use authorisation for the copy. Check the current checklist before the visit; a casual message giving permission is not the same as the required evidence.

I live abroad: which application should I use?

Use the current residents-abroad application only if you actually reside outside Portugal. Portugal-resident requests are rejected without refund. The linked instructions require a signed request, identity evidence and proof of residence abroad, followed by email validation and the current payment workflow. The start page says the application must be completed within 24 hours of starting; that is not the certificate's processing time. Do not reuse an old form or bank-transfer instructions. The linked guide describes email delivery and marks its postal option as still being implemented; do not promise that a postal checkbox is currently available.

Do I need this certificate for AIMA?

DGAJ says foreign citizens requesting or renewing a residence permit can authorise AIMA to access their Portuguese criminal/contumacy record instead of obtaining it at a counter. Follow the specific request in your process. This does not waive a separately requested certificate from your country of origin or previous residence, nor settle that document's translation or authentication requirements. For the separate housing evidence, use the AIMA accommodation checklist. Keep the document country and purpose attached to each checklist item so two different requests are not accidentally treated as one.