When the destination country is not party to the Hague Convention, a document cannot be apostilled: it has to be legalized. The chain includes authentication by the competent Portuguese authorities, followed by legalization at the consulate or the consular section of the embassy of the destination country, most of which are in Lisbon. We take care of every step, including appointments, fees and collection.
A chain with several steps
Each country has its own rules: accepted documents, prior translation into the official language, forms, consular fees and processing times. We prepare the full file, provide the certified translation when it is required and follow every step until the document is ready for use in the destination country.
Foreign documents for use in Portugal
The reverse also applies: a document issued in a country that does not use apostilles usually has to be legalized by the Portuguese consulate or embassy in that country. We explain what is needed and provide the certified Portuguese translation once the document arrives.
Businesses and exporters
Certificates of origin, invoices, powers of attorney, articles of association, registry extracts and tender documents are frequent corporate legalizations. We handle recurring volumes with a single point of contact.
Common legalizations
- Diplomas for work in the United Arab Emirates or Qatar
- Marriage and birth certificates for Angola or Mozambique
- Criminal records for work visas
- Powers of attorney for property purchases
- Corporate documents and certificates of origin
- Invoices and commercial documents for export
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between an apostille and consular legalization?
An apostille is a single certificate valid between Hague Convention countries. Consular legalization is a multi-step chain used for countries that have not joined the convention, ending at the consulate or embassy of the destination country.
How long does consular legalization take?
It varies widely by country, depending on the consulate and the number of steps. We give you an estimated timeframe with your quote.
Do I need to go to the consulate myself?
In the vast majority of cases, no. We handle submission and collection for you. If a consulate requires a personal appearance, we tell you in advance.
Available languages
- Arabic
- Bengali
- Bulgarian
- Chinese
- Croatian
- Czech
- Danish
- Dutch
- English
- Finnish
- French
- German
- Greek
- Hebrew
- Hindi
- Hungarian
- Indonesian
- Italian
- Japanese
- Korean
- Nepali
- Norwegian
- Persian (Farsi)
- Polish
- Romanian
- Russian
- Serbian
- Slovak
- Spanish
- Swedish
- Tagalog (Filipino)
- Thai
- Turkish
- Ukrainian
- Urdu
- Vietnamese