Three steps, all online
No appointments and no originals in the post. You can order from a PDF or a scan of your criminal record certificate.
Send the PDF, a scan or a clear photo of your criminal record certificate.
Every field is translated, including notes recorded on the criminal record certificate.
Within 2–4 business days, or 24 hours if urgent. Add a printed copy by post if you need one.
Your translation is compared line by line with your passport and other documents, so it has to be complete and exact.
What you receive
- Every field translated, including the notes recorded on the criminal record certificate.
- Every name, date and number on the criminal record certificate carried into the translation.
- The translator's NAATI stamp and certification statement, showing who translated it and their NAATI credential.
- Our letterhead with our address and telephone number, so the translation can be traced back to us.
Getting your certificate from Portugal
You can request it from Australia, and the purpose you state matters.
What each field on the criminal record certificate means
| On the criminal record certificate | What it is | In your translation |
|---|---|---|
| Nome | Full name, exactly as on the identification document | Full name |
| Filiação | The names of your parents | Parents |
| Data de nascimento · Naturalidade | Date and place of birth | Date of birth · Place of birth |
| Nacionalidade | Nationality | Nationality |
| Documento de identificação | Citizen Card, identity card or passport used for the request, and the country that issued it | ID document |
| Finalidade | The purpose stated in the request | Purpose |
| Conteúdo do registo | Either no record, or each conviction and later decision recorded | Criminal record |
| Data de emissão · Código de acesso | Date of issue, and the code to view the certificate online | Date of issue · Access code |
What Home Affairs asks of a translation
From the Department of Home Affairs' guidance on documents in languages other than English:
- Provide the original document together with the English translation.
- In Australia, use a translator accredited by NAATI.
- Include the translator's full name, address and telephone number, and qualifications and experience in the language, all in English.
Our certified translations carry the translator's NAATI stamp and certification statement, on our letterhead with our address and telephone number.
What to send us
- The official criminal record certificate as a PDF, or a clear colour scan where every line is readable.
- Every page in one file.
- The certificate PDF exactly as DGAJ emailed it, with the access code visible.
Frequently asked questions
Can someone in Portugal apply for me?
Yes. DGAJ accepts an application made in person by someone you authorise. They bring your signed declaration naming them and stating the purpose, their own ID, and your ID or a copy of it signed by you with the wording DGAJ specifies.
Does it show convictions from other countries?
The Portuguese criminal record holds convictions by Portuguese courts, and convictions of Portuguese citizens by foreign courts that were communicated to the Portuguese authorities. For other countries where you lived, Home Affairs asks for that country's own certificate.
How long does the translation take?
Standard delivery for a criminal record certificate is 2 to 4 business days. You can choose 1–2 business days, or urgent within 24 hours, at checkout.
Do I need an apostille on my criminal record certificate?
Home Affairs' instructions for Portuguese police certificates do not mention legalisation or an apostille. Portugal has been a party to the Apostille Convention since 4 February 1969; if another authority asks for one, it is issued by the Procurador-Geral da República, or by delegation the district prosecutors in Porto, Coimbra and Évora. An apostille is translated as an extra page.
Can I get a printed copy?
Yes. The certified translation is always delivered as a PDF by email, and you can add a printed copy sent by post when you order.
Other Portuguese documents we translate
Another document? See Portuguese translation services.