Portugal is a popular destination for British couples looking to get married abroad, due to its beautiful landscapes, golden beaches and ample sunshine. The legal procedures to get legally married in Portugal are also fairly straightforward, making it an attractive choice compared to many other countries. In this article, we will outline the types of weddings available in Portugal and the processes and documentation required.
Types of Weddings in Portugal
There are four main types of marriage ceremony available in Portugal:
- Civil ceremony: Civil ceremonies are the primary form of marriage in Portugal, and one of only two that are legally binding under Portuguese law. They can be held in most locations and are almost always conducted in Portuguese. Some towns offer ceremonies in English or French; if either partner does not speak Portuguese, you should have an interpreter present, although it is not legally required.
- Catholic ceremony: Catholic weddings are the only other type of marriage besides civil ceremonies that are legally binding under Portuguese law. They follow the usual procedures of the Catholic church, and do not require a civil ceremony in addition.
- Religious ceremony (non-Catholic): You may have a religious ceremony for any faith in Portugal; however, any faith apart from Catholic requires a civil ceremony to have taken place beforehand in order to be legally binding. You will need to present your civil marriage certificate to your chosen religious institution before your religious marriage can be conducted.
- Beach wedding: You may have a civil or symbolic ceremony on any public beach in Portugal, but you must obtain a licence from the maritime police and the local council.
If you would prefer to get legally married in your home country, you can also have a symbolic marriage ceremony or celebration in Portugal. This means that you can benefit from the simplicity of your home country’s legal requirements and procedures while still enjoying the splendour of a Portuguese marriage celebration.
Eligibility to Get Married in Portugal
Unlike several other countries, there is no minimum residency requirement for non-Portuguese nationals who are looking to get married in Portugal.
Foreign nationals do not acquire Portuguese citizenship if they marry a Portuguese national.
Both parties must be at least 16 years of age on the marriage date; however, parental consent is required for those under 18 years of age.
Same-sex marriages have been legal in Portugal since 2010 and have the same eligibility requirements as mixed-sex marriages.
Necessary Documents for Marriage in Portugal
In order to get married in Portugal, you will require many official documents.
Firstly, you will need to apply for a marriage licence from a Portuguese Civil Registry Office (Conservatória do Registo Civil). This application must be processed by a local lawyer or solicitor – or a local priest if you are having a Catholic wedding – and takes at least four weeks. You must indicate in your application the date, time and location of your wedding and whether you intend to have a civil or a Catholic ceremony. , You must also share your prenuptial agreement. You will be required to pay a fee for this – the specific amount changes from year to year. Once you have obtained your marriage licence, your marriage ceremony must take place within six months.
In order to apply for a marriage licence, both parties must provide the following documentation:
- Certificate of No Impediment or Certificate of Freedom to Marry – in ‘international’ form or accompanied by an apostilled translation into Portuguese
- A certified copy of your passport – the passport must have at least six months of validity remaining at the time of the wedding
- Original, full long-form birth certificate (showing both parents’ full names), issued no more than six months before your wedding date
- If either party is divorced, certified copies of your decree absolute (or final order) and your previous marriage certificate
- If either party is widowed, certified copies of the death certificate(s) of your previous spouse(s) and your previous marriage certificate
- A certified copy of your name-change deed poll certificate
- A certified copy of your adoption certificate
- Power of attorney given to the lawyer/solicitor to apply for the marriage application on your behalf, issued no more than six months before your wedding date
If you intend to have a Catholic marriage, you will require some additional documents, namely:
- Separate letters from your local priest and bishop, granting permission for you to marry in your chosen church and confirming that you have fulfilled all Pre-Cana procedures and attended the necessary premarital classes.
- The original prenuptial inquiry form issued by your parish on your parish church’s formal letterhead and with the church’s seals and signatures. This document must be stamped by the local bishop’s office.
- Certificates of baptism, first communion and confirmation, stamped by the local bishop’s office.
- If one of the spouses is not Catholic, you will also require a Permission of Mixed Religions document, which can be obtained from the local priest.
Your Certificate of No Impediment, certified copy of your passport, birth certificate, divorce decree absolute/final order, previous spouse’s death certificate and previous marriage certificate must all be apostilled individually in order to be accepted by the Portuguese authorities. Additionally, any documents that are not in Portuguese must be accompanied by an official translation into Portuguese, which must itself be apostilled as well as the original document. All documents and their translations must be issued within six months of your wedding date.
Once you have got married in Portugal, you will likely need to have your Portuguese marriage certificate translated into the language of your home country in order to register your marriage with the relevant authorities and update other official documentation such as your driving licence. This translation will typically need to be certified and may also need to be apostilled, depending on the specific purpose for which it is needed.
At Business Language Services, we have been providing translations into Portuguese for over 30 years and can assist with getting the original and translated documents such that they are accepted by the Portuguese authorities.
If you are looking to get married in Portugal, speak to our friendly team today for more information by calling+44 (0)29 2066 7666 or sending an email to in**@*************************co.uk, or get a quote.
