Registering Your Baby in Portugal

After the birth of your child in Portugal, you have 20 days to register the birth at the Conservatória do Registo Civil (Civil Registry). This is one of those bureaucratic moments that can feel overwhelming — but with the right documents, it is straightforward.

Step-by-step

1. Collect documents from the hospital: “Boletim de Saúde” (health bulletin) and birth declaration from the hospital
2. Both parents bring: valid IDs (passports or EU ID cards), your own marriage certificate (if applicable, and ideally apostilled), hospital birth declaration
3. Visit the Conservatória do Registo Civil in the municipality where the child was born
4. Register the birth and choose the child's name (must comply with Portuguese naming rules if the child will have Portuguese nationality)
5. Receive the birth certificate (“Assento de Nascimento”)
6. Apply for the child's NIF (tax number) — can be done at the same time or at Finanças
7. Apply for NISS for the child if needed (for child benefits)

Important notes

• If parents are not married, both parents must be present
• Foreign birth certificates used in Portugal must be apostilled
• Hospital staff often speak English, but the Conservatória may not — bring someone who speaks Portuguese or contact Ponte Portugal