Overview
The British Consulate Lisbon and the Vice Consulate Portimão can provide a limited number of notarial and documentary services for UK nationals in Portugal. Where local notaries can provide services, the British consulate will not provide them. In many cases, local notaries or lawyers can provide services more cheaply, quickly and conveniently.
The services we do provide are available at the British Consulate Lisbon and the Vice Consulate Portimão. You must make an appointment for each service.
Before booking, make sure you have selected the correct service and that the document will be accepted by the relevant authority. This could be the local town hall, registry office, tax authorities, immigration office or another authority either in Portugal, the UK or a third country.
Services we provide in Portugal
Consular staff in Portugal can:
- certify copies of British passports
- issue vehicle importation certificates
- provide informative notes on name change
For information about documents relating to marriage, see getting married abroad and our
If you can’t find what you’re looking for on this page, see the other services provided by the British consulate in Portugal.
What to bring to your appointment
See the individual services below for details of supporting documents to bring. Make sure you have acceptable proof of address and identity, and payment for consular fees.
Payment
We accept payment by Visa or MasterCard in sterling. Payment will be collected after your appointment has been confirmed.
Proof of address and identity
For all appointments for notarial services you will need to bring acceptable proof of your identity and address.
We accept passports as proof of identity. We accept utility bills, bank statements, residence certificates and permits and driving licences as proof of your address in Portugal.
Obtain a certified copy of a British passport
This service is for customers who need certified photocopies of their British passports. This service is only available at the British Embassy in Lisbon. The holder of the passport is required to be present for this service.
What you will need to bring with you:
If you find that there are no appointments available, please check the following day as appointments are released on a daily basis.
Obtain a car importation certificate
This service is for customers who are transferring their residence to Portugal and are applying for tax exemption on the importation of a vehicle.
Before booking an appointment, ensure you understand the requirements for the duty free importation of your vehicle and that you meet the criteria set out by the Customs authority.
Get advice from your local Customs authority and see our guidance on importation of motor vehicles into Portugal.
If they confirm you are eligible for duty free importation, book an appointment with us to take a sworn declaration that you have transferred your residence to Portugal. The owner of the vehicle is required to be present for this service.
You will need to come to the Embassy in Lisbon or the Consulate in Portimão to take the declaration.
What you will need to bring with you:
- your British passport
- residence certificate
- vehicle registration document
- proof of address in Portugal
- declaration form completed but unsigned (provided by the British Consulate after you have booked an appointment)
The fees for this service (Fees 2ii and 4) will be taken in sterling by credit card after your appointment has been confirmed. The fees will not be reimbursed if you later find you are not eligible to import your vehicle tax-free.
or
If you find that there are no appointments available, please check the following day as appointments are released on a daily basis.
Obtain an informative note on change of name
An informative note from the consulate is occasionally required for notarial and bureaucratic procedures in Portugal. These include the sale of a property when the property was bought and registered in a previous surname, or for remarriage when a divorcee has taken on her first husband’s surname and has not reverted back to her maiden name which appears on her birth certificate.
It is not possible to change your name and/or surname by deed poll or declaration in Portugal, and a married woman will usually retain their own surname. If you submit a legalised and translated version of your British name change document, or other documentary evidence to prove the change, the Portuguese authorities may require confirmation from the consulate that this is a legal process in the UK.
You may like to print out the free version of the informative note and ask the Portuguese authorities whether the website copy is acceptable:
Services provided elsewhere
We no longer provide life certificates for UK nationals claiming a British pension abroad. Refer to the list of people working in a recognised profession who can do this for you.
Data protection
Her Majesty’s Government holds and uses data for purposes notified to the Information Commissioner under the Data Protection Act 1998. Such personal data may be disclosed to other UK government departments and public authorities.
Disclaimer
This information is provided as a general guide and is based upon information provided to the consulate by the relevant authorities and may be subject to change at any time with little or no notice. Accordingly, neither the UK government nor the British Consulate will be liable for any inaccuracies in this information. For all notarial and legalisation services it is the responsibility of the customer to ascertain the precise requirements of the person requesting the notarial or legalisation service and to satisfy themselves that the service provided by the consulate will be accepted.
