Portugal Visa From UK | Legalisation in London

Are you applying for a Portugal visa from the UK? You must legalise your UK documents for international use before Portuguese authorities can accept them.

Examples of UK documents Portuguese authorities will require you to legalise include:

ACRO police certificates
Birth certificates
Marriage certificates
Degree certificates
HMRC letters
Powers of attorney

Because both the UK and Portugal are parties to the Hague Apostille Convention, the legalisation process involves getting an apostille certificate from the FCDO.

We can facilitate the apostille process on your behalf.

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What’s included in our Portugal visa legalisation service

We handle the document legalisation process end-to-end, covering every service you need to legalise your UK documents for Portugal fully.

Here’s a breakdown of what’s included in our document legalisation services:

Service Component	What It Means for You
FCDO-registered solicitor certification	Saves you from having to coordinate multiple professionals to get your document apostille-ready.
FCDO apostille	We navigate the complex government bureaucracy so you don’t have to.
Certified Portuguese translation	You’ll have a translation on our letterhead that meets Portuguese legal standards.
Tracked DHL return	You’ll know exactly where your documents are for added peace of mind.

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The document delay that stalls Portugal visa applications

We understand that many document legalisation requests when you’re applying for a Portugal visa from the UK are time-sensitive.

You may be dealing with a booked visa appointment, a fixed travel date, or an upcoming employment deadline.

As such, we help you avoid the following mistakes that may delay your visa application:

Submitting an ‘expired’ ACRO police certificate
Submitting an uncertified Portuguese translation
Submitting an uncertified private document to the FCDO for an apostille
Submitting scanned or photocopied public documents to the FCDO when they require the government-issued original

We eliminate these delay-causing errors by ensuring that your UK documents are correctly and fully legalised for Portugal.

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Why Portuguese visa applications need legalised UK documents

Portuguese visa applications require document legalisation as official proof that your UK-issued documents are genuine.

Legalisation is carried out by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), which issues an apostille. The apostille confirms that the signature and stamp on the document are genuine, enabling the Portuguese consulate in London to recognise it legally.

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How our Portugal visa legalisation process works

We simplify the legalisation process with three key steps as follows:

Document certification

A document not issued by a government body must first be certified by an FCDO-registered solicitor or notary before the FCDO can apostille it.

Examples of documents that require prior certification include powers of attorney, degree certificates, and employment contracts.

We’ll use our network of vetted London solicitors and notaries to get your document certified quickly and professionally.

The FCDO apostille

We’ll then submit your document to the FCDO Legalisation Office for an apostille.

We drop off and pick up documents at the FCDO counter each working day, allowing us to process your time-sensitive legalisation requests efficiently.

Document translation

Where required, we’ll provide a sworn translation of your documents into Portuguese.

The standard procedure is to apostille a document first, then translate it.

However, if the requesting authority specifically asks for an apostilled translation, we’ll prepare an apostille-ready translation. The process involves submitting a certified or notarised translation to the FCDO for an apostille.

Tracked Royal Mail or DHL return

You can pick up the fully legalised document from our office in person. Visit our office Monday to Friday from 8 AM to 5 PM.

Alternatively, we can send it to you via trusted services such as Royal Mail and DHL for deliveries within the UK. If you’re outside of the UK, we’ll send it to you via DHL.

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Who we help with Portugal visa documents

We assist a wide range of applicants navigating the Portugal visa process, including:

Residence and D7 visa applicants

For both temporary stay and residence visas in Portugal, you’ll typically need to legalise proof of income and a certificate of criminal record.

The visa categories that often require a criminal background check include:

Temporary stay visas
Study visas
Residency visas
Job seeker visas

As a UK citizen or resident, this criminal background check is typically the ACRO Police Certificate.

Family reunification applicants

In addition to the ACRO certificate, family reunification visas typically require you to legalise your proof of family relationship document.

Examples of the documents you may need to legalise include:

Marriage certificate
Civil partnership certificate
Birth certificate
Adoption certificate
Sole custody court orders

Students, job seekers, and temporary stay applicants

If you’re a student, job seeker, or are applying for a temporary stay, you’ll typically need to legalise your TEFL, transcripts, degree certificate, or other supporting short-stay document.

Many of these requests are time-sensitive, and we recommend you choose our next-day apostille service to ensure your legalised document is ready before your visa appointment or university enrolment date.

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Meet your visa deadlines with properly legalised documents

We do everything correctly the first time to ensure your document is fully legalised for Portugal.

Here’s how we ensure accuracy and fast turnaround:

We check your documents to ensure they meet FCDO requirements before we submit them for an apostille, preventing delays and rejections.
We confirm the correct legalisation and translation route upfront to prevent document rejections.
We offer expedited services, legalising your document the next working day (Express Service) or within 3-4 working days (Standard Service).

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Why UK applicants choose London Apostille Services

We’ve streamlined our operations to ensure we can meet every applicant’s needs quickly and accurately.

Here’s why you should choose us:

We manage the entire document legalisation process, with our team liaising directly with the FCDO on your behalf.
We maintain relationships with trusted FCDO-registered solicitors and notaries in London, which speed up certification and notarisation.
We offer sworn translations on our letterhead, ensuring your Portuguese translation is professionally prepared and is submission-ready.
We follow secure document-handling practices to ensure your sensitive documents remain protected from the moment they reach us until they are safely returned to you.

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Client stories

We have supported several applicants in legalising their documents for use in Portugal and other destinations across the globe.

Here’s what some of them have to say:

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

Let’s answer some of the commonly asked questions about legalising UK documents for a Portuguese visa.

How long does Portugal visa document legalisation take?

The DIY route typically takes 3+ weeks. However, our status as an FCDO-registered business user allows us to secure your apostille as quickly as the next working day with our Express Service, or within 3 to 4 days using our Standard Service.

Is an E-apostille accepted for Portuguese visa applications?

You’ll need the standard paper apostille, as e-apostilles are not accepted for Portuguese visa applications. For other uses, an e-apostille might be accepted.

To be eligible for an e-apostille, your documents must first be notarised with either an Advanced Electronic Signature (AES) or a Qualified Electronic Signature (QES).

Do my documents need Portuguese translation as well?

Translation requirements vary depending on the visa category and the instructions of the requesting authority.

Generally, criminal records checks, birth/marriage certificates, and medical documents will need translations. Also, the translation must be done by a sworn translator.

Can you handle my documents if my VAC appointment is this week?

Yes. With our Express Service, documents received before 9:30 AM are typically ready the following working day. In-person pickup is available. Otherwise, account for the return timelines with DHL or Royal Mail.

Do I need to post original documents or are scanned copies accepted?

For many documents, the original physical copy is required. This is especially true if you’re dealing with a government-issued document (such as a birth certificate, ACRO certificate, etc.).

For private documents (academic certificates, commercial contracts, etc.), we can work with a high-quality scan, assuming the Portuguese authority accepts legalised copies.

Consider using a tracked courier service when posting original documents.

Can you legalise multiple documents at once?

Yes, we can process multiple documents in one order. We’ll review your documents, confirm which require prior certification, and advise whether sworn Portuguese translations are also required.

Get your Portugal visa documents ready for submission

You don’t want legalisation delays or rejections to stall your Portuguese visa application. Whether you are a student, job seeker, or applying for a temporary stay in Portugal, you can use our services to ensure your documents are fully ready for the visa application process.

Our team handles the apostille process directly with the FCDO Legalisation Office and arranges document certification and translations where required.