What they are

Besides powers of attorney and contracts, we usually authenticate signatures made to give permission to travel on responsibility acts to allow a foreign citizen to enter in Portugal and all kinds of affidavits.

For the notary to recognize a signature:

• She must read the document;
• The document must be written in English, French or Spanish and if another language, it must be translated by someone of her choice;
• The document is not blank, written or signed with a pencil or using materials which offer no fixity or durability;
• The person who signs presents one of the following valid identification documents issued by one of the EU countries: identity card, citizen card or driving license (or similar, military or diplomatic), passport, residence permit, Brazilian identification document mentioning the holder’s nationality and referring to the Friendship Agreement Portugal Brazil, Angolan, Cape Verdean, Guinean or São Tome identity card. Whenever he/she does not have one of these documents, he/she can be identified by two witnesses who hold one of the above mentioned valid documents.

If one person is not mentally fit, does not understand the Portuguese language, does not know or cannot sign, the not emancipated minors, the death, dumbs and blinds, those working in the notary’s office, the spouse, the great-great-parents, the great parents, the parents, the children, the grand-children, the grand-grand-children, the brothers, the sisters, the brothers and sisters in law of the notary issuing the act, of the applicants, their representatives or represented, both husband and wife and anyone who, due to the act has acquired a patrimonial advantage, cannot be a witness.

When the person wants to have his/her signature attested and he / she does not know how to sign, he/she must go along with someone else who will sign the document on his /her behalf.

The notary’s assistants by delegation of competences can sign attestations.

Individual present authentications

Individual authentications for a person in his / her name are always made in presence and according to the law we can just attest the signature or the letter and the signature.

Authorizations for minors to travel

Minors can enter and leave the national territory when they go along with someone holding parental responsibilities or someone holding an authorization given for those holding parental responsibilities. This document giving the power to a dully identified third part to travel along with the minor must be attested in a notary’s office.

The authorization can be used for an unlimited number of times while it is valid but never for more than one year; in case no delay in mentioned in the authorization we consider it was issued for a six months period.

Find more in the Serviço de Estrangeiros e Fronteiras’ portal

We can write and adapt your authorization text for the minor to travel as well as issue the signature authentication document for the person having the parental responsibilities.

Responsibility acts

These documents are done by someone who declares his / her responsibility over a foreign citizen who intends to enter in Portugal, stay in national territory, the eventual moving expenses and the accomplishment of our law.

We can write and adapt the text to your own needs and attest the signature of the person responsible for the foreign entry in Portugal.

Find more in the Serviço de Estrangeiros e Fronteiras’ portal

Authentications in presence or by resemblance made by a representative.

Signatures’ attestations made by representatives (attorneys, managers, administrators) can be done when the person is present or by comparing the signature with his / her identification document or an attested copy of that same document. We also need the power of attorney or the commercial act and sometimes also a minutes.