The justica.gov.pt and ePortugal.gov.pt portals provide an overview of the public services available online and how they can be accessed. The portals also serve as the gateway to the different national registries from which an individual may request different certificates. The portals provide access to public e-services to citizens. However, for most of the services the portals provide information on the possibility of in person services and information on how to schedule appointments with relevant public administrations.
There still remains some services that are not available online. For example, obtaining a passport or initiating an adoption process. However, a step-by-step guide on how to schedule an appointment and what documents are needed is included on both portals (justiça.gov.pt and ePortugal.gov.pt), in order for the citizen to have all the necessary information also regarding those services that are not e-services yet.
Legal aid in Portugal is the responsibility of the Portuguese Institute of Social Security (Instituto da Segurança Social).
The request for legal aid may be done:
- online, through the Direct Social Security (except for legal persons and natural persons without a Social Security Identification Number);
- in person, at the Social Security counters;
- by mail, fax or email.
Competent authority: Social Security Institute
Conditions of access:
- Eligibility requirements: Legal aid may be requested by natural persons or legal or equivalent persons, either profit-making or not
- Identification and authentication requirements: The citizens have to authenticate themselves either through the digital authentication certificate of their ID card or the Mobile Digital key, or by using their Social Security Number and password.
- Documents to be provided: In addition to the form, they must submit documents proving their economic situation.
Legal effects of electronic document: N/A
Possibility to complete the procedure fully online: Yes
Cost: The service is free of charge.
Link: https://www.seg-social.pt/protecao-juridica
More information on how to lodge an application for legal aid is available here: https://justica.gov.pt/Servicos/Pedir-apoio-judiciario
In Portugal, it is the Commission for the Protection of Victims of Crime (CPVC), a body of the Ministry of Justice, that is responsible for deciding claims for compensation to be granted by the Portuguese State, presented by victims of violent crimes and victims of domestic violence in national proceedings.
The protection of victims of violent crimes consists in the attribution of a compensation by the State to those victims, when the perpetrator of the crime does not have the capacity to compensate the victim him or herself or when it is not possible to identify the person responsible for the acts that occurred.
Victims of domestic violence may be entitled to receive financial support from the State (paid on a monthly basis) whenever they are in a situation of serious economic need (e.g. when there is a family breakdown).
The applications are free of any costs or charges for the victim and even the documents and certificates needed for this application can be obtained free of charge.
The application should be made using the online form available on the website of the CPVC. You can also download the forms available at the website of the CPVC and submit the completed form along with other documents, either in person (after appointment), by fax or email.
Further information about the procedure is available here.
The delivery of procedural documents is still limited to legal professionals (lawyers, solicitors and court administrators) and other entities, such as the public prosecution services, criminal police bodies, etc. Citizens still cannot interact online; they can only consult their cases.
This is not a technical limitation, but a legal one. Orders 280/2013 and 380/2017, which regulate electronic proceedings, still do not provide for this possibility.
However, it is possible for the citizens to access online all their cases pending before the judicial courts and administrative and tax courts through authentication using their Citizen's Card or Mobile Digital Key (as described below).
Purpose and scope: The citizens can access their cases pending before the judicial courts and administrative and tax courts through authentication using their Citizen's Card or Mobile Digital Key through the e-service My Case.
Not all proceedings can be consulted online, as the law provides for some limitations to this right (for example when the proceedings are under justice secrecy). In some situations, it is not possible for some parties to the proceedings to consult all the acts in the proceedings - for example, in the enforcement actions, the person against whom proceedings have been brought (the defendant) does not have access to the actions concerning the beginning of the attachment proceedings.
Competent authority: Ministry of Justice (Ministério da Justiça)
Conditions of access:
- Eligibility requirements: N/A
- Identification and authentication requirements: The citizens must authenticate themselves either through the digital authentication certificate of their ID card or the Mobile Digital key.
- Documents to be provided: N/A
Legal effects of electronic document: N/A
Possibility to complete the procedure fully online: Yes
Cost: The service is free of charge.
Link: https://processos.tribunais.org.pt/autenticacao
More information on how to access judicial documents in Portugal is available here.
The serving of official court documents electronically is determined by the Civil Procedure Code, more specifically by articles 132 and 225. The transmission of documents through such means should be done through the IT systems supporting the activities of the court. The specific IT system is not defined. A special IT portal has been created for the communication of the courts with attorneys and solicitors through the Citius Portal.
Purpose and scope: e-leilões.pt is a platform developed by the Solicitors and Enforcement Agents National Association (OSAE) for the sale of goods by electronic auction, approved by Order No. 12624/2015.
Competent authority: Solicitors and Enforcement Agents National Association (Ordem dos Solicitadores e dos Agentes de Execução)
Conditions of access:
- Eligibility requirements: The portal is open to everyone.
- Identification and authentication requirements: No identification or authentication requirements.
- Documents to be provided: No documents needed
Legal effects of electronic document: N/A
Possibility to complete the procedure fully online: Yes
Cost: N/A
Link: https://tribunais.org.pt/Dividas/Acao-executiva/Leilao-eletronico
Labour mediation services
Purpose and scope: The labour mediator meets with the employer and the employee and helps them reach an agreement, which is written and signed. If no agreement is reached, the case can continue in court. Labour mediation can be requested by the employer or by the employee with an individual employment contract. The Labour Mediation System (Sistema de Mediação Laboral – SML) can mediate various labour disputes, such as: changes in the payment of wages; the payment of compensation; the payment of allowances in arrears; promotions; change of workplace; change of working hours; change of professional category; overtime work; termination (cancellation) of an employment contract; the scheduling of holidays; a disciplinary procedure; refusal of vocational training; non-compliance with occupational safety, hygiene and health rules; the assignment of the employee to another company; pursuing another activity in competition with the company; non-recognition of the status of working student; some legal issues related to the employment contract; etc.
Competent authority: Alternative Dispute Resolution Office (Gabinete de Resolução Alternativa de Litígios-GRAL) of the Directorate General for Justice Policy (Direção-Geral da Política de Justiça-DGPJ)
Conditions of access:
- Eligibility requirements: Labour mediation, through the Labour Mediation System, can be requested by an employer (if it is a legal entity, a representative must be chosen) or an employee with an individual employment contract.
- Identification and authentication requirements: The citizens must authenticate themselves either through the digital authentication certificate of their ID card or the Mobile Digital key.
- Documents to be provided: The user requests labour mediation through an online form. The employer and the employee are then contacted by DGPJ/GRAL to confirm the request for mediation and a labour mediator is appointed (or, if they prefer, they can choose a mediator from the list of mediators).
Legal effects of electronic document: N/A
Possibility to complete the procedure fully online: Yes
Cost: EUR 50 for each of the parties involved in the process, regardless of the number of mediation sessions and the total duration of the process.
Link: https://ralmais.dgpj.justica.gov.pt/ords/f?p=180:2:
More information on labour mediation services in Portugal is available here: https://meiosral.justica.gov.pt/Meios-RAL/Mediacao-Laboral
Family mediation services
Purpose and scope: Family mediation allows the resolution of disputes, disagreements, and family breakdowns outside the courts. Nevertheless, most of the agreements on family matters must be submitted to court approval or to the civil registry office (for instance agreements concerning the divorce or the regulation of parental responsibilities). The Family Mediation System (Sistema de Mediação Familiar – SMF) is a service promoted by the Ministry of Justice and operates nationwide. Cross-border mediation can also take place as long as one of the parties is in Portugal. Among others, the SMF is competent to mediate disputes that may arise from separation or divorce cases; about the regulation, alteration or non-fulfilment of parental responsibilities; about the designation of the family home (in cases of separation or divorce).
Competent authority: Alternative Dispute Resolution Office (Gabinete de Resolução Alternativa de Litígios-GRAL) of the Directorate General for Justice Policy (Direção-Geral da Política de Justiça-DGPJ)
Conditions of access:
- Eligibility requirements: Any person involved in family disputes, disagreements, or ruptures (including in cases of divorce, separation, and parental responsibility regulation).
- Identification and authentication requirements: The citizens must authenticate themselves either through the digital authentication certificate of their ID card or the Mobile Digital key.
- Documents to be provided: The form only asks for a brief description of the dispute, identification of the two parties involved and the user may provide any additional information that could be useful to the case. The parties are then contacted by DGPJ/GRAL to confirm the request for mediation and a family mediator is appointed (or, if they prefer, they can choose a mediator from the list of mediators).
Legal effects of electronic document: N/A
Possibility to complete the procedure fully online: Yes
Cost: EUR 50 for each of the parties involved in the process, regardless of the number of mediation sessions and the total duration of the process.
Link: https://ralmais.dgpj.justica.gov.pt/ords/f?p=165:2::::::
More information on family mediation services in Portugal is available here.
Purpose and scope: An online platform facilitating the setting up of a company and online access to the company registry.
Competent authority: Registry and Notary Institute (Instituto dos Registos e do Notariado)
Conditions of access:
- Eligibility requirements: A company can be set up online if all partners have an ID with activated digital signature. It can also be set up by lawyers, solicitors or notaries
- Identification and authentication requirements: The citizens must authenticate themselves either through the digital authentication certificate of their ID card (or passport) or the Mobile Digital key. Lawyers, solicitors and notaries may also use their digital certificate attesting their professional quality to authenticate themselves.
- Documents to be provided: Without prejudice to other documents, which may be necessary, related to the capacity and powers for the act and any special authorizations that are necessary for the incorporation of the company, for the subsequent registry of the company incorporation and appointment of managers/directors must be presented a declaration of acceptance of the appointment and a statement that they are not aware of circumstances that may inhibit them from occupying the role.
Legal effects of electronic document: N/A
Possibility to complete the procedure fully online: Yes
Cost: The cost of setting up a company:
- using the pre-approved social pact template is EUR 220.
- with the partners drawing up their own social pact is EUR 360.
- for a trademark associated with a class of goods or services is EUR 100 and EUR 44 for any additional class.
Link: https://eportugal.gov.pt/espaco-empresa/empresa-online
More information how to set up a company in Portugal is available here.
It´s possible to access the information on companies, contained in the Portuguese business register, through the Permanent Certificate, in Portuguese and English.
The request for the permanent certificate can be done over the Internet, with no need for authentication.
The Permanent Certificate in English:
- has the same legal status as a certificate in Portuguese;
- has the same price of a certificate in Portuguese;
- has easily obtained as a permanent certificate in Portuguese: requested and consulted on the Internet, in a completely dematerialized way.
More information is available here.
It´s possible to access the information on vehicles, contained in the Portuguese vehicle’s registry, through the Permanent Certificate, in Portuguese. The request for the permanent certificate can be made over the Internet, with no need for authentication. Certificate requests can be made in English, but the certificate will be provided in Portuguese.
Purpose and scope: The permanent certificate of vehicle registration provides, online, all the registries in force regarding a vehicle, even the pending requests. It is always updated and available.
This certificate proves who the vehicle’s owner is and what charges pertain to it.
The permanent certificate has the same legal value as the paper certificate. No public or private entity may refuse to receive the permanent certificate’s code instead of the paper certificate.
Cost: The permanent vehicle registration certificate costs EUR 10.
Payment options:
- ATM
- Home banking (on the website or your bank application).
More information is available here.
Portugal does not provide online public translation services in the field of Justice. However, the following documents and certifications may be requested in a multi-language format in line with Regulation (EU) 2016/1191:
- Birth
- Death
- Marriage (including capacity to marry and marital status)
- Criminal record certificate.
More information is available here.