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Frequently Asked Questions
 

  1. I am an U.S. citizen living/traveling abroad, what services does the American Citizen Services unit offer?
  2. I am an U.S. citizen traveling in Portugal/Europe, what should I be aware of while traveling?
  3. I am an U.S. citizen living in Portugal and my passport has been stolen or has expired. How may I obtain a replacement passport?
  4. According to the requirements for renewing a U.S. Passport, I need a 100gr envelope. Where can I get one?
  5. What kind of photo do I need to renew my U.S. Passport?
  6. I am an U.S. citizen in Portugal and I need medical help. What can I do?
  7. I am an U.S. citizen living in Portugal. How do I go about receiving my social security/federal benefits check abroad?
  8. I am an U.S. citizen and I want to marry a Portuguese citizen. What procedures should we take to ensure that our marriage be legal/registered in both countries?
  9. My relative is a U.S. citizen who has recently died in Portugal. What happens now?
  10. Whom would I contact regarding legal matters/questions in Portugal?
  11. I am going to attend a school in Portugal. Can the U.S. Embassy authenticate my transcript? What measures do I have to take to send my transcript to my new Portuguese institution?
  12. How do I go about applying for a job at the embassy?
  13. What are the names of some of the U.S. companies with locations in Portugal?
  14. How do I obtain a driver's license in Portugal?
  15. Can the American Citizen Services Unit translate documents for me?
  1. I am an U.S. citizen living/traveling abroad, what services does the American Citizen Services unit offer?
    U.S. citizens and others may make an appointment to apply for/or renew passports, obtain Consular Reports of Birth Abroad, apply for extra visa pages in U.S. passports, obtain notarial services, or to seek general advice.
    Appointments are available daily. For details, or to make an appointment, please access our appointment page.
    After making an appointment, please be sure to bring the completed application forms and required documents with you. A list of required forms and specific information for the services we offer can be found by following the links on the left hand side of this page.

  2. I am an U.S. citizen traveling in Portugal/Europe, what should I be aware of while traveling?
    Visit Travel.state.gov for information specific to Portugal for residents and travelers. Please also refer to the STEP program (the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program), which is a free program provided by the U.S. Government for U.S. citizens who are traveling to a foreign country. STEP allows you to enter information about upcoming travel plans so the U.S. Embassy can contact you in the case of an emergency.

  3. I am an U.S. citizen living in Portugal and my passport has been stolen or has expired. How may I obtain a replacement passport?
    The U.S. Embassy accepts applications to replace lost, stolen or damaged passports. U.S. citizens must come to the Embassy in Lisbon during regular working hours and comply with the list of requirements for obtaining a new passport that are available on the Lost or Stolen Passports page.
    To renew your passport that you still have in your posession, please refer to the Passports page of our website to see if you can avail of our “renew by mail” service.

  4. According to the requirements for renewing a U.S. Passport, I need a 100gr envelope. Where can I get one?
    The pre-paid register mail (red in color) 100g envelope (size A5) can be purchased at your local post office. Make sure to address it to yourself and send it to the U.S. Embassy in another envelope.
    At the post office (CTT) you can ask for an “envelope pré-pago registo ‘Correiro Registado’ (dos vermelhos), tamanho A5/100gr.”

  5. What kind of photo do I need to renew my U.S. Passport?
    The photo must be 5cm x 5cm or 2in x 2in in size. You must make sure to leave space between the top of your head and the margin of the photo. Photos can also be taken in a photo booth located in the lobby of the Consular section. Photos cost €5 a sheet and must be paid in €0,50, €1, or €2 coins. We recommend that infants take photos at home or through a private photo service.

  6. I am an U.S. citizen in Portugal and I need medical help. What can I do?
    In case of a life-threatening emergency, the national emergency number to call is 112 for a public ambulance. The U.S. Embassy compiles a medical directory that is available on our website. You may also refer to the Portuguese Ministry of Health and Medical Facilities and Health Information for further information.

  7. I am an U.S. citizen living in Portugal. How do I go about receiving my social security/federal benefits check abroad?
    You may refer to the Federal Benefits Unit page for their contact information. Most transactions can be conducted by phone. You may also consult the main Social Security Administration page for more information.

  8. I am an U.S. citizen and I want to marry a Portuguese citizen. What procedures should we take to ensure that our marriage be legal/registered in both countries?
    U.S. citizens that wish to marry Portuguese citizens are required to do so in accordance with Portuguese law. In order to be granted permission to marry in Portugal, please refer to Marriage in Portugal (PDF - 15kb) for more information and the necessary requirements.
    Marriage law in the U.S. falls under the jurisdiction of individual state law. Please contact your state government to find out if they will recognize your marriage in Portugal by comity/reciprocity or if there is another process to register your marriage. The Embassy represents the federal government and cannot comment on state law.

  9. My relative is a U.S. citizen who has recently died in Portugal. What happens now?
    When an U.S. citizen dies abroad, a consular officer notifies the next-of-kin and offers information to the family regarding the options and costs involved in making funeral arrangements. If the deceased has no legal representative or trustee in Portugal, a consular officer will act as ‘provisional conservator’ of the deceased’s effects. A consular officer will also prepare a Consular Report of Death Abroad based on the local death certificate for use by the next-of-kin. For more information, please see the Death Abroad page.

  10. Whom would I contact regarding legal matters/questions in Portugal?
    Please refer to our directory of lawyers, for our most recent list of attorneys. The Embassy cannot offer legal advice for the private matters of U.S. citizens. You may also refer to the travel.state.gov website for tips on retaining a foreign attorney or for general judicial assistance.
    We will help you in cases of emergencies and serious problems such as arrest, victim’s assistance, or child abduction. Please contact the U.S. Embassy immediately if you encounter a serious problem.

  11. I am going to attend a school in Portugal. Can the U.S. Embassy authenticate my transcript? What measures do I have to take to send my transcript to my new Portuguese institution?
    The U.S. Embassy does not authenticate educational transcripts. Transcripts may be authenticated by the Secretary of State of the state in which the grades were obtained and then translated into Portuguese. Alternatively, you can go to a Portuguese consulate in the U.S. to have the transcripts authenticated. The U.S. Embassy does not take affidavits for English to Portuguese translations, but instead provides a list of translators. For more information regarding official documents, please see Documents and Notarials page as well as the page with information about the Apostille.

  12. How do I go about applying for a job at the embassy?
    Please see the Department of State career page for potential job opportunities. Our AmCits in Portugal Facebook page also posts local job opportunities in Portugal.

  13. What are the names of some of the U.S. companies with locations in Portugal?
    The Foreign Commercial Service has information on market research and doing business in Portugal, as well as a Frequently Asked Questions page with information on the USCS and more.

  14. How do I obtain a driver's license in Portugal?
    Please refer to our website for more information about how you can transfer your American driver’s license for a Portuguese one.

  15. Can the American Citizen Services Unit translate documents for me?
    No, the U.S. Embassy does not complete translations of any kind. Please see our list of translators for more information. We do, however, notarize affidavits from translators who perform Portuguese to English translations at the Embassy. The person who translated the document should be present and make an appointment on our website.

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