UK company documents for Portugal
For Portugal, start with official Companies House certificates — often a Certificate of Good Standing — then an FCDO apostille if the recipient asks for legalisation. Portugal has been a Hague Apostille Convention party since 1969, so embassy legalisation is not usually required. Confirm paper versus e-Apostille with the named recipient. CH documents are buy-now; apostille stays quote-only.
How a typical Portugal document job runs
Working-day steps — confirm the recipient’s written list first.
Confirm the recipient checklist
Get the Portuguese bank, registry or counsel list in writing: exact documents, age window, paper vs e-Apostille, and whether a Portuguese translation is required.
Order Companies House originals (buy-now)
Order COGS, certified incorporation, articles or the pack. Standard CH aims ~10 working days; we then scan and send, typically within 1–3 working days of receipt.
Request an apostille quote if needed
If the checklist needs legalisation, submit a quote. We confirm fulfilment before taking apostille money. Official FCDO fees: paper £45 · e-Apostille £35 (GOV.UK).
Hague Apostille — Portugal is a party
The HCCH Apostille Convention status table (last update 30 June 2026) lists Portugal as a Contracting Party: signature 20 August 1965, ratification 6 December 1968, entry into force 4 February 1969. The Portuguese Public Prosecution Service also explains apostille as the Hague formality that replaces legalisation between Contracting States (Ministério Público FAQ).
GOV.UK Get your document legalised is the UK FCDO apostille service (including Companies House certificates). For Hague destinations the apostille is normally the UK legalisation step; GOV.UK’s embassy-then-ministry chain is for non-Hague countries. We will not invent extra embassy steps.
Confirm with the receiving authority
- Ask for paper vs e-Apostille, language, age window and the exact Companies House products.
- Banks, the commercial registry and private counsel can differ. One Portuguese recipient is not a national rule.
- Private-agent document notes only — not legal, visa, immigration or bank-account-opening advice.
Paper versus e-Apostille
GOV.UK offers paper apostille and e-Apostille and tells you to check what the person asking actually wants. Official fees: paper £45 (+ courier/postage); e-Apostille £35. Standard paper is usually up to 25 working days; e-Apostille up to 2 working days — always recheck live GOV.UK. e-Apostille is not universally accepted. Guide: paper vs e-Apostille for Portuguese banks. Apostille stays quote-only — no buy-now apostille button.
Typical company-document list (examples only)
Common checklist items include a Certificate of Good Standing, a certified Certificate of Incorporation and certified articles — sometimes further named filings. These are examples, not advice on opening a Portuguese account, NHR paperwork or registering a branch. Map the written list before you pay. Ambiguous wording? Use Which document?.
Buy-now Companies House prices (ex VAT)
- COGS — £79 std (CH £22) · £129 express (CH £65)
- Certified incorporation — £49 (CH £22)
- Documents pack — £249–£299 (typical £279; CH £66 on the standard three-doc set)
CH standard aims ~10 working days; we typically scan and send within 1–3 working days of receipt. Express COGS follows the before-11am CH rule where offered.
Freshness and translation
Companies House prints no legal expiry. Portuguese recipients often want documents within about 90 days — recipient practice, not UK law. Check age with the freshness helper. Portuguese translation is recipient-specific and quote-only — confirm language, translator type and sequence in writing.
Related pages
- COGS · Pack · Incorporation
- UAE destination notes · Spain · Tools
Who we are
PASECOM GROUP LTD / Pasecom Group Ltd · 17139327 · 82a James Carter Road, Mildenhall, IP28 7DE · ICO ZC117546 · pete@pasecom.co.uk. Trading as UKCOGS. Private agent — not Companies House, not the FCDO, not GOV.UK.
Sources checked the week of publish: HCCH Apostille Convention status table (cid=41, last update 30 June 2026 — Portugal EIF 4 Feb 1969); GOV.UK “Get your document legalised”; Portuguese Ministério Público apostille FAQ. Page last updated 16 September 2026.
FAQ — UK documents for Portugal
Confirm every answer against the recipient’s written checklist. Last updated 16 September 2026.
Is Portugal in the Hague Apostille Convention?
Yes. The HCCH status table for the 1961 Apostille Convention (last update 30 June 2026) lists Portugal as a Contracting Party: signed 20 August 1965, ratified 6 December 1968, in force 4 February 1969. An FCDO apostille is the usual UK legalisation step. Confirm the named recipient still wants it.
Do I still need Portuguese embassy legalisation?
Usually no for Hague-covered public documents. GOV.UK’s extra embassy-and-ministry chain is described for countries that are not Hague parties. Portugal is a party. If a checklist still names embassy attestation, ask the recipient in writing before paying for extra steps.
What Companies House documents are commonly listed?
Examples: Certificate of Good Standing (company certificate with summary statement where eligible), certified Certificate of Incorporation, certified articles. Some Portuguese counsel lists add further filings. Examples only — match the written list. Not legal, visa or bank-account advice.
What are UKCOGS prices for the Companies House stage?
Buy-now ex VAT: COGS £79 standard / £129 express (official CH £22 / £65), certified incorporation £49 (CH £22), pack £249–£299 (typical £279; standard three-document CH fees £66). Confirm official fees on GOV.UK.
Will a Portuguese recipient accept an e-Apostille?
Not universally. GOV.UK says ask whether the person wants paper or e-Apostille, and some document types are not eligible for e-Apostille. Many Portuguese registries and banks still prefer paper. Ask in writing. Apostille remains quote-only with UKCOGS.
How fresh should the certificate be?
Companies House does not print a legal expiry. Recipients commonly ask for documents within about 90 days — sometimes 30 or 60. That is recipient practice, not UK statute. Use the document freshness helper and confirm the written window.
Do I need a Portuguese translation?
Sometimes. Language, sworn translator rules and whether translation happens before or after apostille are set by the recipient. Translations are quote-only. Do not assume English-only documents will pass.
How long does this take in working days?
CH standard aims ~10 working days; we typically scan and send within 1–3 working days of receipt. Express COGS follows the before-11am CH rule where offered. GOV.UK lists standard paper apostille usually up to 25 working days and e-Apostille up to 2 working days — quoted case by case, not guaranteed.
Ready for a Portugal document route?
Order Companies House originals now. Request a quote for FCDO apostille — quote-only, no apostille buy button.