How to request the Citizen Card?
The Citizen Card identifies the Portuguese citizen before any public or private entity. It is mandatory for all Portuguese citizens.
The Citizen Card comprises the civil identification, fiscal identification (tax payer number), health services user and social security number.
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Find out how and where you can request the Citizen Card
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The first request of the Citizen Card has to be done in person
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See the associated costs in the 'What is the price' field
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Consult the documents required to request the Citizen Card in the field 'What are the documents and requirements'
Search for a point of service near you:
Who can Request the first Citizen Card?
Any Portuguese citizen can request the Citizen Card. This document is mandatory and should be requested up to 20 days after the birth of a baby.
The Brazilian citizens with a valid residence permit, under the Porto Seguro Treaty.
When can you Request the first Citizen Card?
The Citizen Card is mandatory and must be requested up to 20 days after the birth of a baby.
When the first Citizen's Card is requested, in addition to the Civil Identification Number (NIC), the citizen is given the Tax Identification Number (NIF), the Social Security Identification Number (NISS), and the NHS user number, and does not need to be dealt with beforehand.
The Citizen Card is an option to Brazilian citizens to whom was assigned the general statute of equal rights and duties provided on the Porto Seguro Treaty of 2000.
Where can you Request the first Citizen Card?
What are the documents and requirements to Request the first Citizen Card?
If you hold any of the following documents, you must display them when you submit the request:
- the identification document
- the tax payer card (NIF)
- the Social Security card
- the user card of the National Health System or other health system you may have
- the voter card.
- It is essential to bring the valid residence permit if you are a Brazilian citizen who will request the Citizen Card under the general statute of equal rights and duties provided on the Porto Seguro Treaty of 2000.
What is the Price to Request the first Citizen Card?
The prices varies accordingly to the card’s validity date, the request urgency and the place where you want to pick up the card.
Delivery of the card in Portugal
| Request | Validity until 5 years | Valid for more than 5 years | |
|---|---|---|---|
| normal | normal | 15 € | 18 € |
| first request for babies up to 20 days | 7.50 € | ||
| urgent | 30 € | 33 € | |
| Extremely urgent (on the same day or on the following business day) | 50 € | 53 € | |
| provisional card (delivered in the same day) | 70 € | ||
Delivery of the card abroad
| Request | Validity until 5 years | Valid for more than 5 years | |
|---|---|---|---|
| normal | normal | 20 € | 23 € |
| first request for babies up to 20 days | 10 € | ||
| urgent | 45 € | 48 € | |
External Service
If you need an IRN employee to come to you to receive the card request, you shall add 40€ more to the card’s price.
Validity of the Citizen Card
| Requested by | Validity of the card | |
|---|---|---|
| Portuguese citizens | under 25 years old | 5 years |
| over 25 years old | 10 years | |
| Brazilian citizens covered by the Porto Seguro Treaty | under 25 years old | equal to the one of the residence permit (maximum of 5 years) |
| over 25 years old | equal to the one of the residence permit (maximum of 10 years) | |
Payment methods
You may pay in cash, multibanco, with a certified or bank cheque of a bank represented in Portugal or with a postal order to IRN, IP.
How can you Request the first Citizen Card?
The first Citizen Card request must be carried out in person
Due to COVID-19, the child does not need to be present when applying for the Citizen's Card. When applying for the card, which can be done by the mother, the father or the holder of parental authority, it is sufficient to submit a digital photo of the child's face.
Learn what features your child's photograph should have.
You may submit the request:
- in the reception desks of the Registries and Notary Institute
- in the Citizen Bureaus
- in the RIAC Bureaus, in Azores
- in the Portuguese consular stations, if you are abroad.
If you hold any of the following documents, bring them with you:
- the identification document
- the tax payer card (NIF)
- the Social Security card
- the user card of the National Health System or other health system you may have
- the voter card.
If you are a Brazilian citizen covered by the Porto Seguro Treaty, you must also display your residence permit.
You may pick up the Card when you receive the PIN letter with the Card’s codes
To pick up the Card, you need to prove that you’ve received the PIN letter (the letter with the codes to use the Card). This letter is sent to the indicated address, when your request is processed. The quickness of the request process depends of the request urgency.
You shall define the request urgency and where you want to pick up the Card
The quickness with which you shall receive the Card depends of the request urgency (normal, urgent or extremely urgent) and of the place where you want the Card to be delivered.
The Card’s price will also vary accordingly to the validity date, the request urgency and the place where you want to pick up the Card.
| Type of request |
Delivery of the letter with the PIN codes in |
Waiting time (average) |
|---|---|---|
| Normal | Portugal (Continent) | 8 business days |
| Faial, Pico, Santa Maria, Graciosa, São Jorge, Flores and Corvo | 9 business days | |
| Europe | ||
| Macau, Canada, United States of America, Venezuela, South Africa, Brazil, Australia, Argentina, Angola, Mozambique, Cape Verde, São Tomé and Príncipe, India e East Timor | ||
| Rest of the world | 11 business days | |
| Urgent | Portugal (Continent) | 3 business days |
| Madeira, São Miguel, Terceira, Faial, Pico and Santa Maria | 4 business days | |
| Graciosa, Corvo, São Jorge and Flores | 5 business days | |
| Rest of the world | 7 business days | |
| Extremely Urgent | Portugal (reception desk of the Civil Identification Department of the Justice Campus, in Lisbon, and in the Porto Citizen Shop) | in the same day or in the following business day |
Schedule your request and avoid time losses
If you want, you can schedule a date to request the Citizen Card. Therefore, you avoid losing time on queues.
You already had a Citizen Card?
This information is aimed to those who are requesting the Citizen Card for the first time. If your Card expired, was stolen, lost or is in bad condition, consult the information on how to renew the Citizen Card.