Apostille and translation of american BIRTH CERTIFICATE

Hello Mina!
I'm Sandra and I would like to talk with you about another subject... My daughter speaks english, portuguese and japanese... and she's looking for someone to talk in japanese here in Lisbon... are you able to talk a bit with her for a few minutes?
If yes, can you call me, please? ***
Thank you very much!
Sandra

Mina,
I needed an apostille to complete a property purchase this year in Olhao. This apostille was my first. It was an embossed document from the Secretary of State 's office that certified that the notary that did my papers was legitimate. That may not really be what you need at this point. Since I do not know your circumstances, I can not advise you. You may want to contact the Virginia S.O.S. office. Their website should offer some clues as to the path that you should take. Research is hard and free. An attorney is easier and expensive. Choose your path.
Tim

Hi Mina,

That's the solution given by the US Embassy in Portugal... certified translation of your documents from English to Portuguese should be done preferably in the destination country of your documents, in your case is Portugal.

In this way, translation can be used directly so that you do not have to go through costly and time-consuming administrative procedures and formalities in USA (such as obtaining an apostille or consular certification at the portuguese consulate there).

Please see this:

https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.p … 97#5168140
(post #17)


Eg. APT Translators from English to Portuguese:
Subject: law

https://www.apt.pt/socios/pesquisa?id_a … a_alvo=596

Please don't post personal detail on the open forum, please the private message feature

Hi Mina,

I am a US citizen who has recently gone through a similar process, getting a certified copy of my birth certificate and then an apostille from the US state where I was born.

Here is the page on Virginia's Vital Records site where you can apply online for the birth certificate. If it  gives you the option, make sure you specify the "long form" certificate.
https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/vital-reco … al-record/

And here is the page to get an Apostille,on Virginia's Document Authentication site:
https://www.commonwealth.virginia.gov/o … tications/

All the instructions are there with links to applications, and the (quite small) fees are listed. It's a simple, two step process.

Apostilles are a form of notarization that is accepted by international convention by most countries in the world (including EU countries).  You do not need to get these notarized separately, that is the whole point of an Apostille.

I do not know if a notarized translation is required in Portugal (EU countries shouldn't, as far as I know), but, if a translation is required, you can get that when you receive the documents from Virginia.

Hi Sandra, good to know that your daughter loves Japan!
Sure, I AM ABLE to speak in Japanese with her.
I often receive such a request, in fact.
My question is...in what way, how long, and for what reason...
She wants to LEARN Japanese, or she wants to TRY speaking Japanese with me
so that she knows her Japanese is good enough?  I do give lessons also to kids
but nowadays it is complicated under Pandemic situation.
Anyhow... just let me know
how we can get in touch. I am new to this Expat and I am not so degital, so to say,
in my life. I do not use Whatsup or Fb, for example.
Good day! (and say Yoroshiku to your daughter..!) mina

Hi TIm! Thank you for your advice.. I loved your last sentence, which in fact I wrote it down.
Contacting Verginia S.O.S may be a good idea. I have never thought of that. Thanks! Best, mina

Hi David Thank you very much for your information. So...
# If I already have my original birth certificate, all I need to do is Apostille step, is that right?
# I would read again carefully the links you sent me , but I seem to understand that I need to send the original copy to the Virginia Secretary of office by UPS or similar services. 
# Then next step is get it translated in Portugal by a translator.
By and large, is my understanding correct?
Thans a lot!!   wishing you a GOOD sunday
mina

Hi Johnny, Thanks A LOT for your information. APT site will be useful
for me, now and forever, since I myself is a translator.. I never knew that
such a site existed. I would follow the apostille process then I will check again APT site.
Thank you! Hope you that your weeend is a good one,
mina

I can call you Mina if you send me your contact. Or, if you want, call me anytime: ***
Thank you A LOT!

For personal security please do not post contact details here on the open forum.
Use the message system to exchange.

Mino, I would follow JohnyPT's advice (which I didn't see before posting my reply), as he lives in Portugal and is the expert in these forums.
Since you already have your birth certificate in hand, perhaps you do not need to go the Apostille route (as I had to do for Austria, as part of the process to get an EU citizenship).

It would certainly save you a step if you could just get a certified translation in Portugal. JohnnyPT, did we understand that correctly?

stumpy wrote:

For personal security please do not post contact details here on the open forum.
Use the message system to exchange.

Again??

minobu32 wrote:

American Embassy in Lisbon, however, says that they do not do either Apostille or Legal translation. The links they (kindly) sent me include a list of translators working in Lisbon.
Mina

If Mina already has the birth certificate, it is easier to translate all her documents in Portugal, as I have mentioned before.

seems that something gets in our way, Sandra!  Zannen  mina

Hi David Thank you for your further comment. I would consider that! best of all, mina

Hello every one, again this is Mina
I must think over my plan from scracth, because I have found that
there would be a definite inconvenience if any Japanese apply for
a nationality of other country, under our current law...  what a dismay.
IF I cannot apply for a Portuguese citizenship, a second option would be
Permanent residency, right?
What advantages will it give me, if I should continue to live here in Europe?
and what documents do I need to hand in??
I was not too sure if it is better to make another thread, but
for now I post it here.
Thanks everybody!  beijinhos
m.