How to Get a NIF for a Child or Family in Portugal

TL;DR: Yes, a child can get a Portuguese NIF at any age — there is no minimum. A parent or legal guardian applies on the child's behalf with the child's birth certificate (apostilled and translated if needed), the parents' ID, and proof of address. You can apply in person at a Finanças office or Loja de Cidadão, or remotely from abroad through a representative with a power of attorney. Families can apply together in one round.

A NIF (Número de Identificação Fiscal) is not only for adults. Children can hold one too, and there is no minimum age. A parent, legal guardian, or an appointed representative simply applies on the child's behalf. If you are new to the topic, our explainer on what a NIF is and why you need one is a good starting point before you gather the paperwork below.

Who applies for a child?

At least one parent or legal guardian acts as the applicant. The child does not need to be present in any active sense, since an adult signs and submits on their behalf. You can also appoint a third party to do this for you through a power of attorney, which is the usual approach for families applying from abroad.

Which documents do you need?

Requirements can vary slightly by desk and year, so confirm the current list before you travel or submit. In most cases you should prepare:

• The child's birth certificate, legalised or apostilled. If it is not in Portuguese or English, include a certified translation.
• Both parents' or guardians' identification: a passport or Cartão de Cidadão.
• A proof of address (Domicílio Fiscal) for the responsible parent or guardian.

If you are a single parent, replace the second parent's document with proof of custody or, where relevant, a death certificate. For a clear point on accuracy: there is no confirmed official rule that both parents must already hold their own NIFs before a child can get one. At least one responsible adult acting as applicant is what matters.

Can you apply in person?

You can apply at a Finanças office or at a Loja de Cidadão desk. Bring the originals and copies of everything listed above. A staff member will register the child's details and issue the NIF, often on the same visit. This route suits families who are already in Portugal and have time to queue.

Can you apply remotely through a representative?

If you are not in Portugal, or simply prefer to avoid the queue, you can apply through a fiscal representative or a service using a power of attorney. This works the same way as a remote adult application. The guardian or guardians sign a power of attorney authorising the representative to handle the Representação and submit the request. Our guide to the power of attorney for your NIF walks through exactly what that document needs to contain.

For non-EU families, the same logic applies, with attention to legalisation and translation of foreign documents. See our notes on getting a NIF as a non-EU citizen for the extra steps that can apply to your nationality.

Can a family apply together?

There is no need to handle each person separately. Families can apply together, with one set of guardian documents covering the parents and a birth certificate covering each child. This keeps the Atividade of gathering paperwork to a single round and reduces the chance of a missing item holding up the whole group.

Common questions

Does a baby qualify? Yes. There is no minimum age, so a newborn can be registered. Does the child need their own ID? Not necessarily, since the birth certificate establishes identity and the parents' documents cover the applicant side. Always verify any figure or document that can change yearly with an official source before you submit.

When you are ready, you can get your Portuguese NIF online for a flat 39.99 euros including VAT, fully online, with same-day submission.

Ready to register your child or family? Start your NIF application today.