Access to origins
This page quotes Portuguese law on adoptions granted in Portugal.
The social security bodies (Segurança Social).
Original text«Os organismos de segurança social, mediante solicitação expressa do adotado com idade igual ou superior a 16 anos, têm o dever de prestar informação, aconselhamento e apoio técnico no acesso ao conhecimento das suas origens.»Unofficial translation«The social security bodies, at the express request of an adoptee aged 16 or over, have a duty to provide information, counselling and technical support in accessing knowledge of their origins.»The adopted person, from age 16, by express request. Under 18, authorisation from the adoptive parents or legal representative is always required.
Original text«2 — Para efeitos do disposto no número anterior, durante a menoridade é sempre exigida autorização dos pais adotivos ou do representante legal, revestindo o apoio técnico caráter obrigatório.»Unofficial translation«2 — For the purposes of the previous paragraph, while the adoptee is a minor, authorisation from the adoptive parents or legal representative is always required, and technical support is mandatory.»Yes: the law speaks of “information, counselling and technical support”. Under 18, technical support is mandatory.
Original text«têm o dever de prestar informação, aconselhamento e apoio técnico no acesso ao conhecimento das suas origens.»Unofficial translation«have a duty to provide information, counselling and technical support in accessing knowledge of their origins.»The law gives no form or address. It names the body: the social security bodies.
The bodies responsible for adoption must keep information on the adopted person's identity, origins and background for at least 50 years.
Original text«3 — As entidades competentes em matéria de adoção devem conservar as informações sobre a identidade, as origens e os antecedentes do adotado, durante pelo menos 50 anos após a data do trânsito em julgado da sentença constitutiva do vínculo da adoção.»Unofficial translation«3 — The bodies responsible for adoption must keep the information on the adoptee's identity, origins and background for at least 50 years after the judgment establishing the adoption becomes final.»The official source cited does not say.
The official source cited does not say.
The article cited does not provide for a request by the birth family. It states that the bodies involved must preserve identity secrecy.
Original text«5 — As entidades que intervêm nos termos do presente artigo estão obrigadas à preservação do segredo de identidade previsto no artigo 5.º»Unofficial translation«5 — The bodies acting under this article are bound to preserve the identity secrecy provided for in article 5.»The social security bodies (see “I was adopted”).
Under the article cited, adoptive parents do not file the request themselves; while the adopted person is under 18, their authorisation is always required.
Original text«durante a menoridade é sempre exigida autorização dos pais adotivos ou do representante legal»Unofficial translation«while the adoptee is a minor, authorisation from the adoptive parents or legal representative is always required»Under 18, technical support is mandatory.
Original text«revestindo o apoio técnico caráter obrigatório.»Unofficial translation«technical support being mandatory.»In exceptional cases and for serious reasons, especially health, the court may, at the parents' request and after hearing the Public Prosecutor, authorise access to elements of a minor adoptee's personal history.
Original text«6 - Independentemente dos requisitos previstos nos n.os 1 e 2, em casos excecionais e com fundamento em razões ponderosas, mormente quando estiverem em causa motivos de saúde, pode o tribunal, a requerimento dos pais, ouvido o Ministério Público, autorizar o acesso a elementos da história pessoal do adotado menor.»Unofficial translation«6 — Regardless of the requirements in paragraphs 1 and 2, in exceptional cases and on serious grounds, particularly where health reasons are involved, the court may, at the parents' request and after hearing the Public Prosecutor, authorise access to elements of the minor adoptee's personal history.»