Plan for the legalisation chain and a Portuguese translation. The complication is that with no consulate in the United States, the final consular step cannot be performed here, so establish what the receiving office will accept before spending anything.
Quick facts
Where a consular certification is genuinely required, ask whether the embassy in Lisbon can perform it. That is the usual answer for a country whose diplomatic weight sits in the Portuguese-speaking world rather than in Washington.
The routes
| Step | Who does it | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Notarisation | U.S. notary public | For private documents |
| State certification | Secretary of State | Of the issuing state |
| Federal authentication | U.S. Department of State | Where required |
| Consular step | No U.S. post available | Ask about Lisbon |
| Portuguese translation | As the receiving office requires | Ask first |
Documents issued at home are certified in São Tomé, which generally requires someone there to attend in person.
How to prepare a document
- Ask the receiving institution exactly what it requires.
- Ask the Permanent Mission whether it can certify anything.
- Establish whether Lisbon could perform the consular step.
- Complete the U.S. certifications only once the route is clear.
- Arrange the Portuguese translation.
- Send tracked and keep copies.
Required documents
- Original document with the U.S. certifications attached.
- Portuguese translation where required.
- Copy of your identification.
- Correspondence confirming the accepted route.
- Prepaid tracked return envelope.
What is available here
Only the Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York. It is a diplomatic mission rather than a consulate.
No offices currently listed.
Additional notes
Confirm before paying
Federal authentication is slow and costs money. Do not start it until you know the document can be completed.
Lisbon is often the answer
The Santomean community in Portugal is large and the embassy there is fully operational.
Portuguese
Budget for translation. Everything official is in Portuguese.
Order two copies
Repeating an awkward chain costs more than a spare certificate.