As a rule, you must obtain all 3 criminal records check certificates. USA. UK. South Africa. Exceptionally, we can check, in a case to case analysis, the possibility of requesting the dismissing from any of them. Under Portuguese immigration law, the documents required for the D7 visa are defined primarily in Article 52(1)(d) of Law No. 23/2007. This provision establishes that an applicant must submit a criminal record certificate issued by the competent authority of the applicant’s country of origin and from any country where the applicant has resided for more than one year. In applying this requirement to your personal circumstances, the following clarifications are relevant: Country of Origin (Nationality) For Portuguese immigration purposes, the expression “country of origin” refers to the applicant’s country of nationality. Since you are a United States citizen, the United States is considered your country of origin for the purposes of Article 52(1)(d). Therefore, a U.S. criminal record certificate is mandatory. Countries of Previous Long-Term Residence Article 52(1)(d) further requires a criminal record certificate from every country where the applicant has resided for more than one year, regardless of nationality or legal status during that period. Your residence history is as follows: 1. United Kingdom – Residence exceeded one year → Certificate required under Article 52(1)(d). 2. South Africa –Residence exceeded one year → Certificate required under Article 52(1)(d). 3. United States – Residence exceeds one year → Certificate required (in addition to being your country of nationality). Therefore, to comply with Portuguese legal requirements for the D7 visa, you must obtain all 3 criminal records check certificates. These requirements follow directly from Article 52(1)(d) of Law No. 23/2007.
