- note: it is not necessary to renew the card if you just want to change the address or if you change your marital status
The renewal of the Citizen Card usually takes an average of 7 business days until the new card is available for withdrawal. However, it is possible to request this service on an "urgent" and "extremely urgent" basis.
* In the case of citizen cards issued after 16 April 2018 it is possible to recover the PIN codes of address, authentication and digital signature.
The validity of the Citizen Card varies according to age
- Less than 25 years – Citizen Card valid for 5 years
- From 25 years old – Citizen Card valid for 10 years (Citizen Cards issued after August 13, 2021 have an expiration date of August 3, 2031, not 10 years).
Brazilian citizens covered by the Porto Seguro Treaty:
- Less than 25 years - same as the residence card, up to a maximum of 5 years
- From the age of 25 - same as the residence card, up to a maximum of 10 years.
Qual a validade do Cartão de Cidadão?
O prazo de validade do Cartão de Cidadão depende da idade e da nacionalidade.
Pessoas com nacionalidade portuguesa:
- Menores de 25 anos - Cartão de Cidadão válido por 5 anos
- Maiores de 25 anos - Cartão de Cidadão válido por 10 anos (exceto os cartões emitidos após 13 de agosto de 2021, que caducam entre 1 de janeiro e 3 de agosto de 2031).
Pessoas com nacionalidade brasileira abrangidas pelo tratado de Porto Seguro:
- Menores de 25 anos - igual ao cartão de residência, até um máximo de 5 anos
- Maiores de 25 anos - o mesmo que o cartão de residência, até um máximo de 10 anos.
How renew the Citizen Card?
Automatic renewal of the Citizen's Card
The automatic renewal service for the Citizen's Card covers portuguese citizens residing in Portugal, with the following conditions
- are 25 years old or older
- have the Citizen's Card expired, or will expire within 60 days, and have not yet asked for the renewal in another way (online or in person)
- have updated their biometric data (photo and fingerprints) at the last renewal
- are not subject to the accompanied adult regime
- do not need to change their name, signature, photograph, address or contacts
Those whose Citizen's Card has expired or is about to expire, and have not yet asked for a renewal, will receive a PIN letter by mail to renew it automatically, without changing the data.
As of July, the Institute of Registration and Notary Affairs (IRN) will send the PIN letter with the codes of the new Citizen's Card to the cardholder's home address 60 days before the document expires. If you do not receive the PIN, you can request a second copy by calling the Citizen's Card Hotline (+351) 210 990 111.
The letter includes an ATM reference for the payment of the renewal service. After the payment within the indicated period, the new Citizen's Card will be sent to the holder's home.
Citizen's Card online renewal
Portuguese citizens aged 25 or older who need to change their surnames, address and contacts may renew their Citizen's Card online (or at a "Espaço Cidadão"), provided that one of the following conditions applies
- if the card is at the expiration date
- due to loss, destruction, theft or robbery (the card to be replaced must be valid for more than 60 days and the new card maintains the validity of the card to be replaced)
If you have lost your Citizen's Card or if it has been destroyed, stolen or stolen, you need to cancel the card before you can renew it online.
To renew your Citizen's Card online (or at a Citizen's Space) you need to meet the following requirements:
- the card to be renewed has been applied for before October 1, 2017
- have been fingerprinted in the previous request
- valid Citizen's Card or one that expired less than 30 days ago
- authentication done through active Mobile Digital Key or a valid Citizen Card (with PIN codes and a smartcard reader).
Important: if the Citizen Card has expired less than 30 days ago, you can only perform the service with a Mobile Digital Key that has been activated during the validity period of the Citizen Card. In case you have an expired Citizen's Card you will not be able to activate the Mobile Digital Key, so you need to go to a Citizen's Shop or a counter of the Institute of Registration and Notary Affairs (IRN).
Face-to-dace Citizen Card Renewal
The in-person renewal of the Citizen's Card can be done by any citizen, but is subject to prior scheduling of the date and place of service.
You can request the renewal on:
- IRN service desks (including Registry Offices and Citizen Shops)
- Citizen Spots (online service conditions apply *)
- Portuguese consular stations
- RIAC Azores Citizen Service Desks
- Service desks of the Autonomous Region of Madeira.
External service for the renewal of the Citizen's Card
The Citizen's Card external service is aimed at people with reduced mobility, hospitalized or imprisoned, and who cannot physically go to a counter or are unable to renew their card online.
A representative of the IRN will go to the home, hospital or establishment where the person is to process the renewal request.
If you receive two PIN letters, because you have already done the renewal through another way (online or in person), you should only consider the PIN letter without information of the ATM reference and ignore the automatic renewal letter.
