Paperwork for a new baby in Portugal
A new baby comes with forms. These are the ones asked of new parents in Portugal, in the order they come, each from the official page that sets it. Read it together or on your own: every step says who usually does it.
In short
- 2 steps before the birth and 4 after it, each one taken from an official page.
- Registering the birth: at the maternity, or within 20 days.
- Each step says who usually does it: the parent giving birth, the other parent, or either of you.
- No amounts here: they change every year and depend on income. The official page under each step has today’s figure.
What is due in Portugal, and when?
| Step | When | Who |
|---|---|---|
| Arrange maternity leave with work | Before the birth | The parent giving birth |
| Arrange the partner’s leave with work | Before the birth | The other parent |
| Register the birth | At the maternity, or within 20 days | Either of you, or together |
| Register baby for primary care | First weeks | Either of you, or together |
| Claim the family benefits | After the birth | Either of you, or together |
| Review childcare costs and support | Through the toddler years | Either of you, or together |
What to do before the birth in Portugal
Arrange maternity leave with work
Who: The parent giving birth
In Portugal the initial parental leave lasts 120 or 150 days, as the parents choose. The first 42 days after the birth are the mother’s and compulsory; the days after that can be shared. Tell your employer, then ask for the subsídio parental from the Segurança Social.
Official page: gov.pt, Licença parental
Checked against gov.pt, the State services portal (AMA), checked on 11 October 2026
“A licença parental inicial pode durar 120 ou 150 dias seguidos (nestes dias estão incluídos feriados e fins de semana).”
gov.pt, the State services portal (AMA), read on 11 October 2026“Um período obrigatório para a mãe de 42 dias, imediatamente depois do parto”
gov.pt, the State services portal (AMA), read on 11 October 2026“Um período obrigatório para o pai de 28 dias, em que os 7 primeiros têm de ser gozados imediatamente depois do parto.”
gov.pt, the State services portal (AMA), read on 11 October 2026“O pai pode ter direito, se quiser, a mais 7 dias opcionais, a somar aos 28 dias obrigatórios.”
gov.pt, the State services portal (AMA), read on 11 October 2026“Os restantes dias até aos 120 ou 150 podem ser repartidos entre o pai e a mãe, ou por apenas um deles, se assim o quiserem.”
gov.pt, the State services portal (AMA), read on 11 October 2026
Arrange the partner’s leave with work
Who: The other parent
In Portugal the father’s leave is 28 compulsory days, the first 7 straight after the birth and the rest within the mother’s first 42 days, plus 7 optional days. After the 42 days, the rest of the 120 or 150 can be shared.
Official page: gov.pt, Licença parental
Checked against gov.pt, the State services portal (AMA), checked on 11 October 2026
“A licença parental inicial pode durar 120 ou 150 dias seguidos (nestes dias estão incluídos feriados e fins de semana).”
gov.pt, the State services portal (AMA), read on 11 October 2026“Um período obrigatório para a mãe de 42 dias, imediatamente depois do parto”
gov.pt, the State services portal (AMA), read on 11 October 2026“Um período obrigatório para o pai de 28 dias, em que os 7 primeiros têm de ser gozados imediatamente depois do parto.”
gov.pt, the State services portal (AMA), read on 11 October 2026“O pai pode ter direito, se quiser, a mais 7 dias opcionais, a somar aos 28 dias obrigatórios.”
gov.pt, the State services portal (AMA), read on 11 October 2026“Os restantes dias até aos 120 ou 150 podem ser repartidos entre o pai e a mãe, ou por apenas um deles, se assim o quiserem.”
gov.pt, the State services portal (AMA), read on 11 October 2026
What to do after the birth in Portugal
Register the birth
When: At the maternity, or within 20 days
Who: Either of you, or together
In Portugal the birth is usually registered at the hospital or maternity (Nascer Cidadão) before you go home. If it was not, you have 20 days from the birth to register it online or at any registo civil.
Official page: Justiça, Nascer Cidadão
Checked against Ministério da Justiça (justica.gov.pt), gov.pt, the State services portal (AMA), checked on 11 October 2026
“Se não for possível fazer o registo do nascimento no hospital ou maternidade, o registo pode ser pedido online ou em qualquer registo civil, nos 20 dias depois do nascimento.”
Ministério da Justiça (justica.gov.pt), read on 11 October 2026“Caso não seja possível, o nascimento deve ser registado nos 20 dias após o nascimento.”
gov.pt, the State services portal (AMA), read on 11 October 2026
Register baby for primary care
When: First weeks
Who: Either of you, or together
In Portugal the baby is enrolled in the SNS at the maternity, gets the Boletim de Saúde Infantil e Juvenil and is linked to the mother’s médico de família. Take the boletim to every consultation.
Official page: gov.pt, Saúde das crianças e jovens
Checked against gov.pt, the State services portal (AMA), checked on 11 October 2026
“Na maternidade, o bebé é inscrito no Sistema Nacional de Saúde, recebe o Boletim de Saúde Infantil e Juvenil, e é associado ao/à médico/a de família da mãe.”
gov.pt, the State services portal (AMA), read on 11 October 2026
Claim the family benefits
Who: Either of you, or together
In Portugal, from the 13th week of pregnancy you may be entitled to the abono de família pré-natal, depending on income. After the birth, ask for the abono de família for the baby at Segurança Social Direta or in person.
Official page: gov.pt, Apoios financeiros
Checked against gov.pt, the State services portal (AMA), checked on 11 October 2026
“A partir da 13.ª semana da gravidez, a grávida pode ter direito ao abono de família pré-natal, dependendo dos rendimentos do agregado familiar, de quantos filhos já tem e de quantos está à espera.”
gov.pt, the State services portal (AMA), read on 11 October 2026“O abono de família para crianças e jovens é pedido online, através da Segurança Social Direta ou presencialmente, nos serviços de atendimento da Segurança Social.”
gov.pt, the State services portal (AMA), read on 11 October 2026
Review childcare costs and support
When: Through the toddler years
Who: Either of you, or together
In Portugal every child born from 1 September 2021 is entitled to a free creche or ama place, where there is a vacancy. From 3 years (turned by 15 September) children can enrol in the public pré-escolar.
Official page: gov.pt, Educação das crianças
Checked against gov.pt, the State services portal (AMA), checked on 11 October 2026
“Todas as crianças nascidas a partir de 1 de setembro de 2021 têm direito a creches e amas gratuitas.”
gov.pt, the State services portal (AMA), read on 11 October 2026“A partir dos 3 anos, feitos até 15 de setembro, as crianças podem ser matriculadas na rede pública do ensino pré-escolar.”
gov.pt, the State services portal (AMA), read on 11 October 2026
Questions parents ask
How much will we get?
This page does not say, on purpose. Amounts change every year and depend on income and work, and a wrong figure is worse than none. Each step links the official page that has today’s amount and the rules for your case.
Is this legal advice?
No. It names each step, who usually does it, where and by when, as the official pages put it. Your own case can differ: your employer, your registry office or the office named on each page has the last word.
Does this apply if I am doing it on my own?
Yes. The steps are the same together or on your own. A step marked for the other parent, such as their leave, only applies if there is one.
How current is this?
Each step links the official page it was read on. Where a step rests on a sentence we re-read every week, the date it was last read is under it, and if the official page changes the step says it is being re-checked instead.
Your paperwork, dated and shared
Syncry turns this list into your family’s own checklist: each deadline counted from your due date or your baby’s birthday, split between the two of you or all yours, a reminder before each one, and ticked off together.