This is an independent guide. The Brazilian Federal Police and state Civil Police issue their own certificates; Antecedentes Criminais Brasil is a private service, not a government agency, and can assist with issuance, apostille, and sworn translation.
Ireland asks for a police clearance certificate, including a criminal records check, in several permission types, and the age limit depends on the permission: 3 months for volunteers, 6 months for Ministers of Religion and for joining a UK national family member. If you lived in Brazil in the period covered, the Federal Police certificate is the place to start; it is issued online and free.
| Quick answer | |
|---|---|
| What you need | A police clearance certificate from each country of residence in the period your permission covers (3 or 5 years, plus current residence). The Irish pages do not say whether the PF certificate alone is enough |
| Where to get it | PF online service (free) |
| Time | PF validity 90 days. Ireland: not more than 3 months old (volunteer) or 6 months (Minister of Religion, UK national family member) |
| Cost | PF certificate: free. Our optional assistance: from R$ 30 |
| Apostille | Irish guidance requires attestation/apostille of official documents issued outside the EEA/Switzerland (birth and marriage certificates are the examples); confirm whether it applies to the police certificate (ours: from R$ 95, cartório fee excluded) |
When does Ireland require a police certificate?
The Irish Immigration Service names police clearance certificates in several categories. Whether a Brazilian one is needed depends on your residence history and the permission you request.
Volunteer. A police clearance certificate not more than three months old, which also includes a criminal records check, from your country of current residence and any country you resided in during the 3 years before applying. Brazil counts if you lived there in that period.
Minister of Religion. A police clearance certificate not more than 6 months old, which also includes a criminal records check, from your country of current residence and any country you resided in during the last 5 years before applying.
Joining a UK national family member. Applicants over 16 submit a police clearance certificate not more than 6 months old from their country of current residence and the countries where they resided in the last 5 years. The rule applies to that scheme only, not to all family applications.
Federal Police or state certificate for Ireland?
The PF issues the federal Certidão de Antecedentes Criminais; see our guide to the federal certificate. State Civil Police authorities issue their own certificates through separate state procedures.
The Irish pages we rely on ask for a "police clearance certificate" that includes a criminal records check. They do not state whether the Brazilian PF certificate alone is enough or whether a state certificate is also needed. Ask the receiving authority:
- Is the federal PF certificate acceptable on its own?
- Is a certificate from the Brazilian state where I lived also needed?
- Do I need separate certificates for different places of residence in Brazil?
Do not substitute a court certificate for a police certificate.
How to get the certificate from abroad for Ireland
The PF service page confirms that the certificate is issued online, free of charge. You do not need a private service to use it.
- Identify your Irish procedure and the residence period and maximum age it sets.
- Open the official PF service and follow its steps with accurate personal details and the identification the service asks for.
- If the online route does not work for you (for example, as a non-Brazilian who last lived there), confirm the available channel with the PF. The official guidance consulted does not describe a consular procedure; confirm the applicable channel with the issuing authority before acting.
- Check the certificate and compare it with your application. You can validate it; validation shows the certificate is genuine, not that Irish immigration will accept it.
- Check apostille and translation rules before ordering either. For a broader explanation, read our guide for applicants abroad.
Apostille for Ireland
Irish guidance says official documents issued outside the EEA or Switzerland (the examples given are birth and marriage certificates) must be attested or apostilled as genuine by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the issuing State, so that they can be accepted as evidence for Irish visa purposes. Brazil is outside the EEA and Switzerland.
The pages we rely on do not name the Brazilian police certificate in that rule, so confirm with the Irish authority whether it applies before paying for legalization. An apostille authenticates the origin of a public document; it does not change its contents or guarantee acceptance. In Brazil, apostilles are issued by authorized notary offices (cartórios); the cartório fee is separate from our assistance price. See our apostille guide.
Translation for Ireland
A document not in English or Irish must come with a full translation. The Irish guidance says the translation must include the translator's confirmation of accuracy, the date, the translator's name and signature, and contact details. Translations done outside the EEA or Switzerland must also be attested or apostilled as genuine. So a translation made in Brazil may need that extra step; confirm it for your procedure. Our sworn translation starts at R$ 110 per page.
How long is the certificate valid for Ireland?
The PF says its certificate is valid for 90 days. The Irish limits below are separate; the six-month allowance does not extend the PF's stated validity.
| Irish procedure | Maximum certificate age | Residence covered |
|---|---|---|
| Volunteer | 3 months | Current residence and previous 3 years |
| Minister of Religion | 6 months | Current residence and previous 5 years |
| Joining a UK national family member | 6 months | Current residence and previous 5 years |
For any other procedure, the official sources consulted do not set an acceptance period; confirm it with the responsible authority. With a 3-month limit and a 90-day PF validity, plan the order of issuance, apostille and translation, and check the age on the day you apply.
Price in BRL for the Ireland certificate
| Service | Starting price |
|---|---|
| Assisted certificate issuance | from R$ 30 |
| Hague apostille assistance (cartório fee excluded) | from R$ 95 |
| Sworn translation | from R$ 110 per page |
The PF certificate is free when requested directly. These are approximate starting prices for private assistance, in Brazilian reais; extra translated pages cost more. We explain the price for your case before payment. We do not promise processing time or acceptance.
Mistakes to avoid with Irish applications
- Treating one Irish rule as universal. Volunteer, Minister of Religion and the UK family scheme set different ages and periods.
- Ordering the certificate too early for the 3-month volunteer limit.
- Paying for a state certificate or an apostille before the authority confirms it wants one.
- Sending a translation without the translator's name, signature, date and contact details.
- Confusing PF validation with acceptance by Irish immigration.
- Substituting a court certificate for the police certificate.
Checklist for Ireland
- Confirm your Irish permission category.
- Check whether your time in Brazil falls in the 3-year or 5-year period.
- Ask whether the federal certificate alone is enough.
- Compare the Irish age limit with the date of issue.
- Ask whether an apostille applies to your certificate.
- Prepare a full translation with the translator's details.
- Read the full instructions for your application; the certificate is one part of it.
Need help with your Brazilian certificate for Ireland?
Need help obtaining, apostilling, or translating the Brazilian certificate? Leave your contact; we will review the case and explain the price before payment. Contact us.
We are an independent private service, not the PF or an Irish authority, and we cannot guarantee issuance or acceptance. See also our guides for Canada, the UK and the general guide for applicants abroad.
Sources
- Brazilian Federal Police, Antecedentes Criminais: https://www.gov.br/pf/pt-br/assuntos/antecedentes-criminais
- Irish Immigration Service, Volunteer: https://www.irishimmigration.ie/coming-to-work-in-ireland/what-are-my-options-for-working-in-ireland/coming-to-work-for-more-than-90-days/volunteer/
- Irish Immigration Service, Minister of Religion: https://www.irishimmigration.ie/coming-to-work-in-ireland/what-are-my-options-for-working-in-ireland/coming-to-work-for-more-than-90-days/minister-of-religion/
- Irish Immigration Service, Joining your UK national family member: https://www.irishimmigration.ie/coming-to-join-family-in-ireland/joining-your-uk-national-family-member/
- Irish Immigration Service, Join Family visa: https://www.irishimmigration.ie/coming-to-join-family-in-ireland/joining-an-irish-national/join-family-visa/
- CNJ, Hague Apostille: https://www.cnj.jus.br/poder-judiciario/relacoes-internacionais/apostila-da-haia/