Baptism vs birth certificate

[Cheri Mello]

Repost for  mrleonardramos at gmail.com

Does anyone know how to get a baptism record certificates as a birth certificate? I’m trying to get Portugal citizenship through my grandparents.  All four of my grandparents were born on the islands. So I’m looking on Pico and Flores islands. Who would know the process?

Thank you for any help. 

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Leonard,

A lawyer would know the process. If you search the main forum/archive/web board for this group, people have posted the process that was in place for them at the time they applied.

Baptisms are a Catholic document making a person (usually a baby) part of the Catholic church. They mention the birth date. Births are civil documents that state the birth dates. Birth records didn't exist in the Azores until 1911 onwards.

I don't know if you are 60 years old and your grandparents would be born in the 1880s, 1890s, or early 1900s. The only records you have are the baptisms. Your lawyer will tell you to request certified copies. Maybe you are only 20 years old and your grandparents were born in the 1940s. Those would be the Civil Registry births (Civil Registry is like an American vital records from the County Clerk's office). Again, your lawyer will tell you to request certified copies.

Cheri Mello
Listowner, Azores-Gen
Researching: São Miguel island: Vila Franca, Ponta Garca, Ribeira Quente, Ribeira das Tainhas, Achada