The Citizen Card is an essential document in everyday life, but there are legal obligations that many Portuguese people are unaware of. Losing the document and not requesting cancellation within the deadline, having a card found or having the document retained, preserved or copied by third parties outside of permitted cases can result in fines.
Despite being used in situations as common as identifying yourself, processing public services or signing digital documents, the Citizen Card is subject to specific rules. Therefore, it is important to know what you should do if it is lost, stolen, destroyed or if you find a document that is not yours.
Lost your Citizen Card? You have 10 days to request cancellation
According to , of February 5th, whenever the Citizen Card is lost, stolen, stolen or destroyed, its cancellation must be requested within a maximum period of 10 days after becoming aware of the situation. Anyone who fails to do so within this period could face a fine of between 100 and 500 euros.
The obligation serves to allow the cancellation of the document and reduce the risk of misuse. According to the official gov.br portal, cancellation can be requested in person, by telephone or electronically. After that, the citizen must proceed with the application for renewal or replacement of the card, if they need a new document.
There are also rules for anyone who finds a Citizen Card belonging to another person. Keeping the document is not an option. In these cases, the card must be immediately forwarded to an IRN reception service or to a police authority.
Anyone who does not do so within five days from the date they found the card may be subject to a fine of between R$50 and R$100. Quick delivery is important because it reduces the time that the document is out of the holder’s control and reduces the risk of misuse.
No one can retain your card
Another situation that can generate a fine is the retention of the Citizen Card by third parties. According to the same law, identity verification before public or private entities does not allow the retention or conservation of the card, except in cases expressly provided for by law or by decision of a judicial authority.
This practice can happen, for example, when someone asks for the card as a guarantee for a service or during an administrative process. However, outside of legal exceptions, withholding is illegal.
Anyone who retains, preserves or reproduces by photocopy or fax another person’s Citizen Card, in violation of the law, may face a fine of between 250 and 750 euros.
You can refuse to hand over the document as a guarantee
If a hotel, gym, rental company or other establishment asks to keep your Citizen Card, the citizen has the right to refuse. Identification can be made without the document being retained.
The National Data Protection Commission recalls, in fact, that even the reproduction of the Citizen Card is only permitted when the law provides for it, there is a decision by a judicial authority or there is valid consent from the holder, with an effective alternative means of identification. In many cases, simply presenting the card to confirm the necessary data.
The most important thing is not to leave the document out of your possession, especially when there is no legal obligation to do so.
Rules protect the identity of citizens
These standards do not exist just to impose fines. The main objective is to protect the identity of citizens and prevent fraud. A lost, retained or improperly used Citizen Card can cause administrative, financial and legal problems that are difficult to resolve.
Therefore, there are three essential precautions: quickly request cancellation in case of loss, hand over any document found and refuse to have your card retained by third parties outside of the cases provided for by law. Following these simple rules can avoid fines and, above all, prevent an essential document from turning into a serious problem.
Also read:
