Elsa
Lawyer · Lisbon, Portugal
- 640 cases handled · 4 in this service
- 29+ years in practice
- Speaks: English, Portuguese
- Law, Autonoma University Lisbon
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4.88(11 reviews)
Guardianship for Adults (Incapacity & Dementia) in Portugal
Adult guardianship in Portugal is the maior acompanhado regime: a court appoints an acompanhante to support or represent an adult who, through dementia, illness or disability, can no longer manage personal or financial matters, with measures tailored to that person. English-speaking lawyers in Portugal bring the application, represent the family or the person concerned and explain how to plan before capacity is lost.
About Guardianship for Adults (Incapacity & Dementia) in Portugal
Guardianship for adults in Portugal is called the maior acompanhado regime, the "accompanied adult": a court appoints a supporter (acompanhante) for an adult who, because of dementia, a stroke, a mental illness or a disability, cannot manage their own affairs. People search for adult guardianship, incapacity, power of attorney for dementia, or the older words interdição and tutela, which this regime replaced; British readers also look for a lasting or enduring power of attorney, which Portugal does not have in that form. Some older lists and lawyer pages call this service “Enduring Power of Attorney: Guardianship”. English-speaking lawyers in Portugal act for families and for the person concerned.
Who needs it
- Adult children of a parent living in Portugal who can no longer deal with the bank, the tax office or care contracts.
- Spouses who need authority to sell or let the family home to fund care, see property sale.
- People diagnosed with a progressive illness who want to choose their own future supporter in advance.
- Families with a guardianship order from another country that has to be given effect in Portugal, see enforcement of foreign judgments.
How it works in Portugal
The application goes to the court of the person's residence and can be made by the person, by a spouse or partner, by relatives or by the public prosecutor. The court orders a medical assessment and always hears the person directly. Instead of declaring someone wholly incapable, the judge chooses the measures the situation calls for: general or special representation, administration of some or all assets, or merely assistance for named decisions, and sets when the measures are reviewed. The acompanhante is usually a relative, acts under the court's supervision and needs the court's authority for major acts such as selling property. Earlier interdiction orders were converted into measures under this regime.
Planning ahead
While still able to decide, a person can sign a mandate naming the acompanhante they would want and the matters it should cover, and can grant an ordinary power of attorney for current affairs, though its use once capacity is lost is limited. A will remains separate from all of this, see make a will. The person's own wishes, dignity and remaining abilities are the starting point of every measure. This page is general information, not legal advice.
What a lawyer does
Explains the options to the family in English, gathers the medical and financial evidence, files the application, accompanies the hearing, obtains the court's authority for specific acts, and keeps the acompanhante's reporting in order. Where the family lives abroad, the lawyer coordinates with foreign guardianship decisions and with the inheritance side, see inheritance.
Questions and answers
Who can be the acompanhante?
Usually a spouse, partner or relative chosen with the person's wishes in mind; the court appoints and supervises.
Is a medical report required?
Yes. The court relies on a medical assessment and on hearing the person.
Can a power of attorney avoid the procedure?
An ordinary one cannot replace it once capacity is lost. A mandate signed in advance guides the court's choice of acompanhante and measures.
Can the acompanhante sell the person's house?
Only with the court's authorisation, which is requested for each major act.
I hold a UK deputyship or LPA. Is it valid in Portugal?
Not automatically. Court orders are recognised through the review procedure; a UK lasting power of attorney has no direct equivalent and is checked case by case.
4 lawyers who provide Guardianship for Adults (Incapacity & Dementia) in Portugal
Sorted by experience in this service. Write to any of them — the reply comes from the lawyer, without obligation.
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Carolina
Lawyer · Lisbon, Portugal
- 366 cases handled
- 4+ years in practice
- Speaks: Spanish, English, Portuguese
- Law, University of Coimbra
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4.91(11 reviews)
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Jorge
Lawyer · Porto, Portugal
- 116 cases handled
- 9+ years in practice
- Speaks: English, Portuguese
- Law, Coimbra
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5.00(6 reviews)
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Goncalo
Lawyer · Lagos, Portugal
- 55 cases handled
- 7+ years in practice
- Speaks: English, Spanish, Portuguese, French
- Degree in Law, Universidade de Lisboa
Contact form · a chat with a lawyer
Talk to a lawyer about Guardianship for Adults (Incapacity & Dementia)
4 registered lawyers provide this service in Portugal. Describe your situation in a short chat — what happened, where, and how to reach you. Your enquiry is reviewed and passed to a lawyer who handles exactly this kind of case, with no obligation.
We are not just a place to list a profile: we work with every lawyer individually. Each one is registered with a bar association, and their experience, languages and client reviews are shown openly on their card.
Enquiries are answered by lawyers of AdvocateAbroad. This site provides legal information, not legal advice.
What our clients say about our service in Portugal
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Within a couple of hours the lawyer efficiently settled a family matter on which we had wasted many months seeking advice elsewhere. She showed real sympathy and her help was as good as it could be, and her English is perfect. I will certainly consult her on other matters, and I would readily recommend her professional services to others.
— Mandy19 Dec 2022 -
Given how difficult our situation was, he was very attentive, professional and understanding, and he found the best solution for us. We are very satisfied with the outcome.
— Amera17 Oct 2023 -
An excellent English-speaking solicitor, informative and helpful the whole way through. I highly recommend him.
— Sam17 Oct 2022 -
There were many unforeseen problems because of Covid and recent changes in requirements in Portugal, but the lawyer did a great job in seeing things through in these difficult times. The assistance was excellent.
— Russell04 Mar 2021 -
I was pleased with the lawyer's knowledge and professionalism in a delicate case; the English was flawless.
— John05 May 2026 -
I liked that they spoke English. The lawyer was attentive, helpful and easy to communicate with.
— Fil03 Mar 2021 -
I found the lawyer extremely helpful and supportive, with excellent communication and responses to my questions. She offered several solutions along with great advice and guidance, and her English was flawless. She was approachable and professional while advising me through a personally difficult time.
— karen10 Feb 2021 -
The lawyer put me at ease right away and was both professional and friendly. I am grateful to her for all the help she gave me in a difficult time of my life.
— Claire20 Jun 2020 -
The professionalism far exceeded what I have been used to with similar practices in other European countries. The lawyer was very caring and sensitive in assisting with a very emotional family bereavement in the Algarve.
— Ian07 Sep 2026Assistance with Motor Vehicle Processes, Portugal -
Her service was first class, the best I could have hoped for. She was helpful at every turn and happily explained whatever I had not understood, and I was completely satisfied with the outcome. The survey cannot capture the extent of what she did for my family. Her grasp of her field, and explaining everything in both Portuguese and English, is amazing. I am deeply grateful.
— Sonia07 May 2026 -
He is an excellent lawyer and a true professional. I used his services on two occasions: first a consultation in the summer of 2025 about the best way for a US citizen like me to get a Portuguese visa, and then, most recently, to get a marriage license in Portugal. Since my wife and I left it quite late, we took him on in a rush, close to the deadline, and he finished everything extremely quickly and helped us collect and translate the required documents. His English is flawless, so we never had trouble understanding him, and communication was great throughout. The whole process was incredibly smooth. He even gave us additional service beyond what we had hired him for, and he made the entire thing stress-free. If you need any legal assistance, I highly recommend him; he is our lawyer of choice in Portugal.
— Ryan19 Mar 2026 -
The lawyer was very supportive and helpful. I feel lucky to have chosen her to assist with what turned out to be a very complicated sale, and her English was perfect. I am very grateful for all her work, help and advice and would highly recommend her to anyone.
— Louise26 Feb 2025