✅ Yes — you are still obligated to complete the community service, even if you move to Portugal.
Under European Union law, criminal penalties — including community service — can be recognized and enforced in another EU country, including Portugal. You can’t avoid the sentence simply by leaving Spain.
🔍 Legal Framework
This falls under the Council Framework Decision 2008/947/JHA, which allows EU countries to mutually recognize and enforce certain types of non-custodial sentences, like community service, probation, and supervision.
If you move:
- Spanish authorities can request Portugal to take over supervision of your community service.
- You may be allowed to perform the community service in Portugal, depending on the agreement between the two countries and the terms of your sentence.
🧾 What You (or the person affected) Should Do:
- Inform Spanish authorities (probation officer, court, or lawyer) of your intention to move.
- Ask if they will initiate a request for recognition of the sentence in Portugal.
- Do not disappear or ignore the sentence — doing so may lead to:
- A European Arrest Warrant
- Additional penalties
- A future inability to get residency or legal status in Portugal
⚖️ Real Talk from a Psychological Lens
Trying to run from a sentence like community service can weigh heavily on mental health. The fear of being caught or the emotional strain of unresolved legal issues can create anxiety and interfere with healing and starting over.
Community service, when seen through a restorative justice lens, can also be an opportunity to rebuild trust with society, rebuild your self-worth, and take responsibility in a way that doesn’t define you by your worst moment.
💡 Bottom Line
Yes — the community service sentence still applies when you move from Spain to Portugal. But it may be possible to transfer the supervision so you can serve your sentence in Portugal legally and continue rebuilding your life.
