The payment of certain pensions for those who live abroad and do not provide proof of life within the legal deadline may be suspended by Social Security. First, it applies to those who missed the exceptional date of November 30, 2025, and then the new annual deadline begins between May 1 and September 15. Payment is only resumed after regularization, retroactive from the moment it was suspended.
The measure concerns general regime pensioners with old-age, disability or survivor pensions, as long as they have a registered address outside Portugal. The mandatory proof of life was created by the , of March 26th, and regulated by Ordinance No. 274/2025/1, of July 31st.
In practice, the objective is to confirm that the beneficiary is alive and maintains the right to payment, through an annual procedure with fixed deadlines and forms of validation defined by law and official guidelines.
Which pensioners are covered in 2026
Implementation is phased. In 2025, proof of life began to be required from pensioners with a registered address in Switzerland and Luxembourg, as long as they are older than the normal age for accessing the old-age pension.
In 2026, the universe expands: pensioners with addresses in Switzerland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Belgium, Cape Verde and the United Kingdom will also be covered, who are also older than the normal age for accessing the old-age pension.
For reference, the normal age for accessing the old-age pension in 2026 is 66 years and 9 months.
Key deadlines: what does “by this date” mean
For those who were already covered in 2025 (Switzerland and Luxembourg), the critical date was November 30, 2025. If proof of life was not delivered by that day, payment is suspended from January 2026.
From 2026 onwards, the “normal” annual deadline came into force: proof of life must be carried out between May 1st and September 15th of each year, for all pensioners covered at that time.
In case of failure, it may be possible to complete the test by October 15th, after notification for this purpose. If you still fail to comply, the expected consequence is suspension from the month following the end of the applicable period.
How to take the proof of life and what is mandatory to have up to date
The central requirement is annual proof of life, made by the pensioner himself from the calendar year following the start of pension payments or the change of residence abroad. The Ordinance defines digital, in-person and documentary ways to comply.
In digital format, the procedure is carried out in Previdência Direta, with authentication, valid identification document and biometric validation (such as facial recognition), in accordance with published rules. Alternatively, it can be in person (services in Portugal and planned locations, including consular network) or documentary, through a certificate issued by a reputable entity in the country of residence, with validation formalities.
In addition to the procedure, it is critical to keep addresses and contacts updated in the system, because it is based on the registered address and existing records that the universe covered is defined and where communications and notifications go.
What happens if you fail and who can be dismissed
If proof of life is not provided by the applicable deadline (November 30, 2025 in the exceptional regime; September 15, or, as a last resort, October 15, in subsequent years), Social Security suspends payment. This does not mean losing the right to a pension: when the proof is submitted and validated, payment is resumed retroactively from the date of suspension.
Not all pensioners abroad are automatically subject to this procedure every year. The legislation provides for exemptions when there are international instruments that allow the exchange of data on deaths with the country of residence, and allows specific solutions when the pensioner is unable to carry out the test under the usual terms, including through a legal representative with adequate documentation.
How to find out if your pension can be suspended by Social Security
You are potentially covered if you meet these points:
- Receives an old-age, disability or survivor pension from the general scheme;
- Has a registered address in one of the countries covered in 2026 (Switzerland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Belgium, Cape Verde or the United Kingdom);
- You are older than the normal age for accessing the old-age pension (66 years and 9 months in 2026);
- You have been or will be notified to carry out the proof of life within the legal period.
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