There are Portuguese pensioners who may stop receiving their pension if they miss an annual obligation. The rule applies to those who live outside the country and have defined deadlines to confirm their situation with the INSS.
The consequence is not just administrative. According to , “retirees who do not provide proof of life within the defined deadlines may have their pension payments suspended”. The organization also explains that there is a specific date after which money can stop entering the account.
The date that interests pensioners
According to DECO PROteste, “pension payment is suspended from the first day of the month following the end of the period defined for proof of life”. In other words, if the deadline for presenting Proof of Life ends at the end of September, the suspension can begin on the first day of the following month. In practice, the retiree may stop receiving payments from October 1st, if they have not regularized the situation within the applicable deadline. The exact date always depends on the deadline defined for each case or for the country where the retiree resides. But the essential rule is this: payment can stop in the month immediately following the end of the term.
Is the money lost?
Suspension does not, in itself, mean definitive loss of the pension. DECO PROteste clarifies that, “as soon as you provide proof of life, the payment of the pension will resume and you will receive the amount due from the date the suspension began”. This means that the retiree may be temporarily without payment, but, after taking the Proof of Life, the arrears are paid from the date the suspension began. Still, the delay can create difficulties, especially for those who depend on retirement as their main monthly income.
Who has to do Proof of Life?
The obligation applies to Social Security pensioners living abroad. In practice, according to DECO PROteste, “all Social Security pensioners residing abroad who receive disability, old-age and survival pensions must provide Proof of Life”. The test must be taken every year by the pensioner himself, starting from the calendar year following the start of payment of the pension or the change of residence to another country.
Until September, retirees residing in Belgium, Cape Verde, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and Switzerland must comply with this obligation. For these beneficiaries, the deadline is of particular importance, because failure to comply may lead to the suspension of payment in the month following the end of the defined period. DECO PROteste also states that, “if the retiree does not take the Life Test, he is informed by Social Security of the need to do so”.
Why does this obligation exist?
Proof of Life was created to avoid undue payments. DECO PROteste explains that the measure was created in 2025 with the “aim of preventing the payment of pensions and other benefits to Portuguese residents abroad who have already died, due to failures in communication with Social Security”. The logic is to confirm that the retiree residing outside Portugal is still alive and maintains the right to pension payment.
Are there pensioners laid off?
Yes. Not all pensioners residing abroad need to present this proof. According to DECO PROteste, “the law provides that pensioners residing in countries with which Portugal has a data exchange agreement that allows deaths to be known are exempt from presenting this proof of life”.
Therefore, those who live in a country covered by this type of information exchange may not have to comply with this obligation in the same way. Still, it is advisable to always confirm the situation with Social Security.
What about Caixa Geral de Aposentações?
The obligation is not limited to the general Social Security regime. DECO PROteste reminds you that “the Life Test for pensioners is also carried out, on a regular basis, by Caixa Geral de Aposentações pensioners”. CGA retirees and pensioners residing abroad must, therefore, pay attention to communications from the entity that pays them their pension and the respective deadlines.
How to do the Proof of Life?
Proof of Life can be done digitally through Direct Social Security. According to DECO PROteste, the pensioner must authenticate on the platform with a digital mobile key or with the Social Security identification number, NISS. During the procedure, “you will have to display your identification document to capture the respective image, as well as your face, for facial recognition”.
What documents are accepted?
The consumer protection organization explains that national identification documents such as an identity card, identity card or passport are accepted. A foreign passport may also be accepted if the Portuguese identification document has expired. After completing the Life Test, “the pensioner is immediately notified through Direct Social Security”, according to DECO PROteste.
What to confirm
Retirees residing outside Portugal must check whether they are covered by the obligation, what period applies to the country where they live and whether they have access to Direct Social Security. It is also important to confirm that the contact details are up to date, that the identification document is valid and that there are no pending notifications.
In the end, the rule is simple: whoever fails the Life Test can have their pension suspended from the first day of the month following the end of the period. Payment resumes after regularization, but until then the money may stop “falling” into the account.
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