Pensions and retirement between Portugal and Brazil

Anyone who worked in Brazil and then in Portugal often has two contribution careers, each falling short of the minimum on its own. Social security agreements exist for this: insurance periods completed in both countries can be considered together to decide whether there is a right to a pension. This guide explains the essentials for the old-age pension, based on the official practical guide from Portuguese Social Security and on the pages of Brazil’s INSS and Ministry of Social Security. If you do not yet have a NISS, start with the NISS guide.

The agreement in brief

According to the INSS, the agreement between Brazil and Portugal entered into force on 25 March 1995, was amended by an Additional Agreement (in force since 1 May 2013) and has an Administrative Arrangement dated 28 December 2015. Portugal and Brazil are also parties to the Ibero-American Multilateral Social Security Convention. Since 1 May 2013 the agreement has also applied to the special civil-service schemes, which allows periods of insurance in Brazil to be totalised to open the right to a pension.

Brazil’s Ministry of Social Security explains that these agreements do not change the domestic law of each country: each State examines requests and decides under its own law and the agreement.

Totalisation: what it is and what it is for

Totalising means adding insurance periods from different countries for the purpose of entitlement, for example to reach the qualifying period. According to Portuguese Social Security, you are entitled to a Portuguese pension with periods abroad if you:

• have insurance or residence periods in countries with an agreement with Portugal;
• have met the qualifying period required in Portugal, which can be completed with contribution periods abroad;
• have at least 12 months of contributions (up to 31 December 1993) or 120 days (from 1 January 1994) in Portugal, totalised with those abroad to reach the qualifying period.

For the old-age pension, Social Security states two conditions: the normal access age, which in 2026 is 66 years and 9 months, and at least 15 years of contributions. The age is set by ministerial order for each year, so confirm the figure for the year in which you plan to apply. People with a long career, including periods abroad, can apply earlier: for each year beyond 40 years of career the age falls by 4 months, and it can never be below 60. For example, the guide gives 66 years and 5 months for 41 years of contributions and 65 years and 9 months for 43.

Who pays what

Each country pays its own part, under its own rules and based on the periods of work or residence. You do not receive one pension, nor the amounts of the two countries blended.

For Brazil, Social Security explains how the Portuguese part is calculated: a theoretical pension is worked out from average earnings and total career years in Portugal (N1) and Brazil (N2), and reduced in proportion to the time worked in Portugal:

pension due = theoretical pension × N1 ÷ (N1 + N2)

The same guide notes that where totalisation is needed only because time in Portugal is short, the periods from other countries serve to open the right. If the sum of the Portuguese and foreign pensions falls below the minimum for your career, a Social Supplement (Complemento Social) may be paid. The Brazilian part follows Brazilian law; ask the INSS what counts and how much.

How to apply, step by step

1. Gather your work history. Social Security asks for a photocopy of your foreign social security card and photocopies of documents for work done outside Portugal. For Brazil, ask the INSS which proofs of contribution time are needed.
2. Apply in Portugal, if you live here, listing every country where you worked. The guide says that when you apply in the country where you live you should also apply in the other countries where you worked.
3. Fill in the forms. For the old-age pension, Application RP 5068 and, for the request to the foreign institution, Declaration RP 5071. They are on the Social Security portal, under Trabalho › Reforma e Invalidez › Pensão de Velhice › Documentação de apoio › Formulários.
4. Mind the deadline. The guide says the request should be made up to 3 months before the date you want to start receiving the pension. The pension usually starts being paid from the date of the request or from the date you choose.
5. Wait. Social Security gives an average of 120 days to send the request to the foreign country. The Brazilian institution then decides under Brazilian law.

The INSS names the Centro Nacional de Pensões, in Lisbon, as Portugal’s liaison body, and the Agência da Previdência Social de Atendimento Acordos Internacionais in São Paulo as Brazil’s. The Linha Segurança Social, 210 545 400 or 300 502 502, works on working days, 9:00 to 18:00. For in-person service you can use the Linha de Marcações, 210 548 888 or 300 088 888, and see Where to be served.

The Brazilian side

Brazil’s Ministry of Social Security says that people abroad should file the request with the managing body of the country where they live, including a benefit under the other country’s legislation. In Brazil, the request can be made at any Social Security Agency. The INSS has bilateral forms for the agreement, among them PT/BR 4 (certificate of totalisation of insurance periods) and PT/BR 6 (pension or retirement application). For people living in Brazil, gov.br describes the old-age retirement request under an international agreement on Meu INSS (Do que você precisa? › Acordo internacional - aposentadoria por idade), with a gov.br account at bronze, silver or gold level. The service is free and the helpline is 135. The requirements and minimum ages are those of Brazilian law and appear on the page; confirm them before applying.

Receiving, combining and your duties

• How you receive the Portuguese part: bank transfer, CTT postal order or cheque-letter. You can register or change your IBAN on the Social Security portal.
• Combining benefits: a foreign pension can be combined with the Dependency Supplement, the Solidarity Supplement for Older People, invalidity, old-age and death pensions, and work income. It cannot be combined with Unemployment Benefit or Sickness Benefit.
• Duties: tell Social Security of anything that affects the right to the pension or its amount, including the award of a foreign pension, and keep your full address up to date.
• Tax: see the taxes and IRS guide for tax obligations in Portugal. People living abroad who receive a Portuguese pension can ask for the withholding to be waived so as not to pay twice.

What about other CPLP countries?

The list of countries with a social security agreement in Social Security’s guide includes, among CPLP countries, Brazil, Cabo Verde, Mozambique and Timor-Leste. Angola, Guinea-Bissau, São Tomé and Príncipe and Equatorial Guinea do not appear on that list; if you worked in one of them, ask Social Security whether there is any way to count that time. Under agreements other than the Ibero-American Convention, such as those with Cabo Verde, Mozambique and Timor-Leste, the guide says the Portuguese pension is calculated only from contributions made in Portugal, but years worked abroad count towards entitlement. If you came under CPLP mobility, see also the CPLP guide.

Before you decide

• Keep documents for every job, in Portugal and abroad.
• Confirm the access age for the year you plan to apply and ask Social Security to work out the possible date.
• The practical guide’s information does not replace the law. For a specific case, speak to Social Security or the INSS. If you need to write, the site has message templates.