The Institute for Social Security (ISS) announced that as of August 14, 2025, the mandatory Life Certificate procedure for pensioners residing in Switzerland and Luxembourg has commenced. This measure affects over 7,200 pensioners, mostly aged between 70 and 90 years.
“The Life Certificate is an annual procedure for pensioners living abroad and ensures the continuation of pension rights. In 2025, the process started in Luxembourg and Switzerland and will gradually extend to other countries by 2027,” stated a statement released by the ISS.
How to Complete the Life Certificate?
According to the ISS, the digital Life Certificate can be completed on the Social Security Portal, by navigating to the menu: I am retiring or retired > Life Certificate > What can I do online? > Check and register your life certificate.
“For this purpose, a device with a camera is sufficient to validate identity, eliminating the need for in-person visits or document submissions,” it is stated on the organization’s website.
Additionally, it must be noted that the “procedure can also be performed in person or via documents.”
Pensioners of the Social Security system residing abroad, receiving disability, old age, or survivor pensions, must complete a life certificate. Remember who needs to do it this year and how the process occurs in subsequent years.
Notícias ao Minuto | 08:03 – 25/08/2025
What if the Life Certificate is not completed? What happens?
Social Security clarifies that the “Life Certificate must be completed by November 30, 2025″, and “if it is not completed within this timeframe, pension payments will be suspended starting January 2026, and will only resume after a valid Life Certificate is submitted.”
“Social Security will continue to provide all necessary support to ensure that each pensioner completes their life certificate with confidence and peace of mind, highlighting the digital modality as the most modern and advantageous way to secure their rights,” the note explained.
Do I need to complete the Life Certificate if I reside in Portugal?
In a leaflet with frequently asked questions on the subject, Social Security explains that “only if, in the previous year, your Social Security residence was abroad.”
It states, “In 2025, the life certificate will be required from pensioners who had an address in Switzerland or Luxembourg in 2024.”
Pensioners of the Social Security system residing abroad, receiving disability, old age, or survivor pensions, must complete a life certificate. Understand what is at stake.
Notícias ao Minuto | 08:20 – 05/08/2025
What to do if the pension holder has passed away?
In such cases, “relatives or third parties should report the death and send the death certificate to Social Security via postal mail or email to the indicated addresses. The form of the life certificate must be duly filled out.”
