Pensioners in Switzerland and Luxembourg have to provide proof of life this year already

Pensioners from Portugal residing abroad will now be required to provide annual proof of life starting the year following either the initiation of pension payments or a change of residence to a foreign country. Although the new regulations were announced in March, detailed conditions were published this Thursday in the Diário da República. Those living in Switzerland and Luxembourg must complete this process before the end of the year.

The ordinance signed by the Minister of Labor, Solidarity, and Social Security, Maria Rosário Palma Ramalho, specifies that pensioners “older than the normal retirement age, residing in Switzerland and Luxembourg,” will receive notifications by the end of September and must verify their proof of life by the end of November. Failing to do so will result in the suspension of pension payments starting January 2026.

In 2026, the regime will extend to residents in the Netherlands, Belgium, Cape Verde, and the United Kingdom and, by 2027, will encompass “all pensioners residing abroad.”

Pensioners will be notified by Social Security every April and must complete the proof of life between May 1 and September 15. The ordinance emphasizes that, “in cases where the pensioner has not completed the proof of life by September 15, or has been notified of the need for new proof of life which is not completed by October 15, pension payments will be suspended.”

The suspension of payments will commence “from the first day of the month following the deadline for submitting proof of life” but can be revoked once the pensioner’s status is regularized.

Pensioners “residing in countries with which Portugal has an international social security agreement allowing for effective death data exchange” may be exempted from the annual requirement, though no countries have been specified.

How to Provide Proof of Life?

The process can be completed digitally, in person, or through documentation. Digital verification is conducted via Segurança Social Direta. After authentication, pensioners must present identification (citizen card, identity card, or passport) along with “face recognition.”

For in-person verification, pensioners may visit an embassy or consular service abroad, or public Social Security service points, citizen shops with social security service, municipalities, and parish councils if in Portugal.

“In-person proof of life at embassies, consulates, social security service points, or public service centers must be registered on Segurança Social Direta. After registration, proof is given to the pensioner,” states the ordinance.

If registration on Segurança Social Direta is not possible, the proof of life is only valid after issuing the corresponding proof of life declaration, available on the Social Security website.

Pensioners may also submit an “international form called ‘certificate of proof of life,’ available on the Social Security website, correctly certified by a credible entity in the country of residence,” and a “document issued by a credible entity in the country of residence, containing identification details matching the prior document,” which “are valid only if containing the pensioner’s signature, recognized in person by a credible entity,” such as “foreign entities similar to Portuguese social security, courts, notaries and equivalent offices, local authorities, and health institutions.”

If a pensioner is unable to complete the proof of life through these methods, a legal representative may do so. In such cases, beyond the previous requirements, a “document certifying the pensioner’s inability to perform proof of life autonomously,” a “copy of the representative’s valid identification,” and an “authenticated copy of the power of representation document” must be submitted.

In March, the government clarified that this measure aims to “avoid pension payments in the event of undeclared deaths,” which “cost 11 million euros in 2024.”