Pension question, Brazil
How do INSS beneficiaries abroad do the proof of life?
An INSS beneficiary living outside Brazil must complete proof of life once a year, in their birthday month, or payment is blocked and the benefit suspended. The life certificate or INSS form used for proof of life from abroad is valid for only 90 days, counted from the date of signature on the document issued by the Liaison Body of the agreement country, from the legalisation of the document by a Brazilian Embassy or Consulate, or from the date of the apostille.
What to do next
- Put your birthday month in your diary each year.
- Find the liaison body, consulate or apostille authority in your country.
- Run our free check to see whether another country also holds a pension for you.
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Run the free checkQuestions people also ask
Can it be sent by email?
INSS states the documents are valid for 90 days from signature, notarisation or apostille, that the apostille must follow the notarisation within 30 days, that it cannot be sent by email, and that failing to send it blocks payment and suspends the benefit.
- Source: planalto.gov.br and gov.br/inss, read 4 October 2026
Do you give advice on what to do?
No. We identify where a pension is likely held and the official route to it, and we name each source with the date we read it. We do not give financial, tax or legal advice.