The Absolute Invalidity Pension of the non-contributory regime is called Invalidity Social Pension and is a monthly cash pension granted to national citizens, residing in Timor-Leste, not covered by the contributory regime, in a situation of permanent and absolute incapacity for any labour activity. 

Absolute invalidity implies permanent and definitive incapacity for any and all occupations, where the citizen has no remaining earning capacity and is not presumed to regain the ability to earn a livelihood until reaching the legal age of access to the old-age pension (currently 60 years).

It applies to nationals resident in Timor-Leste who are not covered by the contributory regime.

• Have Timorese nationality and reside in national territory at the time of submission of the application.
• Not covered by the contributory regime (no contributions or insufficient contributions).
• Be aged 15 years or older than the legal age for admission to work: currently 15 years (from 2023).
• You are permanently and definitively unable to work, duly certified by the disability verification system (SVI).
• You are not receiving or eligible for an old-age social pension.
• Apply for the invalidity social pension:
  • Complete and submit the application form for the invalidity social pension.
  • Attach Statement of residence in national territory, issued by the head of suco.
  • Attach a medical statement from your treating doctor.
  • After applying for the invalidity social pension, you will be called by the INSS Disability Verification System to verify and certify your incapacity. 
  • Only after this certification will the process be complete and you will be entitled to your pension. 
    
    

• The citizen himself
• The citizen's legal representative
• The State when the citizen is incapacitated or interdicted and has no legal representative

You can apply for a invalidity social pension at any time after the incapacity has occurred, without a deadline.

The social invalidity pension is payable from the month of the decision of the incapacity verification system, which is always the date after the duly completed application is submitted.

• In person at social security centres in Dili, in the municipalities and in RAEOA

Or

• By email to seguranca.socialtl@gmail.com (the application sent via email must be duly completed, signed and contain all attachments - application and scanned attachments)

Or 

• Online (under construction)

The monthly amount of the social invalidity pension is calculated by the following formula:

SP = VD x 30

SP = the monthly amount of the social pension 

VD = The daily value considered the minimum necessary for living with dignity, estimated by the Government of Timor-Leste, according to the poverty line and the economic situation;

30 is the number of days in each month.

Currently, VD is 2 USD, so the current amount of SP is 60 USD per month (2 USD x 30 days = 60 USD).

Payment of the social invalidity pension is monthly, with 12 months counted each year. 

The invalidity social pension is paid monthly (12 months) until one of the following situations occurs:

• Death of the beneficiary
• The beneficiary reaches the legal age for access to the old-age pension (60 years)
• Change in incapacity status as determined by the disability verification system (SVI)
• Loss of Timorese nationality
• Change of residence of the beneficiary abroad
• Return to work or any other professional activity
• Failure of beneficiaries to fulfil their duties for a period of more than 120 days
• Making false statements or omissions which have resulted in the social pension being awarded or maintained unduly

The invalidity social pension cannot be accumulated with income from work or any other activity.

The absolute Invalidity Pension of the general contributory regime is a monthly cash pension granted to workers (contributors) who are permanently and definitively unable to work, and who fulfil the conditions for access. 

Absolute invalidity implies permanent and definitive incapacity for any and all occupations, where the worker has no remaining earning capacity and is not presumed to regain the ability to earn a livelihood until reaching the legal age of access to the old-age pension (currently 60 years).

It applies to all workers covered exclusively by the general contributory regime, including private sector workers, workers who optionally join the general regime, and public sector workers who only started working after 1 October 2017 (and were therefore never covered by the transitional regime). 

• Be enrolled in the Contributory Social Security Regime
• You are permanently unable to work, duly certified by the disability verification system (SVI).
• You are not receiving or eligible for an old-age pension.
• Comply with the qualifying period:
  • What is the qualifying period: 
    • 12 months (1 year) of contributions (in 2017)
    • 18 months (1.5 years) of contributions (in 2018)
    • 24 months (2 years) of contributions (in 2019)
    • 30 months (2.5 years) of contributions (in 2019)
    • 36 months (3 years) of contributions (in 2021)
    • 42 months (3.5 years) of contributions (in 2022)
    • 48 months (4 years) of contributions (in 2023)
    • 54 months (4.5 years) of contributions (in 2024)
    • 60 months (5 years) of contributions (from 2025)
  • How the qualifying period is calculated: 
    • The qualifying period includes: 
      • the periods of contribution in the general social security system of Timor-Leste
      • periods of contribution to social security regimes abroad, covered under international agreements, provided that they do not overlap
      • the days on which employees received parental benefits.
• Apply for the absolute invalidity pension:
  • Complete and submit the application form for the absolute invalidity pension .
  • Attach a medical statement from your treating doctor
  • After applying for an absolute invalidity pension, the worker will be called by the INSS Disability Verification System to verify and certify their incapacity. Only after this certification will the process be complete and you will be entitled to your pension. 
  • If there is a period of contribution abroad, please attach a statement of the contribution status of the foreign country.
     

• The beneficiary/holder
• The legal representative of the beneficiary

You can apply for an absolute invalidity pension at any time after the incapacity has occurred, without a deadline.

The absolute invalidity pension is payable from the date of the decision of the incapacity verification system, which is always the date after the duly completed application is submitted.

• In person at social security centres in Dili, in the municipalities and in RAEOA.

Or

• In person at the Consulates or Embassies of Timor-Leste abroad

Or

• By email to seguranca.socialtl@gmail.com (the application sent via email must be duly completed, signed and contain all attachments - application and scanned attachments)

Or 

• Online (under construction)

The monthly amount of the absolute invalidity pension is calculated by the following formula:

P = Monthly Pension Amount 

R = Reference earnings, which is the average of the recorded and revalorised earnings of the best 120 months of the entire contribution career.

If you have less than 120 months of contributions, the reference remuneration is defined by R/n where R is the total of the registered remunerations and n is the number of months to which they correspond.

N = Number of months with pay record (maximum of 360 months) 

360 = Number of months for a full contribution career (30 years)

The payment of the absolute invalidity pension is monthly, with 13 months per year (including an additional month of pension in December, equivalent to the 13th month).

Minimum amount of the absolute invalidity pension:

The absolute invalidity pension has a minimum sum assured equivalent to four times (4x) the amount of the social pension.

The guarantee of a minimum amount of absolute invalidity pension means that, when the normal calculation of the pension results in a lower amount than the minimum amount guaranteed, the beneficiary is entitled to his or her pension plus a social supplement of the amount necessary to prefill the minimum amount of pension guaranteed.

The absolute invalidity pension is paid monthly (13 months) until one of the following situations occurs:

• Death of the beneficiary
• The beneficiary reaches the legal age for access to the old-age pension (60 years).
• Change in incapacity status as determined by the Disability Verification System (SVI)
• Exercise of professional activity

Social Security pays the absolute invalidity pension monthly on the following dates:

• If the worker claims the pension by the 15th, it will be paid on the 25th of the same month.
• If the worker claims the pension between the 16th and the end of the month, it will be paid the following month.

The absolute invalidity pension cannot be accumulated with income from work or any other activity.

The Absolute Invalidity Pension of the general contributory regime is a monthly cash pension granted to workers (contributors) who are permanently and definitively unable to work, and who fulfil the conditions for access. 

Absolute invalidity implies permanent and definitive incapacity for any and all occupations, where the worker has no remaining earning capacity and is not presumed to regain the ability to earn a livelihood until reaching the legal age of access to the old-age pension (currently 60 years).

It applies to State employees who work during the period in which only the transitional regime was in force (until 30 September 2017) and during the period of validity of the general contributory regime (from 1 October 2017). 

The calculation of the absolute invalidity pension follows the rules in force in the general contributory regime, but takes into account the time worked and the earnings recorded throughout the worker's career (in the transitional regime and in the general regime).

• Be a State worker and have been covered by the transitional social security regime (excludes contractors), i.e. have completed some working time during the period of the transitional social security regime (between 20 May 2002 and 30 September 2017).
• Be enrolled in the Contributory Social Security Regime
• You are permanently unable to work, duly certified by the disability verification system (SVI).
• You are not receiving or eligible for an old-age pension.
• Comply with the qualifying period:
  • What is the qualifying period:
    • 12 months (1 year) of contributions (in 2017)
    • 18 months (1.5 years) of contributions (in 2018)
    • 24 months (2 years) of contributions (in 2019)
    • 30 months (2.5 years) of contributions (in 2019)
    • 36 months (3 years) of contributions (in 2021)
    • 42 months (3.5 years) of contributions (in 2022)
    • 48 months (4 years) of contributions (in 2023)
    • 54 months (4.5 years) of contributions (in 2024)
    • 60 months (5 years) of contributions (from 2025)
  • How the qualifying period is calculated: 
    • The qualifying period includes: 
      • the periods of contribution in the general social security system of Timor-Leste
      • the period worked during the transitional social security regime (only for State workers)
      • periods of contribution to social security regimes abroad, covered under international agreements, provided that they do not overlap
      • the days on which employees received parental benefits.
• Apply for the absolute invalidity pension:
  • Complete and submit the application form for the absolute invalidity pension.
  • Attach a medical statement from your treating doctor 
  • Submission of a list of remuneration and length of service obtained from the competent authorities.
  • After applying for an absolute invalidity pension, the worker will be called by the INSS Disability Verification System to verify and certify their incapacity. Only after this certification will the process be complete and you will be entitled to your pension.
  • If there is a period of contribution abroad, please attach a statement of the contribution status of the foreign country.

• The beneficiary/holder
• The legal representative of the beneficiary

You can apply for an absolute invalidity pension at any time after the incapacity has occurred, with no deadline for submission. 

The absolute invalidity pension is payable from the date of the decision of the incapacity verification system, which is always the date after the duly completed application is submitted.

• In person at social security centres in Dili, in the municipalities and in RAEOA.

Or

• In person at the Consulates or Embassies of Timor-Leste abroad

Or

• By email to seguranca.socialtl@gmail.com (the application sent via email must be duly completed, signed and contain all attachments - application and scanned attachments)

Or 

• Online (under construction)

The monthly amount of the absolute invalidity pension is calculated by the following formula:

P3 = Monthly Pension Amount (ceiling equivalent to the Rt amount)

Rt = Reference Remuneration, which is the average of the total recorded and revalorised remuneration of the best 120 months of the entire contributory career, including the career in the transitional regime and the career in the general regime.

If you have less than 120 months of contributions, the reference remuneration is defined by Rt/n where Rt is the total of the registered remunerations and n is the number of months to which they correspond.

N = Number of months of total career, including transitional and general regime (maximum of 360 months).

360 = Number of months for a full contribution career (30 years)

The payment of the absolute invalidity pension is monthly, with 13 months per year (including an additional month of pension in December, equivalent to the 13th month).

Minimum amount of the absolute invalidity pension:

The absolute invalidity pension has a minimum sum assured equivalent to four times (4x) the amount of the social pension.

The guarantee of a minimum amount of absolute invalidity pension means that, when the normal calculation of the pension results in an amount lower than the minimum amount guaranteed, the beneficiary is entitled to his or her pension plus a social supplement of the amount necessary to prefill the minimum amount of pension guaranteed.

The absolute invalidity pension is paid monthly (13 months) until one of the following situations occurs:

• Death of the beneficiary
• The beneficiary reaches the legal age for access to the old-age pension (60 years).
• Change in disability status as determined by the Disability Verification System (SVI)
• Return to work or any other professional activity

The absolute invalidity pension is paid monthly on the following dates:

• If the worker claims the pension by the 15th, it will be paid on the 25th of the same month.
• If the worker claims the pension between the 16th and the end of the month, it will be paid the following month.

The absolute invalidity pension cannot be accumulated with income from work or any other activity.

The Relative Invalidity Pension of the general contributory regime is a monthly cash pension granted to workers (contributors) who are permanently unable to work and who fulfil the conditions for access.

Relative invalidity means that, because of permanent incapacity, the worker cannot earn in his profession more than 1/3 of the normal remuneration he used to receive, and it is presumed that he will not recover, within the following 3 years, the capacity to earn in his occupation more than 50% of the normal remuneration he used to receive. However, the worker does not have an absolute incapacity, and may work on his occupation to a limited extent or pursue another occupation.

It applies to all workers covered by the general contributory regime, including workers in the private sector, workers who optionally join the general regime, and workers in the public sector (regardless of the date of commencement of employment, as the transitional regime did not protect relative invalidity). 

• Be enrolled in the Contributory Social Security Regime
• You are permanently unable to work, duly certified by the disability verification system (SVI).
• You are not receiving or eligible for an old-age pension.
• Comply with the qualifying period:
  • What is the qualifying period:
    • 12 months (1 year) of contributions (in 2017)
    • 18 months (1.5 years) of contributions (in 2018)
    • 24 months (2 years) of contributions (in 2019)
    • 30 months (2.5 years) of contributions (in 2019)
    • 36 months (3 years) of contributions (in 2021)
    • 42 months (3.5 years) of contributions (in 2022)
    • 48 months (4 years) of contributions (in 2023)
    • 54 months (4.5 years) of contributions (in 2024)
    • 60 months (5 years) of contributions (from 2025)
  • How the qualifying period is calculated: 
    • The qualifying period includes: 
      • the periods of contribution in the general social security system of Timor-Leste
      • periods of contribution to social security regimes abroad, covered under international agreements, provided that they do not overlap
      • the days on which employees received parental benefits.
• Apply for the relative invalidity pension:
  • Complete and submit the application form for the relative invalidity pension.
  • You must complete the statement of professional activity section of the application.
  • Attach a medical statement from your treating doctor
  • After applying for the relative disability pension, the worker will be called by the INSS Disability Verification System to verify and certify his/her disability. Only after this certification will the process be complete and you will be entitled to your pension. 
  • If there is a period of contribution abroad, please attach a statement of the contribution status of the foreign country.

• The beneficiary/holder
• The legal representative of the beneficiary

Applications for the relative invalidity pension can be made at any time after the incapacity has occurred, with no deadline for submission. 

The relative invalidity pension is payable from the date of the decision of the incapacity verification system, which is always the date after the duly completed application is submitted.

• In person at social security centres in Dili, in the municipalities and in RAEOA.

Or

• In person at the Consulates or Embassies of Timor-Leste abroad

Or

• By email to seguranca.socialtl@gmail.com (the application sent via email must be duly completed, signed and contain all attachments - application and scanned attachments)

Or 

• Online (under construction)

The monthly amount of the relative invalidity pension is calculated by the following formula:

P = Monthly Pension Amount

R = Reference earnings, which is the average of the recorded and revalorised earnings of the best 120 months of the entire contribution career.

If you have less than 120 months of contributions, the reference remuneration is defined by R/n where R is the total of the registered remunerations and n is the number of months to which they correspond.

N = Number of months with pay record (maximum of 360 months)

360 = Number of months for a full contribution career (30 years)

The payment of the relative invalidity pension is monthly, with 13 months per year (including an additional month of pension in December, equivalent to the 13th month).

Minimum amount of the relative invalidity pension:

The relative invalidity pension has a guaranteed minimum amount based on the contribution effort made:

• 120 months of registered contributions = minimum pension equivalent to twice (2x) the social pension;
• Between 121 months and 240 months of registered contributions = minimum pension equivalent to three times (3X) the social pension; 
• Between 241 months and 360 months of registered contributions = minimum pension equivalent to four times (4x) the amount of the social pension.

The guarantee of a minimum amount of relative invalidity pension means that, where the normal calculation of the pension results in a lower amount than the minimum guaranteed amount, the beneficiary is entitled to his or her pension plus a social supplement of the amount necessary to prefill the minimum guaranteed pension amount.

The relative invalidity pension may be accumulated with income from work, if the total amount does not exceed:

• the amount of reference remuneration taken into account for calculating the pension, where this is combined with work income in the same occupation as the beneficiary was working in at the time of incapacity;
• 2 times the amount of the reference remuneration taken into account for calculating the pension, where it is a question of accumulation with income from work in an occupation other than that which the beneficiary was pursuing at the time of incapacity.
   

In situations where there is an accumulation of relative invalidity pensions related to the activity/work, the beneficiary is entitled to an increase in the monthly amount of the pension, due to the fact that he or she is contributing to the contributory scheme.

The relative invalidity pension is paid monthly (13 months) until one of the following situations occurs:

• Death of the beneficiary
• The beneficiary reaches the legal age for access to the old-age pension (60 years).
• Change in incapacity status as determined by the Disability Verification System (SVI)

The Social Security pays the relative invalidity pension monthly on the following dates:

• If the worker claims the pension by the 15th, it will be paid on the 25th of the same month.
• If the worker claims the pension between the 16th and the end of the month, it will be paid the following month.

The relative invalidity pension can be accumulated with income from work.