How to get a NISS in Portugal in 2026: the questions expats ask

The NISS (número de identificação da Segurança Social) is your Portuguese social security number. It links you to contributions, benefits and, later, your pension. Anyone who works in Portugal, employed or self-employed, needs one.

General information on the official rules, not advice for your situation.

Do I need a NISS before my first job?

You need one to work, but you normally get it once the job exists. A NISS is only issued when you have a link with Segurança Social, such as an employment contract, self-employment, voluntary social insurance or a benefit claim. For a job, the employer must sign the contract with you first. The employer then reports your start to Segurança Social within the 24 hours before the contract takes effect.

Can my employer request it for me?

Yes. An employer hiring a foreign worker can apply on their behalf, as legal representative, once the employment contract is signed. The employer attaches a power of attorney or the PA12 third-party authorisation form, plus the representative's ID. That request only assigns the number; the employer then reports the employment on Segurança Social Direta, the online service.

Can I apply online without a residence permit?

It depends on your nationality.

• EU, EEA or Swiss citizens: yes. You need your national ID, passport or residence card, plus proof of your work situation. You have the right to live and work in Portugal, so the residence permit rules do not apply.
• Other nationalities: you also need one of these: a residence permit, a visa that allows work or residence (the official list includes the job-seeker visa, the digital nomad visa and residence visas for employment or self-employment), or proof that you have applied for a residence permit or a CPLP visa.

Special cases exist. People with international protection use the documents of that status, cross-border workers who live in another EU country need no residence permit, and AIMA (the Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum) can ask for a NISS when it needs one to grant residence.

How do I apply online?

The individual request is online only, through a form on the Segurança Social website (Ajuda > Número de Identificação de Segurança Social > Atribuição de NISS). The form does not ask for a Segurança Social Direta account; you register for that later, with your NISS.

1. Enter your email and confirm the code you receive.
2. Choose the reason: work for an employer, self-employment, a benefit, support from another body, or other.
3. Upload proof of the reason, such as your employment contract translated into Portuguese, and your ID: front and back separately, photo fully visible. PNG, JPG or PDF, up to 3 MB.
4. Fill in your details and submit. Keep the request ID.

How long does it take, and how do I receive it?

There is no set deadline. You can track the request online under Consulta do pedido de NISS, with the request ID, your email and date of birth.

gov.pt says a registered letter tells you to collect the number at a Segurança Social office, booked on the SIGA platform or by phone on 210 548 888 or 300 088 888. The Social Security Institute's practical guide also describes getting the proof online after a biometric check, or through a video appointment. The application is free.

Credits

Photo: GualdimG, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, adapted

NISS, NIF and número de utente: what is the difference?

• NIF: your tax number, from the Tax Authority (AT). See our NIF guide.
• NISS: your social security number, from Segurança Social.
• Número de utente: your national health service (SNS) number.

With a Portuguese address and a residence permit (or the receipt of your AIMA application), EU citizenship with the câmara municipal (town hall) registration certificate, or international protection, you can request all three in one free appointment. It is available at 12 Espaços Cidadão in the Braga, Faro, Lisbon, Porto and Setúbal districts. You sign in with a Chave Móvel Digital linked to your passport, which can be created there, or with eIDAS. Bring proof of address, such as a rental contract or a utility bill, if your residence document does not show it. AIMA reviews the request and emails the decision; the numbers then appear in your gov.pt reserved area and app.

What if I am self-employed?

Get your NIF first, then open activity with the Finanças. The AT tells Segurança Social automatically, and Segurança Social registers you as an independent worker and writes to confirm it. For your NISS request, the official guide asks for a copy of your start of activity and of your invoices or receipts. The first time you work for yourself, contributions only start on the first day of the 12th month after you begin. Our guide to opening activity as self-employed covers the rest.

Rules change, so check gov.pt and the Segurança Social website before you act.