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International social security · SPD Advocacia

Worked in Spain and Brazil? See how the agreement adds up your time

The agreement between Brazil and Spain lets you add up the contribution periods of both countries for some benefits. The firm reviews both records, compares the agreement with the Ibero-American Convention and prepares the claim with Brazil's social security institute, INSS.

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What does the Brazil-Spain agreement cover today?

Brazil and Spain have a social security agreement signed in 1991, enacted by Decree 1,689/1995 and in force since December 1, 1995. It was revised by a supplementary agreement, enacted by Decree 9,567/2018 and in force for Brazil since March 1, 2018. Since the revision, on the Brazilian side, the agreement covers disability retirement, retirement by age, survivor's pension and work accidents or occupational diseases. Rights already acquired and claims in progress were preserved.

Periods completed in both countries are added up to establish the right, and each country pays the pension in proportion to the time completed there (art. 16). If the time in one country is less than one year and does not give a right on its own, that country does not pay for it, and the other country takes it into account (art. 18). Since the revision, the theoretical amount Brazil uses in the calculation cannot fall below the minimum wage. The benefit is also not reduced or suspended because the person lives in the other country (art. 5).

Brazil and Spain are also parties to the Ibero-American Multilateral Convention on Social Security, enacted in Brazil by Decree 8,358/2014. When there is a bilateral agreement, the rule most favorable to the beneficiary applies (art. 8 of the Convention). A claim filed on time with the other country's institution is valid before INSS (art. 30 of the agreement). In Brazil, the liaison body is the INSS international agreements office in Brasília; in Spain, it is the Instituto Nacional de la Seguridad Social.

What the law says

The points that matter most

Benefits covered

Since 2018: disability, age, survivor's pension and work accidents, on the Brazilian side (Decree 9,567/2018).

Sum and proportion

Periods are added up, and each country pays the share of time completed there (art. 16).

Less than one year

A short period that gives no right on its own is taken into account by the other country (art. 18).

Most favorable rule

Between the bilateral agreement and the Ibero-American Convention, the most favorable rule applies (Decree 8,358/2014, art. 8).

Source: Decree 1,689/1995 (Brazil-Spain Social Security Agreement), arts. 5, 7, 16, 18, 21 and 30; Decree 9,567/2018 (Supplementary Revision Agreement), arts. 2 to 4 and 6; Decree 8,358/2014 (Ibero-American Multilateral Convention), art. 8; INSS, page on the agreement with Spain. Content reviewed on October 23, 2026.

What is your case?

Situations the firm handles

Time in both countries

Worked in Spain and Brazil

We add up the periods for retirement by age.

See page
Living in Spain

Want to claim your INSS benefit

The claim can start at the Instituto Nacional de la Seguridad Social.

Decree 1,689/1995, art. 30
Expatriate

Your company will send you to Spain

The employee can stay in the home system for up to three years.

Decree 1,689/1995, art. 7
Survivor's pension

Family of someone who worked in both countries

The survivor's pension remains covered after the revision.

See page
Disability

Inability to work with time in Spain

Disability retirement uses the sum of periods.

See page
Earlier claim

Applied for a benefit before March 2018

The revision preserved acquired rights and claims in progress.

Decree 9,567/2018, art. 6
This page provides general information, does not replace an analysis of the case and there is no guarantee of results.

Step by step

How the firm works

  1. Review. We pull your CNIS (Brazil's contribution record) and your work history in Spain (vida laboral).
  2. Comparison. We check whether the bilateral agreement or the Ibero-American Convention is more favorable.
  3. Claim. We prepare the application and the agreement forms for INSS.
  4. Follow-up. We follow the exchange between INSS and the Seguridad Social, with updates on WhatsApp.
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Case review

Let's look at your case

Answer the questions, one at a time. At the end you can attach documents, which go straight to a folder in the firm's Drive, and send the summary via WhatsApp. Everything is protected by attorney-client confidentiality.

Common questions

Frequently asked questions

Does time in Spain count toward retirement by length of contribution?

Under the revised agreement, no. Since March 2018, on the Brazilian side, it covers disability, age, survivor's pension and work accidents. It is worth checking whether the Ibero-American Convention helps in your case.

My company sent me abroad. Do I need to contribute in both countries?

A posted employee stays in the home system if the planned work does not exceed three years, with a possible two-year extension by authorization (art. 7). For self-employed workers, the limit is two years.

Can I file the claim from Spain?

Yes. A claim filed on time with the Spanish institution is considered filed with INSS (art. 30).

I only have a few months of work in Spain. Does it help?

It can help. If the period is less than one year and gives no right on its own, Spain does not pay for it, but Brazil counts it (art. 18).

I receive an INSS benefit and will move to Spain. Will I lose it?

No. The agreement prevents the benefit from being reduced or suspended because the person lives in the other country or in a third country (art. 5). The transfer of payment to a Spanish bank is requested from INSS.

How much does it cost?

After the analysis, the firm sends a written fee proposal before any engagement.