NISS is the social security number every worker and self-employed person in Portugal needs. Here is what it means, who needs one (including D7 and D8 visa holders), the ways to get it free in 2026, and how it differs from your NIF.
Short answer · checked 29 September 2026
NISS stands for Número de Identificação da Segurança Social, Portugal's social security number. It is an 11-digit number issued free of charge by the Instituto da Segurança Social, and you keep it for life. You need one to work, be self-employed or claim benefits in Portugal, and AIMA may ask for it when you renew your residence permit. You can request it online through Segurança Social, through your employer, or together with your NIF and health number.
In this guide
What does NISS mean?
NISS is short for Número de Identificação da Segurança Social, which translates as "Social Security Identification Number". It is the Portuguese equivalent of a UK National Insurance number or a US Social Security number:
- Format: 11 digits
- Issued by: the Instituto da Segurança Social (ISS)
- Cost: free
- Validity: for life, and each person only ever has one
- Used for: recording your contributions towards pensions, sick pay, parental and unemployment benefits
Portuguese citizens receive a NISS automatically and it is printed on the back of their Citizen Card. Foreign residents have to request one.
Who needs a NISS in Portugal?
| Your situation | Do you need a NISS? |
|---|---|
| Employed by a Portuguese company | Yes. Your employer can sign your contract before you have a NISS; the contract is the basis for requesting it, and the employer then registers your employment with Segurança Social. |
| Self-employed, freelancer or business owner (including D2 visa holders) | Yes. Register your self-employed activity with the Tax Authority first; that registration, and your invoices or receipts, can be used as proof when you request the NISS. |
| D8 digital nomad working for a foreign employer | Often yes. If you physically work in Portugal, Portuguese social security usually applies even with a foreign employer, unless an international agreement applies and you can show you remain covered abroad (for example with a posting certificate). Your visa type alone does not decide this, so take advice. |
| D7 retiree with no Portuguese income | No contributions are due without work income, but AIMA may ask for a NISS at renewal, so it is sensible to have one. |
| Students | Only if you work or do a paid internship. |
| EU citizens working in Portugal | Yes, on the same basis as Portuguese workers. |
A NISS is also useful for registering at your local health centre and for enrolling children in school.
How to get a NISS in 2026
1Online through Segurança Social
Since 13 August 2025, foreign citizens can request and receive a NISS entirely online using the "Pedido de NISS" service for foreign citizens on seg-social.pt. Your identity is checked with facial recognition or fingerprints, so you no longer need to collect the number at a counter.
2Through your employer
Portuguese employers can request the NISS for a new foreign employee and then register the employment contract.
3NIF, NISS and health number in one request
Since March 2025, foreign residents can request their NIF (tax number), NISS and national health number (número de utente) together at participating Espaço Cidadão service points in Lisbon, Porto, Braga, Cascais, Oeiras, Loures, Setúbal, Olhão and Lagos. You need your passport and an activated Chave Móvel Digital, and the numbers are sent to you by email. This service is for EU citizens and people who hold or have applied for a residence permit.
4At your AIMA appointment
AIMA announced in July 2026 that it would start assigning a NISS during regularisation appointments. It is not yet clear that this happens at every appointment, so check whether you received one and, if not, use one of the routes above.
You can also apply in person at a Segurança Social service centre, although waiting times are longer.
Documents you need
Identity and residence
- EU, EEA and Swiss citizens: passport, national ID card or residence card
- Non-EU citizens: passport plus your visa, residence permit or proof of a pending residence application
- People under international protection can use their provisional residence permit, application receipt or protection declaration
Proof of your work situation (one of)
- Employment contract
- Your self-employment registration plus invoices or receipts
- Company registration certificate
- For digital nomads, your contract with a foreign employer
If someone applies for you: they need a power of attorney or a completed third-party authorisation form (Declaração de Autorização a Terceiros, PA12), plus their own valid ID. An employer can act as your representative. Documents issued abroad may need an apostille and a Portuguese translation.
Most people will also have a NIF already, since you need one for almost everything in Portugal.
How long does it take, and how much does it cost?
Getting a NISS is free. There is no official processing deadline. Online requests can be quick, while other applications can take a few weeks.
How to access Segurança Social Direta
Once you have your NISS, register for Segurança Social Direta, the online portal where you can see your contributions, submit self-employed declarations and request benefits. You can register with your NISS and a phone number or email, or log in with a Chave Móvel Digital.
NISS for self-employed people: contributions in 2026
- Rate: most self-employed workers pay 21.4%. Sole traders (empresários em nome individual) and owners of single-member limited companies (EIRL) pay 25.2%.
- What it is charged on: "relevant income", which is 70% of income from services or 20% of income from sales of goods, hotels and restaurants. Under the quarterly declaration system, the monthly contribution base is generally one-third of the quarter's relevant income. People with organised accounting follow different rules.
- Declarations: usually submitted quarterly, in January, April, July and October.
- First year: if you are self-employed for the first time, contributions generally start from the 12th month after you begin your activity.
- Minimum: the minimum monthly contribution is generally €20, subject to exemptions and your regime.
- Pensioners: people receiving a qualifying Portuguese or foreign pension can be exempt, but only where the self-employed activity is legally compatible with that pension, and you may need to apply and provide evidence. This is worth checking for D7 retirees who do some freelance work.
Unsure how this applies to you? Book a tax consultation.
NISS vs NIF vs número de utente
| NISS | NIF | Número de utente | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | Social security number | Tax number | National Health Service (SNS) number |
| Issued by | Segurança Social | Tax Authority (Finanças) | SNS / ACSS |
| Digits | 11 | 9 | 9 |
| Needed for | Work, self-employment, benefits, pensions | Bank accounts, leases, contracts, taxes | Using public healthcare |
| When you usually get it | When you start working, or on request | Often before your visa application | When you first use a public health service |
A common order is NIF, then NISS, then número de utente, but it is not fixed. You can get an SNS number the first time you use a public health service, and having the number is a separate question from whether your care is covered. See our guide to timelines for NIF, NISS and other registrations.
Is NISS the same as a National Insurance number?
It is the closest equivalent. Like the UK National Insurance number, your NISS records your social security contributions for life. The difference is that Portugal uses a separate number, the NIF, for income tax.
Frequently asked questions
What is a NISS number?
NISS (Número de Identificação da Segurança Social) is Portugal's 11-digit social security number. It records your contributions for pensions and benefits and is needed to work or be self-employed in Portugal.
How do I get a NISS in Portugal as a foreigner?
Request it online through the Segurança Social website with biometric identity checks, have your employer request it, request it together with your NIF and health number at a participating Espaço Cidadão, or apply in person. AIMA has also announced it will assign NISS numbers at regularisation appointments.
Do I need a NISS on a D7 or D8 visa?
A D7 holder with no Portuguese work income pays no contributions, but AIMA may ask for a NISS at renewal. A D8 holder working physically in Portugal may be covered by Portuguese social security even with a foreign employer, unless an international agreement applies, so take advice.
Do I need a NISS before signing a job contract or issuing an invoice?
No. Employers can sign a contract before you have a NISS, and the contract is used to request it. Self-employed people can use their activity registration and invoices or receipts as proof when requesting a NISS.
Is NISS the same as NIF?
No. The NIF is your 9-digit tax number from the Tax Authority. The NISS is your 11-digit social security number from Segurança Social. Most residents need both.
How much does a NISS cost and how long does it take?
Requesting a NISS from Segurança Social is free. There is no official deadline; online requests can be quick, while other applications can take a few weeks.
Need help getting your NISS?
We can request your NISS for you remotely as part of our pay-as-you-go services (€140), alongside your NIF and Portuguese bank account. The government service itself is free; our fee covers doing it for you.
Sources: gov.pt guides to requesting a NIF and NISS as a foreign national and to the SNS number, the Segurança Social online NISS announcement (13 August 2025), AIMA's note on employment contracts (23 February 2026), the Social Security Contributions Code, and reporting on AIMA's July 2026 NISS announcement. General information, not legal or tax advice. Checked on 29 September 2026.