The Voluntary Social Insurance Scheme is an optional (non-compulsory) benefit for fellows with a grant contract of 6 months or longer.
According to Article 172, No. 3 of the Social Security Contributory Schemes Code, the SSV covers research fellows in the following circumstances: invalidity, old age, death, parenthood, illness, and occupational diseases covered by the welfare subsystem, with the event of illness covered under the terms of the self-employed workers' scheme (see Article 10, Nos. 2 and 3 of the EBIC).
Grant holders must meet the following requirements:
a) Be at least 18 years old and physically and mentally able to work;
b) Hold a scientific research grant of 6 months or longer awarded under the EBIC;
c) Not be covered by any social security scheme; and
d) Submit a certificate of physical and mental fitness issued by a National Health Service physician.
If you meet the requirements to be a beneficiary of Voluntary Social insurance, and since this is within the competence of Social Security, according to article 6 of the Decree-Law 40/89 (published in the Portuguese Official Gazette, Series 1, 1 February), you must register directly with the Social Security Services.
By filling in the required form (RV1007-DGSS-Voluntary Social Insurance and, in the case of foreign citizens, RV1006-DGSS-Foreign Citizen, available for download at www.seg-social.pt) and going to the Social Security Institute, I.P. (or the Citizen's Office, at the relevant Services Office) to register.
You will need to bring with you a certificate of physical and mental fitness issued by a doctor from the Portuguese National Health Service (Health Centres and Hospitals), your Citizen's Card, Identity Card or Personal Card, and a letter from the funding and/or host organisation confirming your status as a research grant holder.
Portuguese fellows living abroad can submit their application via the email account provided for this purpose by the Social Security Institute, I.P. (ISS-IINTERNACIONAIS@SEG-SOCIAL.PT), instead of visiting one of the Institute's Regional Centres.
You can join the SSV at any time during the minimum grant period, with the coverage starting on the start date of the grant contract.
Grant holders are free to choose any income bracket they wish, bearing in mind that the University of Coimbra is only responsible for reimbursing the amount corresponding to the 1st income bracket.
Note: Fellowship contracts do not establish any legal employment relationships or the provision of services, and fellows do not acquire the status of employees or collaborators as a result.
Yes. According to Article 10(4) of the EBIC, a grant holder who joins the SSV scheme is entitled to reimbursement from the funding institution for the costs resulting from the contributions paid under the 1st income tax bracket. If the fellow chooses a higher tax bracket, he or she will be responsible for any additional costs incurred.
The right to reimbursement of contributions by the funding organisation applies only for the duration of the scholarship contract.
Yes, you should send a copy/scan of your registration, already validated by the Social Security Institute, I.P., to the Human Resources Management Service (SGRH) of the University of Coimbra, by e-mail to sgrh@uc.pt, mentioning as subject: PROOF OF VOLUNTARY SOCIAL INSURANCE REGISTRATION
Grant holders are directly responsible for the payment of contributions to the Social Security Institute (Instituto da Segurança Social, I.P.).
The fellow must send proof of payment of the SSV contribution to SGRH in order to be reimbursed for the contributions already paid.
If the fellow has paid the contribution using the home banking system, he/she can send the corresponding proof of payment to sgrh@uc.pt.
If the fellow made the payment at the Social Security Treasury, by I.P. or ATM, he/she must submit the original to the SGRH Service Unit.
Note: The receipt must always indicate the month to which the SSV payment relates, regardless of the type of SSV payment. It is therefore important to follow the correct procedure when paying your SSV contributions.
The fellow must request the cancellation of the SSV at a Social Security Institute, I.P.'s service counter at the end of the grant contract, otherwise he/she shall remain a beneficiary of the given contributory system.