When it's time to retire, applying for the pension isn't automatic: you have to start the process yourself, and doing so with enough notice avoids delays in receiving your first monthly payment.
When to start the process
It's recommended to start the application with some notice before the date you want retirement to take effect, usually between one and three months in advance, to give Social Security time to review the case and avoid delays in receiving the first payments.
The required documentation
- Identity document.
- Social Security affiliation number.
- Certificate from the bank where you want to receive payment.
- Documentation proving relevant family circumstances (family record book, if applicable for supplements).
- If you've worked in other countries, documentation relating to those foreign contribution periods.
Ways to submit the application
- Social Security's online office, using a digital certificate, electronic ID, or the Cl@ve system — the fastest option, requiring no in-person visit.
- In person, at Social Security offices, with a prior appointment.
- By phone, through the channels enabled for certain procedures.
Check your work history report first
Before applying for your pension, it's highly recommended to request and review your updated work history report, to check that all your contribution periods are correctly recorded. If you spot a period you worked that isn't reflected, it's much easier to fix it before applying for the pension than afterward, once the case has already been resolved.
What happens while your application is being processed
During the time it takes to resolve your application (which can vary depending on the administration's workload and the complexity of your specific case, especially if you've contributed in other countries), you don't receive the pension, although once resolved favorably, payment is usually backdated to the requested effective date, not the date the case was resolved.
What to do if you disagree with the decision
If Social Security resolves your application with an amount or conditions different from what you expected, you have the right to file a prior administrative claim, and afterward, if it isn't resolved in your favor, to go to the labor courts, within the deadlines set for each of these procedures.
Make an orientative estimate before applying
Before starting the process, our retirement pension calculator lets you make a first orientative estimate of your pension, useful as a reference to compare against the final result your application receives.