This article covers the Portugal-specific process for obtaining an A1 Certificate. For a general overview of what an A1 Certificate is and when it is required, see A1 Certificate for EU-Based Employees.
Who submits the application?
Remote People submits the A1 application on your behalf as the legal employer, working through our local in-country payroll partner in Portugal.
Neither the employee nor the client company submits directly.
Any additional costs associated are recharged to the client company.
Does it apply to workations?
Yes. An A1 Certificate is required not only for business trips but also for workation, periods where an employee works remotely from another EU/EEA country. If you plan to spend an extended period working from another EU country, the same application process applies.
Maximum certificate validity
Portuguese Social Security (Segurança Social) issues A1 Certificates for a maximum of one year. Requests for 24-month certificates are not accepted under the standard Portuguese process.
Required documentation
To submit an A1 application in Portugal, the following documents are required for each employee:
Service agreement or contract with the foreign client. Remote People provides this directly
Valid workers' compensation insurance (seguro de acidentes de trabalho) covering the relevant travel period and destination country
Proof of payment for the workers' compensation insurance
Signed declaration of commitment from the managing director.
This not always required, but may be requested by the authorities during review.Residence permit or valid identification document (required for Third-Country Nationals)
Once the application has been submitted, the Portuguese authorities may request additional documentation during their review. Remote People will notify you promptly if anything further is required.
The insurance declaration: a Portugal-specific requirement
Portuguese Social Security requires a Declaration of Insurance from the insurance company, confirming territorial coverage for the travel period. This is a standard requirement and does not mean a separate or additional insurance policy is needed.
The declaration is issued against Remote People's existing seguro de acidentes de trabalho (work accident insurance), the mandatory workers' compensation policy that Remote People holds as your legal employer in Portugal. We coordinate obtaining this declaration internally.
Key points on the declaration:
It only needs to cover the specific travel period, not the full year of the certificate's validity
It is issued by Remote People's insurance provider, not by the client company
It must explicitly state the destination country and the dates of the travel period
Application routes
There are two possible routes for the A1 application in Portugal, depending on the employee's work pattern:
Standard route: it applies to employees who perform substantial activity in Portugal. This is the most common route and requires the standard documentation set listed above.
Exception route (form RV1020-DGSS): it applies when the employee does not meet the 'substantial activity in Portugal' criterion. This route requires additional proof of the workers' compensation insurance (comprovativo de seguro de acidentes de trabalho). Remote People's local payroll partner will advise which route applies to your specific situation.
Processing fee
A processing fee applies. Client confirmation to proceed is required before the application is submitted and before this fee is charged.
What to expect after submission
Once all documentation is in order, Remote People submits the application to the Portuguese Social Security authorities
The authorities may request additional documentation during their review, we will coordinate this and keep you informed
The A1 Certificate is held on file by Remote People once issued, employees do not receive or carry it themselves
Processing Times
Processing times depend on the Portuguese Social Security authorities and are outside Remote People's control. Under general administrative procedure rules, decisions are expected within 60 working days before departure, extendable up to 90 working days in the absence of a specific statutory deadline for this procedure. Submit your request as early as possible at least 90 days before the intended travel date.
How to request
Contact Remote People Support with the following information to begin the process:
Employee name(s)
Destination country
Specific travel dates or posting period
Purpose of travel (business trip or workation)
We will confirm the applicable route, coordinate documentation collection internally, and keep you updated throughout the process. For more information, see What Is the Process for Requesting Business Travel?