1. How is the pension entitlement established if I have worked in two or more EU Member States?
In order to complete the years/days of insurance required for entitlement to a pension, account shall be taken of all insurance periods completed in EU countries, EEA countries and Switzerland, as certified by the competent social security bodies.
However, any concurrent insurance periods shall be taken into account only once, in accordance with the rules laid down in the relevant provisions of Regulations (EC) No 883/04 and No 987/09.
2. I have worked and have been insured in Greece and abroad (in one or more EU Member States, EEA countries or Switzerland). From which country will I get a pension?
The competent institution of each country, having taken the insurance periods completed in all Member States into account, shall grant a separate pension (old age, invalidity or survivor's) in proportion to the periods of insurance (and/or residence) completed in its country and in accordance with the pension conditions laid down in its national legislation.
3. How is the pension benefit calculated if I have worked in one or more EU Member States (EEA countries or Switzerland) and the time I have spent in Greece is not sufficient to draw a Greek pension?
Insurance periods completed in EU Member States/EEA countries/Switzerland are taken into account for entitlement, and the competent institution grants a pro rata (partial) benefit.
4. I have worked and have been insured in Greece and abroad (in one or more EU Member States, EEA countries or Switzerland) and the time I have spent in Greece is sufficient to draw a Greek pension. Is the application of European Regulations (EC) No 883/04 and No 987/09 compulsory?
Yes. The application of the European Regulations is compulsory, even if you establish an independent pension entitlement in Greece (only with Greek insurance periods). In this case, a dual calculation will take place for an independent and a pro rata benefit, and the pension amount most favourable to the insured person will be granted.
5. I have worked and have been insured in Greece and abroad (in one or more EU Member States, EEA countries or Switzerland). Am I entitled to a temporary pension from e-EFKA?
You may draw a temporary pension under Law 4387/2016 from e-EFKA (the electronic National Social Security Fund), provided you establish an independent pension entitlement in Greece (i.e. the time requirements for a pension using only Greek insurance periods are met) and you do not draw any other main pension for any reason from Greece or for any other reason from abroad.
If the Greek time is not sufficient to grant a pension, you may be granted a pension advance, in accordance with the relevant provisions of the European Regulations, provided that the competent e-EFKA pension service has the necessary information to establish your entitlement.
6. I am a resident abroad. Where will I apply for a provisional pension?
If you are resident abroad, you will send your request for a provisional pension to the competent e-EFKA department, from which you were requested the missing supporting documents, or to the one to which the foreign institution has sent your pension request.
7. In order to establish a pension entitlement in Greece, will account be taken of the entire period of insurance completed abroad (in an EU country, EEA or Switzerland) or only as long as necessary to fulfil the time conditions under Greek legislation?
The period of insurance completed in an EU Member State, an EEA country and/or Switzerland shall always be taken into account in its entirety, as communicated by the competent insurance institution in the relevant European form.
The only exception is the insurance periods granted mainly as a premium which exceed the period in which they are included (e.g. if they are notified for the period 1/1/95-31/12/95: 14 months, only 12 months will be taken into account).
8. I am a third-country national (non-EU/EEA/Switzerland) and have worked in Greece and in another EU Member State. Do the European Regulations apply to me?
As long as you have lawfully resided and have been insured (due to work) in Greece and in another EU country (except Denmark), the provisions of the European Regulations on the coordination of social security systems also apply to you.
9. I was insured for a few months in one of the Member States where I have worked. Will this period be taken into account?
Yes. Any insurance period shorter than one (1) year will be taken into account by the country that will award you a pension as if it had been completed under its own legislation.
If you have been insured in more than two Member States, the period of less than 1 year will be taken into account pro rata by the countries granting you a pension, based on the insurance period completed in each of them.
10. I have been employed in Greece in the agricultural sector before the payment of social security contributions became compulsory. Am I entitled to a pension from e-EFKA taking into account the insurance period I have completed in an EU country (EEA or Switzerland)?
Periods of employment as a farmer in Greece prior to 1998 and without the obligation to pay social security contributions can be taken into account if you were insured abroad after 1998 and have completed a total of 25 years of insurance for establishment of a pension entitlement.
11. I live abroad permanently (in an EU country, an EEA country or Switzerland). Can the Greek pension be paid into a bank account I hold in my country of residence?
Yes. Provided the conditions for the award of a pension by e-EFKA are met, the pension may be paid to any bank of an EU Member State, an EEA country and Switzerland that is integrated into the SEPA European interbank system.
12. I am to draw (or already draw) a Greek pension, but I live in another EU Member State (or EEA country or Switzerland) where I am entitled to treatment. Can I be exempted from the deduction of a contribution in favour of the health insurance branch of e-EFKA?
Yes, you can be exempted from the deduction of a contribution in favour of the health insurance branch of e-EFKA from the Greek pension, provided the country in which you reside gives you the right to treatment due to work or retirement.
However, you cannot be excluded if your right to sickness insurance abroad was acquired in the capacity of family member or resident.
13. I live abroad permanently (in an EU country, an EEA country or Switzerland) and have also been insured by a supplementary insurance fund in Greece. Do the European Regulations apply to me? What is the procedure to draw my supplementary pension?
European Regulations (EC) No 883/04 and No 987/09 do not coordinate supplementary pensions granted under national legislation. Therefore, you must have completed the time required exclusively under Greek supplementary insurance and you must be entitled to a main pension from e-EFKA.
If you reside abroad, you must send your request for a supplementary pension to the competent e-EFKA department, which will ask you for the missing supporting documents when it receives the claim for a main pension from the foreign institution.
14. I live in Greece permanently and have been insured by a subsidiary/occupational fund abroad (EU country, EEA country or Switzerland). Do the European Regulations apply to me?
No. European Regulations (EC) No 883/04 and No 987/09 do not coordinate supplementary pensions that may be granted under the national legislation of EU Member States, EEA countries or Switzerland.
Therefore, as regards your supplementary or occupational pension from abroad, you will be contacted directly by your competent insurance institution in that country (your occupational fund or supplementary insurance fund), without the intervention of e-EFKA departments.
15. In the event of the death of an e-EFKA pensioner who resides abroad, what actions are required and which department should be informed?
After the death of an e-EFKA pensioner, a registry death certificate should be sent as soon as possible to the competent e-EFKA department that manages the payment of the deceased person’s pension in order to stop payment of the Greek pension. In your letter, you must absolutely indicate the social security number (AMKA) and/or tax identification number (AFM) and/or the deceased person’s registration number and the Greek fund from which they drew a pension.
Please note that the amounts of the Greek pension credited to the deceased person’s bank account should not be withdrawn after the date of death.
16. I wish to draw a pension from e-EFKA, on the basis of European Regulations, but my question concerns Greek legislation and is not included in the information provided here. How can I learn more?
More information on Greek legislation concerning pensions can be found at the following links:
https://www.efka.gov.gr/el/syntaxioychoi/sychnes-eroteseis-kai-apanteseis-schetika-me-syntaxeis and https://www.efka.gov.gr/el/diadikasia-syntaxiodoteses