Information is set out here on how to aggregate periods of social insurance for which contributions have been paid in another Member State in order to preserve social security rights.

In what situation can I claim?

If you intend to work in another EU country or in other country where regulations corresponding to those of the EU are in force (the European Economic Area and Switzerland), these regulations make provision for equal treatment of those insured.

Each Member State has its own laws that set out procedures for the payment of social security, as well the amounts and the length of time for which payments are made. However, social security systems in the EU are coordinated. The basic principles of social security coordination are:

• non-discrimination on grounds of nationality;
• a person is covered for social insurance only in one Member State and pays social security contributions only in one country (even if they work in two or more Member States) according to the system there. Social security contributions paid may not be cancelled, frozen or reduced if a person moves to another Member State;
• insurance periods completed in different Member States are aggregated. If anyone returns to live in Lithuania and applies for social security payments, in determining their right to benefit, social security periods accumulated in another Member State will be taken into account;
• benefits can be exported.

See below for the documents that must be submitted.

Pensions are calculated separately in each country depending on how long a person worked and paid contributions in the Member State.

What conditions do I need to meet?

The appropriate regulations are applied to these social security areas:

• unemployment benefit;
• sickness, maternity and equivalent paternity benefits;
• invalidity benefit;
• long-term care benefit;
• old-age benefits and survivor's (loss of breadwinner) benefits;
• benefits paid for accidents at work and occupational diseases;
• death grants;
• family benefits.

What am I entitled to and how can I claim?

In order to exercise your rights and receive payment you must submit the required documents (see below 'Forms you may need to fill in').

You must also be prepared to provide details of your employer(s) in the other Member State, as well as dates, the period during which you were insured and your social security number(s).

Family benefits are normally paid by the Member State in which child's parents work and in which the child is resident. If family members work and live in different Member States, the relevant national institution will examine your family situation and determine which country is responsible for making payments.

If Member State 'X' is responsible for your family payments, but you work or receive a pension in Member State 'Y' and the family payments from Member State 'Y' are greater than those from Member State 'X', this is the Member State that will make the difference in payments.

If you are posted abroad and remain insured in your own Member State, your Member State will continue to be responsible for paying family benefits.

Survivors' or orphans' pensions are awarded depending on where the deceased person has paid social security contributions and/or received a pension.

There are two types of support in the case of death:

• lump-sum funeral allowance in the amount of 8 BSB (EUR 392);
• allowance for repatriation of remains of Lithuanian citizens who have died abroad. It is equal to the actual costs of transporting the remains in Lithuania, but with a ceiling of 54 BSB (EUR 2,646). Person shall be entitled to the repatriation allowance if the average income of the single person or each person living in the same household per month is less than 3 SSI (EUR 471).

Jargon busters

• European Economic Area - Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.
• Member State - EU country, European Economic Area country, and Switzerland.

Forms you may need to fill in

More information can be found on the webpage Your Europe.

• A1 (previously - E 101, E 103): a person on a posting or simultaneously working in several countries is issued with a document confirming that they pay social insurance contributions in another Member State. This document in Lithuania is issued by the SoDra Vilnius Division;
• S1 (previously - E 106, E 109 or E 121): this document details the right to health care. It is useful for workers, pensioners, civil servants and their dependants travelling to work abroad. It can be obtained from health insurance organisations. (In Lithuania - at the Territorial health insurance Fund offices);
• U1 (previously - E 301): a document that confirms the periods to be taken into account when calculating unemployment benefit. It is issued by the country in which a person last worked, by the local Employment Service or by the relevant social insurance institution. This document in Lithuania is issued by SoDra. SoDra also issue a U2 Certificate (previously E 303), permission to claim unemployment benefit while seeking work in another Member State;
• U3 sets out the circumstances that may affect your right to unemployment benefit. It is issued by the state employment service (district job centre). This document in Lithuania is issued by the Employment Service;
• DA1 (previously - E 123): a document that confirms the right to receive health care services in another EU country in the event of an accident at work or occupational disease. It is issued by the health insurance institution (Territorial health insurance Fund offices in Lithuania);
• P1: a review of decisions taken by institutions to which a person has submitted an application for retirement, survivor's or invalidity pensions. Issued by the pensions institution (SoDra Vilnius Division in Lithuania).

Know your rights

These links will help you find out what your rights are. These are not European Commission websites and the information they contain may not necessarily reflect the Commission's point of view:

• Ministry of Social Security and Labour webpage for EU migrants;

European Commission publications and websites:

• Help and advice for EU nationals and their family

Who do you need to contact?

State Social Insurance Fund Board under the Ministry of Social Security and Labour

Phone 1883 or +370 5 250 0883

info@sodra.lt

Konstitucijos av. 12

09308 Vilnius

Lithuania

www.sodra.lt

Employment Service under the Ministry of Social Security and Labour

Phone 1883 or (+370) 5 250 0883
info@uzt.lt, eures@uzt.lt
Geležinio Vilko str. 3A

LT-03131 Vilnius

Lithuania

www.uzt.lt

National Health Insurance Fund under the Ministry of Health

Phone + 370 5 232 2222

vlk@vlk.lt

Europos Sq. 1

LT03505 Vilnius

Lithuania

https://ligoniukasa.lrv.lt/