Applications for the payment of the difference up to the minimum pension amount in Montenegro for recipients of proportional pensions will be accepted even if the required documentation is incomplete. However, applicants will be given a deadline to complete it, according to the Pension and Disability Insurance Fund (Fond PIO).
“If a recipient of a proportional pension is unable to provide all necessary documentation, most commonly a certificate or confirmation from a foreign insurance carrier regarding the last paid pension, the application will still be accepted despite the incomplete documentation,” the statement said.
The Fund added that, in accordance with the law, an authorized official will request that recipients of proportional pensions correct any deficiencies as soon as possible.
“If the applicant submits the required documentation within the deadline, the application will be considered valid from the date of submission. Otherwise, within seven days after the deadline expires, the application will be rejected by decision,” the Fund explained.
They further clarified that the decision on the application will be made once the required documentation is provided.
The Pension and Disability Insurance Fund reminded the public that the amendments to the Law on Pension and Disability Insurance, which came into effect on February 10, provide for the payment of the difference up to the minimum pension level in Montenegro for recipients of proportional pensions whose total pension amounts to less than 450 EUR, which is the minimum pension amount.
To apply for the difference payment, the request must be submitted to the relevant regional unit of the Fund and the Department for the Implementation of Foreign Insurance. The required documents include a copy of the applicant’s ID card, proof of residence, and a certificate or confirmation from the foreign insurance provider about the last paid pension.
Recipients of proportional pensions must also submit a copy of the decision recognizing their pension rights from the foreign insurance provider, as well as a notarized statement certified by a notary or a competent court.
“In order to prevent abuse, recipients of proportional pensions must declare, under full material and criminal liability, that they will report any changes in the amount of their foreign pension within 15 days, as well as any changes that may affect their right to or the scope of the benefit,” the Fund stated.
They further explained that the applicant must indicate which documents they are submitting with the request.
“If the application contains a formal deficiency that prevents it from being processed, or if it is unclear or incomplete, an authorized official will set a deadline within three days for the deficiency to be corrected. The applicant will be warned about the legal consequences, meaning that if the deficiency is not addressed, the application will be rejected within seven days after the deadline expires,” the Fund explained.
They also noted that the payment of the difference will commence from the first day of the month following the submission of the application.
“For example, if the application for the payment of the difference was submitted in February, the payments will begin on the first day of the following month, i.e., from March 1, with the payment of the March pension scheduled for April 20,” the statement concluded.
