Sick leave online in Portugal,
sent to Social Security.

The CIT is the official document issued by a doctor to declare temporary work incapacity due to illness. It is submitted electronically through the SS Directa portal and forms the basis for sick pay (subsídio de doença) from Portuguese Social Security. With Kliniqa: book a consultation (€45), the doctor assesses you by video and, if clinically justified, submits the CIT directly to SS Directa during the consultation. Email confirmation arrives the same day.

Sick pay is paid from the 4th day of incapacity (a 3-day waiting period applies to sick leaves up to 30 days, except for hospitalisation, tuberculosis or oncology). The rate depends on duration: 55% of reference earnings up to 30 days, 60% from 31 to 90 days, 70% from 91 to 365 days and 75% beyond 365 days. Maximum duration is 1095 days.

A doctor can issue a CIT for up to 30 days of incapacity at a time (up to 60 days in specific situations such as post-surgical recovery, oncology or tuberculosis). For prolonged incapacity the CIT must be renewed before the end of the period — Kliniqa offers online renewals at €45.

Yes, when clinically justified. The CIT can include up to 2 backdated days without additional justification, and more if the clinical situation warrants it and the doctor documents the reason. Useful when you fell ill over the weekend or couldn't get a consultation on day one.

Yes. An online CIT has the same legal validity as one issued in a physical consultation. Applies to employees (regular sick pay regime), self-employed/recibos verdes registered with Social Security (independent regime, with a 30-day waiting period) and is also accepted by foreign employers and private health insurers.

No. The CIT submitted to Social Security does not reveal the diagnosis to your employer. Employers only see confirmation of the incapacity period via Portal das Finanças and Segurança Social Directa — no clinical details. Kliniqa is GDPR-compliant and never shares your health data.

A sick note (€30) is a simple document to justify a short absence to your employer — it does not entitle you to sick pay and does not go through Social Security. The CIT (€45) is the official certificate submitted directly to Social Security, essential to receive sick pay for absences longer than 3 days. For 1–3 day absences a sick note is usually enough.

Yes. Before your current CIT period ends, book a new Kliniqa consultation. The doctor reviews whether the incapacity remains clinically justified and issues an extension (also submitted directly to SS Directa). Important: the extension must be issued with no gap between periods to avoid interruption to your sick pay.

To receive Portuguese sick pay you need 6 months of contributions to Portuguese Social Security (EU contributions can be counted via the S1/U1 form). Even without entitlement to sick pay, the CIT is useful as documentation for your employer. Recent immigrants without 6 months of contributions can use a regular sick note (€30) instead.

Research grant holders registered as self-employed can apply for CIT and sick pay after the 30-day waiting period. University students can use a sick note (€30) to justify absences and postpone exams — for universities a sick note is sufficient, a CIT is not needed.