Document Checklist for Benefits: See What to Bring Before Leaving Home
Going to the CRAS (Social Assistance Reference Center), INSS (National Institute of Social Security), or any public agency without the correct documents often means losing an entire day and having to return another day.
To avoid this, we set up a simple checklist of documents that are usually requested for benefits such as Bolsa Família, INSS, Auxílio Gás and other social programs.
1. Basic documents that are almost always requested
Regardless of the benefit, it is very common for them to request:
CPF of the person who will be treated and, often, of family members;
RG or another official document with a photo;
Recent proof of residence (water, electricity, telephone, internet, etc.);
Birth or marriage certificates (in family care/Single Registry);
Proof of income or a declaration that they have no formal income.
Benefits Document Checklist (Google)
2. Quick checklist for Bolsa Família and CadÚnico
Node Family Allowance and in CadÚnico, The focus is on the whole family. That's why it's common for them to ask:
Taxpayer Identification Number (CPF) and National Identity Card (RG) of the family head;
Documents for everyone living in the house (CPF, RG or birth certificates);
Up-to-date proof of residence;
Proof of income or work permit;
In some cases, school declarations for children and adolescents.
To see a more detailed checklist for Bolsa Família, click below:
For the benefit of INSS (Retirement, pension, BPC, disability benefit, etc.), in addition to basic documents, they usually ask for:
Proof of contributions (employment record book, payment booklets, payment slips);
Updated medical reports, examinations and certificates (for disability benefits);
Documents proving length of service, when necessary;
Proof of residence.
Many people arrive at the INSS (Brazilian National Social Security Institute) without medical reports or contribution documents and need to reschedule their appointment.
4. Documents for Gas Assistance and other assistance
For the Gas Aid and various complementary programs, the main point is to be with the Updated CadÚnico.
In general, they ask for:
CPF (Brazilian taxpayer ID) and photo ID;
Recent proof of address;
Proof of registration or registration number in the CadÚnico (Single Registry for Social Programs).
5. Mistakes that cause you to lose the customer service interaction.
Here are some common mistakes you can avoid:
Bringing only a photo of the document when they ask for the original;
Go only with the guardian's document and forget the children's documents;
Using a very old proof of residence;
Do not bring any documents that prove income or employment status;
Forgetting medical reports when applying for disability benefits.
6. How to organize your documents before leaving
A simple way to not forget anything:
Separate one folder for documents only of the family;
Put all the CPF numbers, RG numbers, and birth certificates there;
Always include recent proof of address;
If the appointment is at the INSS (Brazilian National Social Security Institute), have your medical reports and contribution receipts ready with you.;
If in doubt, bring extra documents — it's almost always better to have too many than too few.
7. Now see the complete list of documents, by benefit.
Requirements may vary depending on the agency, the type of benefit, and even the municipality. Therefore, we've created a page with a list organized by program.
This content is for informational purposes only. Always confirm the required documents directly with the CRAS (Social Assistance Reference Center), INSS (National Institute of Social Security), or official government channels before proceeding.
