INSS Offices Close on April 20 and 21 for Holiday

This page is a translation of the original Portuguese text, provided for convenience. It deals with Brazilian law. If there is any discrepancy, the Portuguese version prevails. Read the original in Portuguese

INSS (Brazil’s National Social Security Institute) offices across Brazil will be closed on Monday, the 20th, and Tuesday, the 21st, because of an optional day off (ponto facultativo) and the Tiradentes holiday. Service through Meu INSS (the INSS online portal and app) and the 135 Call Center remains available for part of those days.

Which days the INSS is closed in April 2026

In-person service at Social Security Agencies (INSS offices) is suspended on two consecutive days at the end of April 2026. On Monday, April 20, an optional day off (ponto facultativo) set by the Federal Government is in effect. On Tuesday, April 21, the national Tiradentes holiday halts public offices throughout the country. In-person service resumes on Wednesday, April 22, during each office’s usual hours.

In the state of Rio de Janeiro, there is a third day of closure. On Thursday, April 23, offices in the state will also stay closed for the state holiday of Saint George (São Jorge), which is observed in both the capital and the interior. In-person service in Rio does not return to normal until Friday, April 24. If you have an appointment at an office in the state on that date, check your new appointment before traveling to the office.

INSS digital channels remain available

The Meu INSS website and app stay online throughout the two days of in-person closure, with uninterrupted operation. The platform lets you apply for benefits, track your cases, check your payment statement, issue proof-of-benefit documents, and submit documents from your own phone. Most INSS services can now be handled without going to an office, using facial biometric verification and a login through your gov.br account.

Meu INSS is available 24 hours a day, even on holidays, and covers virtually every service that was once available only at physical offices.

The INSS 135 Call Center also keeps live agents available on Monday, April 20, from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., Brasília time. Only on Tuesday, April 21, does the call center operate exclusively in automated mode, using a voice menu. Live agent service returns in full on Wednesday, April 22, during the same usual hours, including Saturdays, when service is reduced.

If your medical exam falls on a closure day

If you have a medical examination, social assessment, or other appointment scheduled for April 20 or 21, check the status of your appointment on Meu INSS. Medical exams and social assessments scheduled on optional days off or holidays are usually rescheduled automatically by the system, and the insured person is notified by text message or through the app itself. In Rio de Janeiro, the same rule extends to April 23 because of the state holiday.

If you depend on a bank deposit on a specific day, you can follow the payment’s progress directly in your statement without going to an office. To understand the full deposit dates, see our guide to the INSS payment calendar for April and May 2026, which lists deposit schedules and holidays for the period. In urgent cases, the 135 Call Center can advise you on reactivating or rescheduling suspended services.

Planning for the following weeks

The weeks before holidays see heavy demand, so the advice is to book your appointment early whenever possible. The list of services that require an office visit has shrunk in recent years, and you can resolve most matters digitally, including applications for retirement, survivor’s pension, BPC (Continuous Cash Benefit, a means-tested benefit for older adults and people with disabilities), temporary disability benefit, and benefit reviews. If you need in-person service, Friday, April 17, and Wednesday, April 22, stand out as the days with the most availability.

During the closure, scheduled payments are not changed. The calendar follows the monthly schedule, with deposits already set for the April dates, including the first installment of the advance 13th-month payment for some beneficiaries. Another relevant point is that administrative deadlines are suspended on national holidays under current law, which prevents loss of rights for people whose cases are awaiting review.

Suspension of deadlines and protection for insured persons on holidays

The administrative deadlines of the Instituto Nacional do Seguro Social (National Social Security Institute) are suspended on national holidays and on days without office hours, under the general rule that applies to federal public administration bodies. As a result, deadlines to comply with a requirement, to file an appeal with the Social Security Appeals Council, or to submit a statement in a social security case that fall on April 21 are automatically extended to the next business day, in this case April 22. For insured persons in Rio de Janeiro, the state holiday of Saint George on April 23 extends the suspension to Friday, the 24th, even though the holiday is strictly local.

This deserves particular attention in administrative appeals with a 30-day deadline, counted as provided in Article 305 of INSS Presidential Normative Instruction 128 of 2022. Even with the suspension, insured persons and their representatives are advised not to wait until the last day to file, because the Meu INSS system may become unstable on the eve of and the days after long holiday weekends. When compliance depends on submitting a large volume of documents, the recommendation is to submit them early, by Friday, April 17, to leave a safety margin in case of a technical failure on the platform.

Representatives, defenders, and cases with running deadlines during the holiday

If you have retained a lawyer or are represented by the Defensoria Pública da União (Federal Public Defender’s Office), you can authorize that professional to file documents and meet requirements on your behalf, so you do not have to appear at the office in person. The electronic power of attorney, established by DIRAT/INSS Ordinance 1.027 of 2020, allows this remote representation with full legal validity, provided it is registered in advance on Meu INSS, either by you or by a professional authorized under a power of attorney notarized at a registry office. This mechanism is especially useful during long holiday periods, because it keeps your social security case moving without your having to go anywhere in person.

When a case is already in court, procedural deadlines follow the Code of Civil Procedure’s own rules, counted in business days and suspended on court holidays. The court recess should not be confused with the closure of INSS offices: the latter affects only administrative office hours, while the court recess is the period from December 20 to January 20, set by law. For pending lawsuits, the calendar of the competent court governs the count, and the lawyer should check with the Federal Courts or the state trial court where the case is pending before assuming that a deadline is suspended because of a holiday observed by the agency.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which services are available on Meu INSS during the Tiradentes holiday?

You can still apply for benefits, check your payment statement, track your cases, submit documents, and update your personal information. The entire digital catalog keeps running during the two days of in-person closure. The platform operates around the clock, with access through your gov.br login.

Can I speak with an agent by calling 135 on April 21?

On April 21, live agent service at the 135 Call Center is suspended, and the line operates only with automated service through a voice menu. Direct conversation with an agent returns on Wednesday, April 22, from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. On Monday, April 20, live agent service continues during full hours.

If I had a medical exam scheduled for a closure day, do I lose my right to the benefit?

No. Medical exams and social assessments scheduled for optional days off or holidays are rescheduled automatically by the system, and you will be notified. The review period for your application is suspended until the rescheduling takes place. If you have questions about the new date, you can check Meu INSS or call the 135 Call Center.

As informações deste artigo são de caráter informativo e não substituem consulta jurídica individualizada. Cada caso possui particularidades que exigem análise específica.