An MRE who has worked in Italy and contributed in Morocco can combine the Italian pension paid by the Istituto Nazionale della Previdenza Sociale (INPS) and the Moroccan CNSS, CMR or CIMR pension. The social security convention signed in Rabat on 7 June 1972 between Italy and Morocco allows period totalization (totalizzazione internazionale) for entitlement in either country. The tax convention signed the same day prevents double taxation. This guide details the full procedure for an MRE to claim both pensions.
Costs & fees
| INPS Estratto contributivo (contribution record) | Free | Via INPS portal with SPID, CIE or CNS |
| CNSS Morocco contribution statement | Free | Via cnss.ma online portal |
| Versamenti volontari (INPS voluntary contributions) | Variable per reference income | Apply within 12 months of activity end |
| Specialist expat retirement advisor (optional) | EUR 150-400 | Via patronato or CAF |
| Cross-border pension transfer fees | EUR 0-15 per transfer | INPS pays in EUR to SEPA or non-SEPA account |
Timeline
Download the INPS estratto contributivo and the CNSS statement
Start by downloading the estratto contributivo from INPS. Online access at inps.it via SPID (Sistema Pubblico di Identita Digitale), CIE (Carta di Identita Elettronica) or CNS (Carta Nazionale dei Servizi). The document lists every contribution period by scheme (Fondo Pensione Lavoratori Dipendenti for private sector, Gestione Separata for self-employed, special funds for certain categories). In Morocco, the cnss.ma portal shows your contribution history. Any gap must be reported to INPS via the estratto integrato form before claiming.
💡 Tip — If you no longer have SPID after leaving Italy, contact a patronato (Inca CGIL, Acli, Inas Cisl) that can access your INPS file with a power of attorney.
⚠️ Warning — Periods in Gestione Separata (collaborazioni, freelancers) or special funds may be missed in the main estratto. Verify every category.
Confirm the minimum INPS entitlement period
To open the right to the pensione di vecchiaia (old-age pension) in Italy, the minimum is 20 years of contributions. For the pensione anticipata (early retirement), about 42 years 10 months for men and 41 years 10 months for women apply in 2026. With fewer than 20 Italian years, the 1972 Italy-Morocco convention allows totalizzazione internazionale with Moroccan periods to reach the threshold. Example: 12 years in Italy plus 9 years in Morocco open INPS vecchiaia entitlement, calculated only on the 12 Italian years. INPS checks the convention automatically when your Moroccan periods are listed on the claim.
💡 Tip — Attach your Moroccan CNSS statement to the INPS claim and explicitly request application of the 1972 convention in the dedicated box.
⚠️ Warning — Totalizzazione internazionale opens entitlement but cannot be used for the pensione anticipata (which requires Italian-only contributions to reach 42 years 10 months).
Consider versamenti volontari if relevant
If you have left Italy before legal age and stopped contributing, you can pay voluntary contributions (contribuzione volontaria) to INPS to complete your career. The application must be filed within 12 months of leaving Italian activity. The amount depends on the average reference income over the last 12 months of activity. For former employees of the Fondo Pensione Lavoratori Dipendenti, the monthly contribution typically falls between EUR 200 and 1,200 depending on previous wages. Versamenti volontari are worthwhile if you are close to the 20-year threshold or aim at pensione anticipata.
💡 Tip — Request the autorizzazione alla prosecuzione volontaria before paying. INPS confirms eligibility and calculates the precise base.
⚠️ Warning — Versamenti volontari are non-refundable. Run a full simulation before paying years in advance.
File the INPS pension claim
The pensione di vecchiaia claim is filed online at inps.it via SPID, CIE or CNS. For an MRE residing in Morocco, attach forms P1/MA and P12 of the bilateral convention. The pensione di vecchiaia opens from age 67 (standard cohort, subject to periodic revaluation in line with life expectancy). With totalizzazione, the Italian pension is calculated only on Italian periods and the relevant scheme (contributivo since 1996, retributivo for earlier periods). File the claim 3 months before the target date.
💡 Tip — Patronati (Inca CGIL, Acli Patronato, Inas Cisl) offer free assistance for INPS retirement claims, including for MREs abroad.
⚠️ Warning — Some patronati operate in Morocco (notably Inca CGIL in Rabat and Casablanca). Check before paying a private advisor.
Claim the Moroccan CNSS pension in parallel
The Moroccan CNSS pension opens from age 60, before the Italian legal age of 67. You can claim CNSS at 60 while continuing to work or contribute in Italy until 67. The CNSS claim is filed at any office in Morocco or online at cnss.ma, 4 to 6 months before the target date. For MREs with few Moroccan contributions (under 3,240 days), the 1972 convention allows totalizzazione with Italian periods. The CNSS pension is still calculated only on Moroccan contribution days, but entitlement is easier to open.
💡 Tip — If you are near the 1,320-day CNSS minimum (lowered effective 1 May 2025), Italy-Morocco totalization can be enough to open the reduced CNSS pension.
⚠️ Warning — The CNSS uses your 8 best salary years. If you are still in Italy at 60, delaying the CNSS claim may improve the Moroccan calculation.
Allocate tax on each pension under the 1972 convention
The Italy-Morocco tax convention signed in Rabat on 7 June 1972 (effective 1983) splits pension taxation. General rule: private pensions (private sector INPS, CNSS, CIMR) are taxable in the country of residence. Civil service pensions (Italian pensione di Stato, Moroccan CMR for former civil servants) remain taxable in the paying country. An MRE settled in Morocco therefore declares his private INPS pension only in Morocco, in his IR return. To avoid Italian IRPEF withholding, request a fiscal residence certificate from the Moroccan tax authority and forward it to INPS.
💡 Tip — A patronato can forward the fiscal residence certificate directly to INPS and follow up on application of the Italian non-taxation regime.
⚠️ Warning — Without a fiscal residence certificate sent to INPS, the Italian pension is subject to automatic IRPEF withholding. Regularisation is annual and requires a refund claim.
In depth
Italy hosts around 500,000 people of Moroccan origin, among the largest foreign communities in the country. First migration waves date from the 1970s (Milan and Turin regions) and 1980s (Veneto, Emilia-Romagna). The Italian system uses two calculation methods: the sistema retributivo (for contributions before 1996, based on final wages) and the sistema contributivo (since 1996, theoretical capitalisation). The transition between systems complicates calculations for cross-period careers. For an MRE with 25 years of Italian contributions at the average wage, the typical pension is between EUR 900 and 1,500 gross per month. The 1972 convention remains a major pillar for former Moroccan Gastarbeiter and Italian agricultural seasonal workers. The patronati (union assistance organisations) provide free expert support for international pension claims, and some have offices in Morocco.
❌ Common mistakes to avoid
- ✕Neglecting periods in Gestione Separata (freelancers, collaboratori), which are not added automatically to the main estratto.
- ✕Missing the 12-month window after activity end to obtain authorization for versamenti volontari.
- ✕Forgetting that totalizzazione internazionale does not apply to pensione anticipata (which requires 42 years 10 months of Italian-only contributions).
- ✕Failing to use a free patronato while it offers a full service for expatriates.
- ✕Skipping the fiscal residence certificate, triggering automatic IRPEF withholding on the Italian pension paid in Morocco.
🔗 Official links and resources
INPS - Istituto Nazionale della Previdenza Sociale
Italian scheme, claims, pensions, international conventions
Inca CGIL - International patronato
Free INPS pension assistance for expatriates
Agenzia delle Entrate
Italian tax authority, residence certificate, IRPEF
CNSS Morocco - Member portal
CNSS statement and pension claim in Morocco
Cleiss - Italian social security regime
Reference summary on the Italian regime and the bilateral convention
❓ Frequently asked questions
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