Guatemala Government Services

The main portal is www.igssgt.org. IGSS operates several specialized sub-portals: Electronic Services (servicios.igssgt.org/Patronos for employer registration), Contributions Lookup (igssgt.org/cuotas), 2026 Employer Payment Calendar (igssgt.org/patronos/calendario-de-pagos), Voluntary Contribution (igssgt.org/cuota-voluntaria), Survival Verification (igssgt.org/pensionados/comprobacion-de-supervivencia), Forms (igssgt.org/formularios). Contact Center: 1522. WhatsApp: 5321-4477. Address: 7a Avenida 22-72 Zona 1, Guatemala City.

Worker: 4.83% of monthly nominal salary. Employer: 12.67% (also on the worker’s monthly nominal salary), of which 10.67% goes to IGSS and 1% each to INTECAP and IRTRA (Prensa Libre, 1 February 2023). IGSS’s own total is 15.5% (igssgt.org, 2022), which funds the IVS programs (Disability, Old Age, Survivorship — pensions) and EMA (Sickness, Maternity, Accidents — medical coverage). Applies to ALL formal-sector private workers.

Within 6 business days after starting operations, — registration is mandatory from the first worker in every activity (IGSS Board Acuerdo 1529, in force since 17 January 2023). Fines: the IGSS Organic Law (Decreto 295, Art. 56) has IGSS regulations set each fine between Q1 and Q500, doubled for every repeat offence. See: IGSS Employer Registration.

In person, at the IGSS unit assigned to your registered address (periférica, clinic or hospital); if you miss an appointment, you rebook it there with your DPI (IGSS, January 2026). Before going, you can confirm your unit with the Contact Center 1522 (also 2412-1224 / 2297-1224; Monday-Friday 7:00-19:00, Saturday-Sunday 8:00-16:00). WhatsApp 5321-4477 gives information only; it does not book appointments. Full guide: IGSS Medical Appointment.

Each employer must pay its IGSS payroll no later than the 20th of the month after the one it covers. The electronic payroll is uploaded to the system and paid at an authorized bank or via electronic banking. Late payments: a late-payment surcharge calculated at the latest maximum annual simple interest rate set by the Junta Monetaria. See: IGSS Monthly Employer Payment.

Only if you were previously a salaried contributor. IGSS’s Voluntary Contribution (Contribuyente Voluntario, Acuerdo 1124 de Junta Directiva) is for people who stopped being obligatory contributors and have at least 12 paid obligatory contributions to the IVS programme in the last 36 calendar months. It costs 5.5% (3.67% + 1.83%) of your last complete obligatory salary, covers IVS pensions only — no medical care — and the right is lost after three consecutive unpaid months. A freelancer who never had formal employment does not meet that condition. See: IGSS Voluntary Contribution.

Guatemala has NO bilateral social security agreement with the USA. This means USA Social Security contributions do NOT accumulate time toward your IGSS. However, you can: 1) Enrol in the IGSS Migrant Worker programme (IGSS Board Acuerdo 1543): Q1,000 a month, open to Guatemalans aged 18 or over living abroad; it counts toward the IVS pension and gives medical care in IGSS units in Guatemala to your spouse or partner and children under 7 living there. Separately, if you left salaried work in Guatemala with at least 12 paid obligatory contributions in the last 36 months, you can apply for Voluntary Contribution (5.5% of your last obligatory salary; pensions only, no medical care), 2) If you return, reactivate directly if you have prior contributed time, 3) For IVS pension you need a minimum 240 contributions (20 years). If you worked in Spain, the Ibero-American Social Security Convention does not help: OISS’s list of 8 September 2026 does not include Guatemala among the countries where it operates, so Spanish months cannot be added to your IGSS contributions. See: IGSS Migrant Worker.

Once a year, within 30 calendar days from the pensioner’s birthday (IGSS); IGSS says a pensioner who does not comply risks suspension of the payment. From abroad it is done through the nearest Guatemalan consulate: MINEX’s certificate of survival is free and strictly personal (DPI or valid passport), and IGSS’s survival record, form IVS-41, must be authorised by the consul and legalised by the Foreign Ministry. Full guide: IGSS proof of life.