Retirees form a cornerstone of the population, a group whose years of work have substantially contributed to the country’s development and well being. As retirement arrives, a new chapter begins, and ensuring financial security and stability becomes essential.
Pensions provide older adults with income to support them through the later stages of life, yet maintaining those benefits requires attention to key steps, such as proving continued life.
What is proof of life?
Proof of life is an administrative procedure required by the National Institute of Social Security in Spain, applicable to pensioners living outside the country. This process demonstrates that the pensioner is still alive and, therefore, eligible to continue receiving the pension. The goal is to prevent fraud and to ensure that funds are distributed fairly and accurately to those who deserve them.
According to social security authorities, more than 28,000 pensioners living abroad have verified their life status through the Vivess app.
Deadline for proving life
Pensioners have a set window to complete proof of life: from January 1 to March 31, 2024. It is crucial to monitor INSS communications, because failing to meet this requirement can lead to a temporary suspension of the pension until the process is completed.
How to prove life for free
To simplify the life verification process, the Social Security has developed Vivess, a mobile app designed to streamline the verification of life in a digital, secure, and speedy way.
To verify life via the Vivess app, the following steps should be followed:
- Download and install. The first step is to download the Vivess application on a mobile device, available for both Android and iOS. It is completely free.
- Registration and access. Users must register the first time using a secure login method, and the national identity document details, including country of residence and personal data, will be required. A selfie with identity documents may be requested for verification.
- Verify life. Finally, tap the verify life button and take another selfie. A receipt confirming successful completion will be generated at the end of the process.
For pensioners who do not wish or cannot use the Vivess app, the life certificate can be sent by ordinary mail to the provincial INSS office that manages their pension or presented in the Spain offices abroad of the Ministry of Employment, Migration and Social Security. The life certificate is issued by the competent authority of the country of residence, in the time of control, to verify living status.