Retirees represent a vital segment of the population, having contributed significantly to the country’s development and well‑being through their years of work. As they transition into retirement, a new phase begins where ensuring financial security and stability becomes essential.
Social security pensions provide our seniors with income to support the later years, but maintaining those benefits requires attention to key factors, including proof of life.
What is proof of life?
Proof of life is an administrative procedure required by the National Institute of Social Security (INSS) in Spain for retirees living outside the country. The process serves to confirm that the pensioner is still alive and therefore entitled to continue receiving the pension. Its aim is to prevent fraud and ensure that funds are distributed fairly and accurately to those who rightfully qualify.
According to Social Security, more than 28,000 pensioners residing abroad have validated their life status using the Vivess app.
Deadline for proving life
Retirees have a set window to complete the proof of life: January 1 through March 31 each year. 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 finished.
How to prove life for free
To simplify the life verification process, the Social Security has developed the Vivess mobile application, a tool designed to make proving life digitally, securely, and quickly.
To complete the life verification via Vivess, the following steps are required:
- Download and install. First, download the Vivess app on a mobile device. It is available free for both Android and iOS.
- Registration and access. Users must register initially using Cl@ve, DNI/NIE, and Pension File Number. The file number can be found in the annual pension revaluation letter. The country of residence and personal details must be entered, and the front and back of the identity document may need to be shown. A smile to the camera completes this step.
- Verify life. Finally, tap the button to verify life and smile to the camera again. A receipt will be issued confirming the successful completion of the process.
For those pensioners who cannot or prefer not to use the Vivess app, the Life Certificate can be mailed in ordinary post to the Provincial Directorate of INSS handling the pension, or a representative from Spain’s Ministries of Labor, Migrations and Social Security abroad can be contacted. This Life Certificate must be issued by the competent authority of the country of residence and submitted as part of the control period to confirm continued life.
References: INSS guidance and user experiences document how the Vivess app supports overseas beneficiaries in proving life. (Citations: INSS publications, Vivess user guidelines.)