Moved abroad after retirement? Here’s how an NRI can submit their life certificate without making a trip to India

More than 85 lakh people covered under the Employees’ Pension Scheme (EPS-95) depend on their monthly pension payment for financial security, especially if they have limited or no other source of regular income.

Some individuals may choose to move abroad after retirement, particularly in cases where their children live in another country. However, moving overseas does not necessarily mean their pension payments have to stop.

If you are one of the beneficiaries, it is mandatory to keep your life certificate or Jeevan Pramaan valid to avoid disruption in timely pension payments. The document needs to be submitted every 12 months and essentially serves as a proof that the pensioner is alive.

For pensioners living abroad, however, the process can be more complicated because they may not have access to an Indian bank branch, a local jeevan Pramaan centre or an Aadhaar-linked Indian mobile number.

NRI pensioners aren’t without options as the Department of Pension and Pensioners’ Welfare (DoPPW) has provided alternatives for such cases.

Submit the certificate through a bank officer

An NRI pensioner who is receiving pension through a bank covered under the Second Schedule of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Act, 1934, can make the submission using the bank route.

The life certificate is then signed by a designated officer of the bank, thus removing the requirement of the pensioner to make a physical appearance before the pension disbursing authority in India.

Before opting for this route, pensioners are advised to check with the designated bank about the process, documents and whether the said branch or designated officer can process the certificate coming from a foreign nation.

Make submission via digital Jeevan Pramaan

Aadhaar-based face authentication allows pensioners to generate their Digital Life Certificate without visiting a bank or pension office. This is the most convenient option as it doesn’t require involvement of a third party.

To use this facility, an individual needs a valid Aadhaar number and an active Aadhaar-linked mobile number along with some other pension-related details. They must also ensure that their Aadhar number is already registered with the pension disbursing agency, such as a bank or post office.

For an NRI pensioner, however, the practical availability of digital authentication can depend on access to the Indian mobile number and compatible devices. It is therefore prudent to complete a test run well before the submission window rather than waiting until the deadline.

Get the document from an Indian embassy

If you cannot travel to India but still seek a pension, then an Indian embassy or consulate can help you to issue and submit the life certificate on time.

The authorised diplomatic official can verify the NRI pensioner using documents such as the Pension Payment Order (PPO) and passport photograph, and issue the life certificate accordingly, according to a report by CAalley.

This route can prove useful for those elderly pensioners who have permanently settled abroad and cannot make a trip to India every year to make the required submission for timely pension disbursal.

Take help from an authorised agent

An NRI pensioner who cannot visit India or use the digital route due to some issue can also submit their life certificate through an authorised agent.

The certificate can be issued or authenticated by an eligible authority such as a magistrate, notary, banker or an Indian diplomatic representative. The agent can then provide the certificiate to the relevant authority.

What happens you don’t submit life certificate?

Pensioners in India are required to submit Life Certificate or Jeevan Pramaan Patra, every year to their pension disbursing authority in order to continue receiving their pension payment. There is no specified deadline to submit the document and it remains valid for 12 months from the date of submission.

If a fresh certificate is not submitted before the validity period expires, pension payments can be stopped from the next payment cycle.

However, the pension can also be resumed after the new certificate is submitted and processed. Your delayed or held back pension amount will only be disbursed once the Life Certificate has been received by the authorities.