Spanish pensioners abroad: confirm you are alive

From 2027, you will need to confirm your status in January, May and September.

Does this apply to you?

If you receive a Spanish pension from the INSS or ISM and live outside Spain, complete your proof of life check, called acreditación de vivencia, between 1 and 30 September 2026. You need to do this to keep receiving your pension as usual.

You do not need to complete this check if you live in Spain.

How can you confirm you are alive?

The simplest option is the free VIVESS app. You can also submit a certificate from the competent authority in your country, confirm your status at a Spanish consular civil registry, or appear in person or remotely before the relevant Spanish Labour, Migration and Social Security office. Read the official instructions and available options.

VIVESS gives you a receipt when you finish. The INSS or ISM will send confirmation later. If your pension includes a complemento a mínimos for a dependent spouse, your spouse can also register in the app and use “Gestión Vivencia cónyuge” under “+Gestiones”.

What should you do now?

1. Open VIVESS or choose another official method.
2. If you use the app, save the receipt it gives you.
3. Bookmark the official instructions to check future periods.