Accreditation of experience

Spanish Social Security pensioners residing abroad must periodically prove that they are living abroad within the first quarter of the year. 

They can do so with the free VIVESS mobile application, based on biometric facial recognition and available for Android and Apple.

VIVESS allows pensioners of the National Social Security Institute and the Social Marine Institute living abroad to provide proof of life from anywhere in the world and without having to travel.

Once you have completed the proof of life using this application, you will receive immediate proof of completion of the procedure and a subsequent confirmation from the INSS (or the ISM, if applicable).

In addition, pensioners can use VIVESS to carry out other procedures such as:

• Change the method of payment of their pension and/or their address details.
• Send the certificate of accreditation of their tax residence.
• Obtain the IRPF certificate.

Alternatively, you may send to the Provincial Directorate of the INSS (or of the ISM, if applicable) a proof of life issued by the Consular Civil Registrars, or by the competent institution of those countries of residence with which there is an international standard of coordination in Social Security matters. More information on this link.

You can also provide proof of life by appearing in person or online before the Regional Ministries or Sections of Labour, Migration and Social Security.

More information on the Regional Ministries can be found here.

VIVESS is a new mobile application that will allow pensioners of the National Social Security Institute (and the Social Marine Institute) living abroad to provide proof of life through biometric facial recognition.

The operation of the App is very simple, and in three steps you can complete the accreditation process without having to travel:

1. Download the application
   The download is completely free and can be done through the Apple Store if your mobile phone is Apple, or through Google Play if it runs on an Android operating system.
2. Registration
   This step is only necessary the first time the application is used.
   Access is possible with:
   • Cl@ve
   • DNI /Foreign Resident Identification Number
   • File no. The file number can be found in the pension revaluation letter that is sent out each year.
   You are required to enter your country of residence and the personal data requested by the application.
   Subsequently, show the selected ID card front and back and smile at the camera.
   The application allows the use of identity documents from different countries.
3. Accredit experience
   The last step is the accreditation of the experience. After clicking on the "accredit experience" button, you have to smile at the camera again.
   The application will issue a receipt indicating that the accreditation has been successfully completed.
   

Here you can watch a video explaining how to use this new mobile application, in English, Spanish, French, German, Bulgarian, Polish, Romanian and Portuguese. Explanatory videos.

You can download the VIVESS application here:

• Android
• Apple

As a new feature, pensioners will also be able to carry out the following procedures through the application, by clicking on the "other procedures" section on the main page:

• Bank details

In this section, pensioners can consult their pension payment details and amend them. It is possible to change the pension payment method from cheque to bank transfer. You can also indicate a new bank account to which you want the pension to be paid.

After processing, a receipt is generated and can be consulted at any time in the application.

In order to carry out this procedure, pensioners must be the account holder and the account indicated must correspond to their country of residence or to Spain. If you have changed country, you can report the change of address and, if applicable, the change of bank account in the "address details" section.

• Address details

In this section you can consult the address details and, if necessary, amend them. When the amendment has taken place, a notification is generated in the app confirming the change. You can also find this information under "address details".

• Tax Residency Certificate

In this section, the document proving tax residence can be submitted. You will receive information on the status of this procedure and the validity of the document provided. The VIVESS app also provides information on the validity of the certificates provided.

A number of questions about the VIVESS mobile application have been published under Frequently Asked Questions , which may clarify the most common queries about how it works. They will be updated to include those that arise.