Los pensionistas residentes en el extranjero puedan acreditar su vivencia desde el 1 enero hasta el 31 de marzo

Since January 1, the deadline is open so that Spanish Social Security pensioners residing abroad can prove their experience to continue charging their benefit normally. As every year, this campaign will last until March 31.

This is the second year in which the VIVESS application is available to carry out this procedure. In the year 2024, the first year of its implantation, it was possible to accredit 31% of the pensioners of the National Social Security Institute (INSS) living abroad, comfortably from their mobile phone.

As a main novelty in 2025, pensioners residing abroad at the Social Institute of the Navy (ISM) will also be able to prove their experience through this application.

Through VIVESS, both INSS and ISM pensioners will be able to prove their tax residence, update the payment method to bank transfer and modify their personal or bank details at any time.

For this campaign, the INSS will send a total of 115,169 letters to pensioners residing abroad to inform them of the advantages offered by the VIVESS application and the news incorporated this past year.

The letters will be addressed both to those who have not yet registered in the application, and to those who did so, but did not prove their experience, and to those who registered and completed the procedure. The letter is sent in Spanish, Portuguese, French, English, German, Polish, Romanian and Bulgarian depending on the place of residence, along with an informative triptych in Spanish and in the language of the place of residence.
What is the procedure

This procedure is intended exclusively for pensioners residing abroad. Pensioners who reside in Spain do not have to do it.

This procedure consists of the presentation every year, within the first natural quarter of the year, of a life faith issued by the Competent Authority of the country of residence that accredits the experience to continue receiving the pension they had recognized.

Alternatively, pensioners residing abroad can prove their experience to the Heads of the Consular Civil Registry, and through the face-to-face or telematic appearance before the Departments or Sections of Work, Migration and Social Security.

Balance 2024

In 2024, 41,700 pensioners residing in 107 countries around the world, representing 36% of pensioners residing abroad, were registered in the application. Of these, more than 36,600 accredited their experience between January and September 2024, which means that 31% of pensioners have used the app in the first year of its implementation.

VIVESS has also allowed the possibility of reactivating the collection of more than 2,900 pensions that were suspended for not accrediting the experience within the term of the campaign (until March 31).

How VIVESS works

Here are the steps to use the app, which is available in Spanish, English, French and German:

1. Download of the application: the download is free and can be done through the Apple Store, if the mobile phone is Apple, or Google Play, if it works with Android operating system.

2. Registration. This step will only be necessary the first time the application is used. It can be accessed with:

• Cl@ve
• DNI/NIE
• File Number: the file number can be consulted in the pension revaluation letter sent each year

It is required to enter the country of residence and the personal data requested by the application. Afterwards, you must show the identity document selected by the front and back and smile to the camera. The application allows you to use 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 again at the camera. The application will issue a proof indicating that the accreditation has been carried out correctly.

4. Other efforts. Selections that other services want to use, accredit your tax residence, update the payment method or your bank details.

The pensioner, once he completes his efforts through this application, will receive an immediate justification of the completion of this procedure and a subsequent confirmation from the INSS, without additional procedures.

For more information, you can consult the following explanatory videos Video in Spanish , Video in English