For the second year running, pensioners living abroad, who do not have to do this for those living in Spain, can now conveniently do the accreditation of their residency from their mobile phone using the VIVESS application.
Since 1 January, Spanish Social Security pensioners living abroad have been able to prove that they are living abroad to continue receiving their benefits as normal. As every year, this campaign runs until 31 March.
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Pensioners living abroad can prove they are living abroad from 1 January to 31 March
This is the second year in which the VIVESS application is available for this procedure. In 2024, the first year of its implementation, 31% of pensioners of the National Social Security Institute (INSS) living abroad were able to prove that they were living abroad, conveniently from their mobile phones.
As a major new feature in 2025, pensioners residing abroad at the Social Marine Institute (ISM) will also be able to accredit their residency through this application.
Through VIVESS, both INSS and ISM pensioners will be able to accredit their tax residence, update the payment method to bank transfer and modify their personal or bank details at any time.
Through VIVESS, both INSS and ISM pensioners will be able to prove their tax residence, update their payment method to bank transfer and modify their personal or bank details at any time.
For this campaign, the INSS is going to send a total of 115,169 letters to pensioners living abroad to inform them of the advantages offered by the VIVESS application and the new features introduced last year.
The letters will be addressed to those who have not yet registered in the application, to those who have registered but have not accredited their residence, and to those who have registered and completed the procedure. The letter is sent in Spanish, Portuguese, French, English, German, Polish and Bulgarian, depending on the place of residence, together with an information leaflet in Spanish and in the language of the place of residence.
What the procedure consists of
This procedure is exclusively for pensioners living abroad. Pensioners residing in Spain do not have to go through this procedure.
The procedure consists of presenting, every year, within the first calendar quarter of the year, a proof of life issued by the Competent Authority of the country of residence, which accredits that they are living to continue receiving the pension they were entitled to.
Alternatively, pensioners residing abroad can prove that they are living abroad at the Consular Civil Registry Offices and by appearing in person or online at the Departments or Sections of Labour, Migration and Social Security.
Balance 2024
In 2024, 41,700 pensioners residing in 107 countries around the world were registered in the application, representing 36% of pensioners residing abroad. Of these, more than 36,600 accredited their residence between January and September 2024, which means that 31% of pensioners have used the app in the first year of its launch.
VIVESS has also made it possible to reactivate the collection of more than 2,900 pensions that were suspended for not accrediting their residence within the campaign period (until 31 March).
How VIVESS works
The steps to use the application, which is available in Spanish, English, French and German, are as follows:
- Download the app. It is free and can be downloaded from the Apple Store, if the mobile phone is Apple, or from Google Play if it works with an Android operating system.
- 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.
The country of residence and the personal data requested by the application must be entered. Then show the selected ID card on the front and back and smile at the camera. The application allows the use of ID cards from different countries.
- Proof of residence. This is the last step. After clicking on the button ‘accredit experience’, you have to smile at the camera again. The application will issue a receipt indicating that the accreditation has been successful.
- Other formalities. This brings together other services such as accrediting tax residence or updating the payment method and bank details.
Once the pensioner has completed their formalities using this application, they will receive immediate justification of the completion of this procedure and a subsequent confirmation from the INSS, with no additional formalities.