Spain, along with France, is a popular choice for British citizens looking to relocate overseas. In fact, there are currently roughly 360,000 British permanent residents in Spain.
Naturally, now that the United Kingdom has left the European Union, the regulations for working and residing in the Mediterranean country have changed. If you plan on staying in Spain for more than 90 days, you’ll need a visa. But what about other documents, such as those pertaining to pensions and insurance payouts?
A Certificate of Life, also known as a Proof of Life, Certificate of Life, or Letter of Existence, is a document issued by a foreign government on behalf of a British national living abroad. Alternatively, the UK government for foreign nationals residing in the UK.
The document’s sole purpose is to formally confirm that the person in issue is still alive and healthy. Of course, if the individual is receiving a pension from the UK or another country, both governments need to know. Private pension funds and life insurance firms must also determine if they are still obligated to deliver money in the form of annuities to that individual. After all, unless a relative or friend of a person who has migrated to Spain dies, neither the UK government nor private pension or insurance firms will be notified unless they are told by a related or friend of the deceased.
Certificate of Life stamps are required in Spain for UK citizens
If you are a British citizen living in Spain, you will no longer be able to obtain a Certificate of Life from the British consulate there. Because the Hague Apostille is not used by British Consulates in Spain, this is the case.
If you’ve received a Certificate of Life document from the UK Pensions Office, you can have it witnessed by a long-term professional. These are the same types of ‘community leaders’ who used to sign UK passports, such as teachers, lawyers, and other professionals. They don’t have to be British citizens or even live in the UK to qualify for this.
However, the document must be legalised by the ‘Legalisation Office’ in order to prove that it is genuine (which is something that most companies requesting it will obviously want). A notary will be able to confirm that a signature, seal, or stamp is genuine, i.e. that it comes from a UK government official. The Legalisation Office will attach a stamped official certificate, known as a Hague Apostille, to the document after it has been checked in front of them.
In order to obtain a Certificate of Life (known in Spain as a Certificado de Fe de Vida), you must present your passport, town hall certificate (certificado de empadronamiento), and residence certificate at the civil registry (certificado de residencia).
Spaniards residing in the United Kingdom
Any Spaniard living abroad must have this signed and forwarded to the Instituto Nacional de la Seguridad Social (INSS) on a yearly basis (provided it is done so between the months of January and March).
A public authority, police officer, or notary must sign the Fe de Vida, and their stamp must be readily visible. The document’s signature date must also be included.
If you don’t do this, your pension will not only be placed on hold, but it will also only be backdated for three months. If the Spanish government takes too long to acknowledge the receipt of a Certificate of Life after it has been issued late, it could result in a significant financial loss.
Please contact us
If you live outside of the United Kingdom, specifically in Spain, and need a notary signature for any legal documents, please contact the team at UK Probate Reseals.
We provide a professional and cost-effective service for dealing with legal papers at home and abroad, including a notary service for Certificates of Life and other similar problems. For further information, phone +44 0208 150 2010 or send an email to info@ukprobatereseals.co.uk
