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Foreign pensions and proof of life

You will know how to claim a foreign pension from Spain, keep it paid without interruption and what to do when something goes wrong.

This Topic helps you claim and keep a pension from another country while you live in Spain. It covers how to claim, whether the pension keeps rising, proof-of-life requests, suspended or wrong payments, survivor pensions and protecting your home pension record.

7 articlesAbout 41 min of readingCross-border family and financial ties

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Claiming your home-country state pension from Spain
How to claim a UK, US, German, Dutch or other EU state pension while living in Spain: which body to approach, how to apply, when to start and what to send, so no pension income is lost. For people nearing pension age.
8 min read
Will your foreign state pension keep rising while you live in Spain?
Whether your foreign state pension keeps rising after you move to Spain depends on the country that pays it. This page is for pensioners from the UK, EU countries, the US, Canada and Australia.
3 min read
Proof of life for foreign pensions: who can sign in Spain
Shows who in Spain can sign a life certificate for a foreign pension, what each country's pension body tends to accept, and where digital options exist. For pensioners living in Spain who are paid a pension from abroad.
5 min read
Proof of life for a Spanish pension paid abroad (VIVESS)
If you get a Spanish pension while living abroad, you must prove you are alive through VIVESS or your payment can stop. This page explains who it applies to, how it works, and what to do if you miss it.
4 min read
What to do when a foreign pension is suspended or wrong
How to work out why a foreign pension stopped or looks wrong, and which route to take: restart the payment, deal with an overpayment, or challenge a decision. For pensioners living in Spain with UK, US, German, Dutch or French pensions.
6 min read
Claiming survivor pensions from several countries after a partner dies
If your partner has died and worked in more than one country, each country pays its own survivor pension and each needs its own claim. This page explains where to claim, why speed matters, and how Spanish viudedad fits alongside foreign pensions.
6 min read
Protecting your home pension record while living in Spain
Shows which home pension systems let you fill gaps or keep paying in from Spain (the UK, Germany and the Netherlands do; the US does not), and how to check your record first. For people who worked in another country before moving to Spain.
5 min read

About this topic

It is for people who are thinking about moving to Spain, planning the move or already living there. You will know how to claim a foreign pension from Spain, keep it paid without interruption and what to do when something goes wrong.

Start with "Claiming your home-country state pension from Spain". It walks you through applying and getting paid as a Spanish resident. After that, read the page that fits your situation, for example the proof-of-life page if your pension body has sent you a life certificate to complete.

Key rules

UK claim window: A UK State Pension claim can be made up to 4 months before State Pension age, including from abroad.

Claim everywhere: Each country assesses and pays only its own share, so claim from every country where you paid in.

Spanish account: UK, US, German and Dutch pension bodies can pay into a Spanish IBAN.

Who decides: Each pension body sets its own list of acceptable signers, so follow the form you were sent.

Safe signers: A notary, the police, your town hall or the paying country's consulate are the most widely accepted.

UK pension: Your UK State Pension keeps rising while you live in Spain.