Germany's pension authority orders proof of life from overseas retirees

The German pension insurance agency (DRV) has sent urgent letters to about 500,000 retirees who live abroad or receive their pensions in foreign bank accounts. Recipients must provide an annual proof of life (Lebensnachweis) by 25 September 2026. The verification can be done digitally using a QR code included in the mailed notice, or through a traditional paper form that must be signed and stamped by a local authority such as a health office, municipal office, bank or hospital.

If the required documents are not submitted by the deadline, pension payments will be temporarily halted from October 2026 and may be permanently stopped after April 2027. The DRV pays roughly 1.7 million German pensions worldwide, but only about half a million are required to submit the proof because automatic data exchanges already confirm deaths in many countries. Nations exempt from the request include most EU members, Australia, Israel, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and others. An additional rule requires retirees aged 95 or 100 to submit manual proof regardless of country, with annual verification after age 100.

The deadline applies to both digital and paper submissions, and delayed filings within the allowed grace period will be reimbursed for missed payments.