For all your questions regarding the German statutory pension, the German Pension Insurance is the responsible authority

You can find a lot of information about pensions on the German Pension Insurance’s website.

Life Certificate – “Lebensbescheinigung”

If you are entitled to a German pension payment from the statutory pension or statutory accident insurance, as well as additional pensions, you will be asked to provide proof of life (life certificate) once a year. This is done regularly together with the notification of adjustment to your pension amount. In 2025, the annual proof of life can be provided worldwide physically using a form. Further information on the procedure, (certificate of life form (LB)) can be found at:

www.rentenservice.de/LB

If you want to come to the German Embassy, the following applies: To issue a life certificate for presentation to the pension insurance or the “Deutschen Post Renten Service”, please contact the German Embassy personally during visiting hours. You must appear in person! Please bring a valid official identification document with a photo (e.g., passport, ID card). If you are unable to appear in person for health reasons, someone you trust can do this on your behalf. In this case, a current medical certificate (not older than 48 hours) is required, and must be filled in on the back page of the life certificate (in part C1).

There is no charge for issuing a life certificate for pension purposes (exceptions: company pensions, supplementary pensions, e.g., from private pension insurances or foreign pensions: there is a ready-made form for this from the respective pension service; acquiring the certificate through the embassy costs €34.10).