To avoid paying benefits that are not due, the Swiss Compensation Office (SCO) needs to verify that claimants are genuine and actually alive. A certificate of life and marital status is therefore issued to affected claimants on an annual basis. The relevant form is sent to claimants one year after benefits are first paid out. To ensure that pensions continue to be paid without interruption, the form must be completed, certified by the appropriate authority and returned to the SCO in Geneva within 90 days.
Life and civil status certificate
Automation of the life verification process for certain OASI/DI pension beneficiaries
As of 2022, a new life verification process will come into effect thanks to the implementation of automated exchanges with various partner administrations of the Central Compensation Office. The insured persons concerned by these exchanges will no longer receive the « Life status » form to be certified.
The SCO and OAIE will launch an information campaign for the attention of the insured persons concerned at the beginning of 2022, which will be staggered throughout the year. Each insured person will thus be informed personally at the time when they should have received the form.
Newsletter Lebenskontrollprozess (PDF, 1 Page, 49.5 kB, German) (de)
Disclosure requirement
In addition to submitting a certificate of life and marital status, claimants must disclose to the office responsible for paying out benefits any change in their personal circumstances which could cause benefits to be discontinued, increased or reduced and any change of address or bank account details.
If you are registered with a Swiss representation, please also inform the representation of any change of address or civil status.
