Updated
Updated · Mint · Aug 28
DoPPW Offers 4 Life Certificate Routes for NRI Pensioners Facing Aadhaar Hurdles
Updated
Updated · Mint · Aug 28

DoPPW Offers 4 Life Certificate Routes for NRI Pensioners Facing Aadhaar Hurdles

2 articles · Updated · Mint · Aug 28

Summary

  • Four alternative submission routes are available to NRI and family pensioners under a DoPPW memorandum issued on October 31, 2025, allowing annual life certificates without using Jeevan Pramaan or traveling to India.
  • Six recurring obstacles have pushed many overseas pensioners away from the digital system, including Aadhaar authentication failures, lack of an Aadhaar-linked Indian mobile number for OTPs, and difficulty handling online processes independently.
  • One option lets an authorized agent submit the certificate after authentication by a magistrate, notary, banker or Indian diplomatic representative, removing the need for the pensioner’s personal appearance.
  • Indian embassies, high commissions and consulates can also issue the certificate after verifying details through the Pension Payment Order, passport photograph or other acceptable documents.
  • The issue gained attention after Bharat Pensioner Samaj, which says it represents 10 lakh central government pensioners, wrote to the government outlining the problems faced by NRIs.

Insights

Could a simple email replace the complex Aadhaar system for struggling overseas pensioners?
Why does India's digital pension system fail the very elders it was built to protect?