Life Certificate in November 2026: Face Authentication Steps

Pensioners give a life certificate every year so that their pension keeps coming. The Department of Pension and Pensioners' Welfare (DoPPW) runs its Digital Life Certificate Campaign 5 from 1 to 30 November 2026. Pensioners aged 80 and above could also submit in October.

You don't have to queue at the bank. A Digital Life Certificate, called Jeevan Pramaan, can be made on a smartphone (Android or iPhone) with Aadhaar face authentication, by the pensioner or by a family member on the pensioner's behalf. The bank or post office gets it electronically. This guide covers who can use it, the phone steps, what you need, and what to do if it is rejected.

Who has to submit a life certificate, and when

Pensioners give a life certificate to their pension disbursing agency (the bank, post office or treasury that pays the pension) so the pension keeps coming. DoPPW's office memorandum of 13 August 2026 sets out this year's campaign:

The campaign covers more than 2,000 cities and towns. Banks taking part hold camps on all days of November, and the Department of Posts with India Post Payments Bank holds camps in districts across the country. Defence (SPARSH), Railways and the Department of Telecommunications hold camps for their own pensioners, and state governments and EPFO take part too.

The memorandum sets a campaign period, not your deadline. It doesn't say what happens after 30 November. The one date it gives banks is to send reminder SMSes to pensioners who haven't given a life certificate by 15 November 2026. Your own due date, and how long a certificate lasts, depend on your pension's rules: the Jeevan Pramaan FAQ says the certificate "is not valid for life" and its validity is "as per rules specified by the Pension Sanctioning Authority". If you are unsure, ask the bank or pension office that pays you.

Who can use a Digital Life Certificate

From the Jeevan Pramaan FAQ:

• Aadhaar is required. Aadhaar number or VID "is a must".
• Your pension sanctioning authority must be onboarded on Jeevan Pramaan. Check the list under "Circulars" on the Jeevan Pramaan portal; it includes central bodies such as the Central Pension Accounting Office and Railways, and several state governments.
• Re-employed or remarried pensioners can't use it. They have to give the life certificate "the conventional way" to their pension disbursing authority.
• The face app works only in India. A pensioner living abroad can't use it from there.

A digital certificate is an extra option, not a requirement. The FAQ calls it "an add on facility to the already existing ways", and the campaign memorandum tells banks that "no pensioner wanting to give a physical LC should be refused".

What you need for face authentication

• A suitable phone. DoPPW's SOP says face authentication works on Android and iOS phones. For Android, the Jeevan Pramaan FAQ lists the minimums: Android 7.0 or later, 4 GB RAM or more, 64 GB storage with at least 500 MB free, and a camera of 5 MP or more. No fingerprint device is needed; the phone camera captures the face.
• Two apps: "Aadhaar Face RD" by UIDAI, which runs in the background, and "Jeevan Pramaan".
• Mobile numbers and an email for the OTPs. The operator (see below) gets an OTP on the mobile number and email address they enter, and the email is mandatory for them. The pensioner gets an OTP on the mobile number entered for them; their email is optional. Keep both phones at hand.
• Pension details, which you type in yourself: the PPO number, pension account number, type of pension, pension sanctioning authority and pension disbursing agency. Keep the PPO and a bank passbook next to you.

How to give a life certificate from your phone

These steps follow DoPPW's standard operating procedure for face authentication.

1. Install Aadhaar Face RD (UIDAI) from the Play Store or App Store. The SOP says it is "mandatory to install" because Jeevan Pramaan uses it in the background.
2. Install Jeevan Pramaan and open it.
3. Operator authentication. The "operator" is the person running the app. It can be the pensioner, a family member or anyone helping. Tick Aadhaar, and enter the operator's Aadhaar number, mobile number and email. Enter the OTP.
4. Operator face scan. Enter the operator's name as per Aadhaar, tick the checkbox and tap Scan. When the app asks for permission to scan the face, press Yes. Read the on-screen guidelines, tick "I am aware of this", press Proceed and let the camera capture the face. Operator authentication (steps 3 and 4) is a one-time process; one operator can then make certificates for several pensioners.
5. Pensioner authentication. Tick Aadhaar, and enter the pensioner's Aadhaar number and mobile number (email is optional). Enter the OTP.
6. Pension details. Enter the full name as per Aadhaar, type of pension, sanctioning authority, disbursing agency, PPO number and pension account number. Tick the declarations, submit, and confirm when the app asks.
7. Pensioner face scan. Give consent and tap Scan. The camera captures the pensioner's face.
8. Note the Pramaan ID. On success, the screen shows the Pramaan ID with the PPO number.

The SOP says two face authentications are needed to make a certificate: the operator's and the pensioner's. The pensioner can be their own operator.

An example. Kamala, 74, draws a central government pension through a bank. In the first week of November her son installed both apps on his phone, did the operator step with his own Aadhaar, then entered Kamala's Aadhaar, the OTP from her phone and her PPO details, and scanned her face at home. The Pramaan ID appeared on screen. Kamala didn't visit the bank.

After you submit: check it was accepted

You don't send the certificate anywhere. The FAQ says it "is automatically available" to the bank, post office or other pension disbursing agency.

To see whether it was accepted, download it from the Jeevan Pramaan portal: go to jeevanpramaan.gov.in, choose Pensioner Login and enter the Pramaan ID. The FAQ says downloading the certificate is how you "know the status". The certificate is still subject to approval by the pension sanctioning or disbursing authority. The campaign memorandum also asks banks to check daily that certificates have been processed and a confirmation SMS sent to the pensioner, so watch for that message too.

If it fails or is rejected

You got an SMS that it was rejected. The FAQ says rejection happens when wrong particulars were entered. Contact your pension disbursing agency, then make a new certificate with the correct details. Before trying again, recheck each pension detail you typed in step 6, such as the PPO number, the disbursing agency and the name as per Aadhaar.

The face scan keeps failing. Make sure both apps are installed and updated, and read the guidelines the app shows before the scan. If it still fails, go to a bank branch: the campaign memorandum tells pension disbursing banks to generate DLCs "for all pensioners visiting the branch, irrespective of the Pension Account holding Bank/ Branch/ PDA of the pensioner".

The phone isn't good enough, or there is no smartphone at home. Use a Citizen Service Centre or your bank or post office. To find the nearest Jeevan Pramaan centre, use "Locate a Centre" on the portal or SMS JPL followed by your PIN code (for example JPL 110003) to 7738299899.

The pensioner can't travel. The memorandum asks banks to prepare a doorstep facility for pensioners who can't visit because of age or infirmity, and EPFO, Defence, Railways and state governments to organise home visits. Ask the branch or the pension office.

Aadhaar details are out of date. The app asks for the name as per Aadhaar, so a name that doesn't match causes trouble. UIDAI has been asked to set up Aadhaar update camps at campaign centres where possible. An Aadhaar update can take time, so if it can't be done before your due date, give the life certificate another way, such as in person at the bank.

Helplines. Jeevan Pramaan: 1800 111 555, jeevanpramaan@gov.in. DoPPW's campaign: doppw-dlc@gov.in.

Helping a parent with it

The operator step is designed for this: a son, daughter or neighbour can run the app on their own phone and certify the pensioner's face. You need the pensioner present for the face scan, their Aadhaar number, the OTP sent to their mobile, and their pension papers.

If you are also handling a parent's income-tax work, our guide to tracking a parent's ITR and refund covers the options. For senior citizens whose bank deducts TDS on fixed deposit interest, Form 121, which replaced Form 15H, is the form to give the bank. If the Aadhaar PDF itself is needed for a bank or KYC, see printing e-Aadhaar with a verified signature.

Frequently asked questions

What is the last date for life certificate submission in 2026?

DoPPW's campaign runs from 1 to 30 November 2026, and pensioners aged 80 and above also had October 2026. The memorandum sets the campaign, not a deadline; your due date comes from your pension sanctioning authority's rules. Ask the bank or pension office that pays you if you are unsure, and don't leave it to the last days of November.

Can I submit a life certificate online from home?

Yes, with the Jeevan Pramaan app and Aadhaar Face RD on a smartphone that meets the requirements. The certificate goes to your bank or post office electronically. There is no separate upload.

Can someone else submit the life certificate for me?

Someone else can operate the app for you, but the pensioner's own face has to be scanned and the pensioner's Aadhaar authenticated. The operator authenticates with their own Aadhaar and face first.

Is Jeevan Pramaan valid for EPS pensioners?

Yes. EPFO lists Jeevan Pramaan (Digital Life Certificate) among its pensioner services, and it is one of the stakeholders in the November 2026 campaign. How long the certificate stays valid depends on the rules that apply to your pension, so check with your EPFO office or the bank that pays your EPS pension.

How do I know my life certificate was accepted?

Download it from the Jeevan Pramaan portal with your Pramaan ID. The download shows the status.

Sources

• Comprehensive Guidelines for the Nation-wide Digital Life Certificate Campaign 5, DoPPW Office Memorandum F. No. 11(3)/2026-P&PW(H)-11860, 13 August 2026.
• SOP for Face Authentication, Department of Pension and Pensioners' Welfare.
• Jeevan Pramaan FAQ, Jeevan Pramaan portal (last reviewed 23 July 2026).
• DLC Campaign portal, Department of Pension and Pensioners' Welfare.
• EPFO home page (Jeevan Pramaan (DLC) under pensioner services) and EPFO's Jeevan Pramaan page.