Pension matters

General Notes

Numerous people in Singapore receive pensions from Germany. These payments are not made by the German Embassy but by various German pension insurance institutions.

For information regarding your pension, please contact the German pension insurance institutions or private pension consultants directly.

Certificate of Life

Recipients of a German pension receive an annual “Declaration for Continued Receipt of a Pension from the Federal Republic of Germany” (Certificate of Life). This request is sent directly by the competent pension authority in Germany to the pension recipient.

Note: Additional information about the Certificate of Life for pension recipients abroad can be found on the website of Deutsche Post: Instructions for Pension Recipients

What confirmation options do I have?

a) Digital Proof of Life

The “Digital Proof of Life” offers the possibility to provide proof of life digitally using a smartphone or tablet.

With the annual letter, you will receive a personal QR code for scanning. The QR code directs you to the identification process with the POSTIDENT app. This service is available 24/7.

Details on how to use this are included in the annual letter.

If you successfully complete this process, you do not need an appointment at the Embassy, nor is there a need to send anything by mail (postage).

b) Send Confirmed Form Back by Mail

The recipient's signature on the Certificate of Life must be certified by an official body. If the entitled person is no longer able to sign the Certificate of Life personally, an authorized person may sign instead.

Your signature can be authenticated at the German Embassy. Pension recipients must appear in person at the German Embassy and present suitable proof of their identity and nationality (e.g., passport or Singaporean ID).

After confirmation, you must return the form by mail to the sender.

Fees

Certificates of Life for the purposes of statutory pension insurance (including pensions from statutory accident insurance) are free of charge.

Certificates of Life from other pension providers (e.g., company pensions, supplementary pensions) are generally subject to a fee.

A fee of €34.07 is charged, which is converted into SGD at the daily exchange rate of the Embassy. Payment can be made using Master/Visa card. Please present the card in physical form.

Please use our appointment scheduling system for booking appointments.

Taxation of Pensions

Information can be found on the German Pension Insurance website under the following link: Taxation of Pensions