Jeevan Pramaan Life Certificate 2026: Deadline and Face App Steps
Pensioners must submit the life certificate by 30 November 2026. Here is how to do it from home with face authentication, or through banks and doorstep services.
Central Government pensioners must submit their annual life certificate in November, and the last date in 2026 is 30 November 2026; pensioners aged 80 and above could start from 1 October. The easiest way is a Digital Life Certificate (Jeevan Pramaan) using face authentication on an Android phone, which takes about ten minutes and needs no bank visit. This guide covers the deadline, the exact face authentication steps, other ways to submit (bank, CSC, post office doorstep), and what to do if something goes wrong.
Updated October 2026. Rules and dates can change; confirm with your pension disbursing bank or the official Jeevan Pramaan and DoPPW websites.
Key Takeaways
- Central Government pensioners submit the life certificate between 1 and 30 November every year; super senior pensioners (80+) can submit from 1 October.
- Jeevan Pramaan is an Aadhaar-based Digital Life Certificate (DLC) accepted by pension disbursing agencies.
- Face authentication needs two apps on an Android phone: AadhaarFaceRd and the Jeevan Pramaan Face App.
- You need your Aadhaar number, PPO number, bank account details and a mobile number for OTP.
- No smartphone? Use your bank branch, a Jeevan Pramaan Centre or CSC, or doorstep services through banks and India Post.
Life Certificate 2026: Quick Answer
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Who must submit? | Pensioners, including Central Government civil and many other government and PSU pensioners, as required by their pension disbursing agency |
| Window for most pensioners | 1 November to 30 November 2026 |
| Window for pensioners aged 80+ | From 1 October 2026 to 30 November 2026 |
| What if I miss it? | Pension may be withheld from the following month until the certificate is received; it is usually released after submission |
| Easiest method | Face authentication via the Jeevan Pramaan Face App on Android |
| Cost | Free when you do it yourself; centres and doorstep services may charge a fee |
The early October window for pensioners aged 80 and above comes from a DoPPW Office Memorandum of July 2019. Defence, railway, state government, bank and EPFO pensioners may follow their own department’s schedule, so check with your pension office or bank if you are not a Central civil pensioner.
What Jeevan Pramaan Is
Jeevan Pramaan is the Government of India’s biometric, Aadhaar-based Digital Life Certificate service. Instead of standing in a queue at the bank and signing a paper certificate in front of the manager, you prove you are alive by authenticating with Aadhaar using a fingerprint, iris scan or face scan. The certificate goes into a central online repository, and your pension disbursing agency picks it up from there.
According to the official site, the service is meant for pensioners of the Central Government, State Governments and other government organisations, including public sector enterprises. To generate a certificate you need:
- Aadhaar number (and Aadhaar must be linked with your pension account)
- Pension Payment Order (PPO) number
- Bank account number and bank name where pension is credited
- A mobile number for OTP and the confirmation SMS
After successful authentication you receive an SMS with your Jeevan Pramaan Certificate ID (Pramaan ID). You can download the certificate as a PDF from the Jeevan Pramaan website using that ID.
The annual Digital Life Certificate campaign
The Department of Pension and Pensioners’ Welfare (DoPPW) runs a nationwide DLC campaign every November with banks, India Post and other partners. The 2025 edition, DLC Campaign 4.0, ran from 1 to 30 November across about 2,000 districts and sub-divisional headquarters with 19 pension disbursing banks, and focused heavily on face authentication. Reports indicate a similar campaign of camps for November 2026; look out for camp announcements from your bank, pensioners’ associations and local news.
How to Submit a Life Certificate Using Face Authentication
This is the method most pensioners now use because it needs only a smartphone camera. A son, daughter or neighbour can do it for you on their phone; one operator can generate certificates for several pensioners.
Before you start: what you need
- An Android smartphone with a working front camera and internet. Official guides refer to Android 10 or above; rooted phones generally do not work.
- Good light on your face, preferably daylight from the front, with no strong light behind you.
- Remove spectacles if they cause glare, and keep your face straight and still.
- Aadhaar, PPO number, bank details and the mobile number registered with you.
Step-by-step process
- Install AadhaarFaceRd. Download the AadhaarFaceRd app (UIDAI’s face capture service) from the Google Play Store. It does not show a normal icon after installation; you will find it under your phone’s app settings. That is expected.
- Install the Jeevan Pramaan Face App. Go to the official Jeevan Pramaan website and follow the download instructions for the face app. You enter some details, receive a download link by email, open the link, download the app file and install it. Download only from the official site.
- Operator authentication (one time). Open the Jeevan Pramaan Face App, allow the permissions, and enter the operator’s details: Aadhaar number, mobile number and email. Submit, enter the OTP, and scan the operator’s face. You should see a “Client registration successful” message. The pensioner can be the operator.
- Pensioner authentication. Enter the pensioner’s details, including Aadhaar number and mobile number, submit and enter the OTP.
- Fill pension details carefully. Enter the name as per Aadhaar, PPO number, type of pension, sanctioning authority, disbursing agency and bank account. Wrong details are the main reason a certificate does not reach the bank.
- Verify and declare. Check every field on the screen, tick the declaration boxes and submit.
- Take the live photo. Confirm the pop-up, hold the phone at eye level, keep your face straight and follow the on-screen prompts until the scan completes.
- Get confirmation. The app shows the DLC submission details, including the Pramaan ID and PPO number. You will also receive an SMS with the Pramaan ID.
- Download and keep a copy. Download the certificate PDF from the Jeevan Pramaan website using the Pramaan ID, and keep the SMS.
A detailed walkthrough with screenshots is available on this guide to the face authentication process, and the Jeevan Pramaan website hosts installation manuals for the face app.
Tips if face authentication fails
| Problem | What to try |
|---|---|
| Face not matching | Better light, remove glasses, keep the phone steady at eye level, try again later in the day |
| App says RD service not found | Reinstall AadhaarFaceRd from Play Store and restart the phone |
| OTP not received | Check the mobile number linked with Aadhaar; wait a few minutes before retrying |
| Aadhaar details mismatch | Make sure the name and date of birth match Aadhaar; update Aadhaar if needed |
| Repeated failures | Use fingerprint authentication at a bank or CSC, or a doorstep service |
Older pensioners sometimes have faint fingerprints and face changes since their Aadhaar photo. If face authentication keeps failing, do not panic; there are other methods below.
Other Ways to Submit Your Life Certificate
1. At your bank branch
You can still submit a physical life certificate at the branch where your pension is credited, or generate a Digital Life Certificate there using a fingerprint device. State Bank of India’s Pension Seva portal says pensioners can use the Jeevan Pramaan facility at SBI branches or submit at any SBI branch. It also notes that SBI’s Video Life Certificate service is now closed, with pensioners directed to the Jeevan Pramaan route instead.
2. Jeevan Pramaan Centres and Common Service Centres (CSCs)
Many CSCs and designated Jeevan Pramaan Centres have biometric devices for fingerprint or iris authentication. Carry Aadhaar, PPO and bank passbook. A small service charge may apply at private centres.
3. Doorstep services
- India Post / India Post Payments Bank: SBI’s pension portal notes that Jeevan Pramaan can be done at your doorstep through the Post Office. Your postman can generate the DLC at home; a service fee is usually charged. Ask at your local post office or the postman directly.
- Doorstep banking: Public sector banks offer doorstep life certificate submission through PSB Alliance, according to SBI’s portal. Book through your bank’s doorstep banking channel.
- Bank camps and home visits: During November, banks and pensioners’ associations hold camps, and some banks send staff to homes of bedridden or very elderly pensioners on request.
4. Departmental and other apps
SBI’s portal mentions that Central Civil Pensioners can also use the DIRGHAYU mobile app. Defence pensioners on SPARSH and EPFO pensioners have their own options; check with your pension office.
Which Method Should You Choose?
| Your situation | Best option |
|---|---|
| Comfortable with a smartphone, or have family to help | Face authentication at home |
| Face authentication keeps failing | Fingerprint DLC at bank branch or CSC |
| Cannot travel, live alone | India Post doorstep or bank doorstep service |
| Prefer paper and can visit the branch | Physical life certificate at the branch |
| Living abroad | Check with your bank; options include certificates from Indian embassies or authorised officials |
After You Submit: How to Check It Reached the Bank
- Keep the SMS with your Pramaan ID.
- Download the certificate from the Jeevan Pramaan website using the Pramaan ID.
- Check your bank’s life certificate status option, if available. SBI’s pension portal, for example, has a “Life Certificate Status” service.
- If your December pension does not arrive, contact your branch with the Pramaan ID and certificate PDF.
Beware of Life Certificate Scams
Every November, fraudsters target pensioners with calls and messages about “pension stopping”. Protect yourself:
- No official will ask for your OTP, UPI PIN or bank password to update your life certificate.
- Do not install apps from links sent on WhatsApp or SMS. Download the face app only from the official Jeevan Pramaan website and AadhaarFaceRd only from the Play Store.
- Do not share screens with anyone over a video call while banking apps are open.
- Verify doorstep visitors. Book doorstep services yourself through the bank or post office; do not accept unknown visitors claiming to be from the pension department.
- If you are cheated, call the national cyber crime helpline 1930 or report at cybercrime.gov.in immediately.
A Checklist for Families Helping Elderly Parents
- Note your parent’s PPO number, bank account and Aadhaar in a safe place.
- Check that the mobile number on Aadhaar is one your parent can access.
- Install AadhaarFaceRd and the Jeevan Pramaan Face App on your phone; you can be the operator.
- Do the face scan in daylight in the first week of November, not on 29 November.
- Save the Pramaan ID SMS and the PDF in a family folder.
- If your parent is 80 or above, the window opens from 1 October, so you can finish early next year.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the last date to submit the life certificate in 2026?
For Central Government pensioners, 30 November 2026. The window for most pensioners is 1 to 30 November, and for pensioners aged 80 and above it opens on 1 October. Other pension schemes may have different timelines.
Can I submit my life certificate from home?
Yes. Face authentication through the Jeevan Pramaan Face App and the AadhaarFaceRd app on an Android phone lets you generate a Digital Life Certificate at home. Doorstep services through the post office and banks are other options.
Does the Jeevan Pramaan face app work on iPhone?
Official guidance has mainly focused on Android, and older official manuals said the app works only on Android phones, though an iOS manual has also been published. Check the current Jeevan Pramaan website before relying on an iPhone; using an Android phone is the safer choice.
What happens if I miss the 30 November deadline?
Your pension may be withheld from the next month until the certificate is received. Once you submit, payment is usually resumed along with arrears. Submit as early in November as you can to avoid this.
How do I know my life certificate was accepted?
You receive an SMS with a Pramaan ID after successful authentication. You can download the certificate from the Jeevan Pramaan website and check status with your bank. Keep these until your next pension credit arrives.
Can someone else submit the life certificate for me?
A family member can operate the app on their phone, but the authentication must be your own face, fingerprint or iris. Nobody can authenticate on your behalf.
Finish It in the First Week of November
The life certificate takes ten minutes when you do it early and causes weeks of worry when you leave it to the last day. Keep your Aadhaar, PPO and bank details ready, try face authentication at home in good daylight, and if it fails, use your bank, a CSC or a doorstep service. Save your Pramaan ID, ignore calls asking for OTPs, and your pension will keep coming without a break.
