Proof of Life Affidavit

An Affidavit of Life Certificate is a sworn statement confirming that a named individual is alive on a specific date. Pension funds, life insurance companies, foreign embassies, and government benefit programmes use it to verify that a beneficiary or annuitant is still living before releasing a payment.

The document is sometimes called a proof of life affidavit, certificate of existence, or attestation of life. Regardless of the name, its legal effect is the same: you swear under oath that you are alive, the notary confirms they saw you in person (or on video), and the jurat records the date and location.

This affidavit is most common among retirees living in Canada who receive pension payments from a foreign government or former employer abroad. Foreign pension authorities (particularly in Europe, the Middle East, and parts of Asia) require annual or semi-annual proof of life before continuing payments.

The form collects the details your pension fund or institution needs to match your identity against their records. You will provide the following when filling out the template.

The notary must verify your identity before administering the oath. Bring one piece of valid, unexpired, government-issued photo identification.

At Minute Notary, the process takes about ten minutes. You present your photo ID, the notary confirms your identity, and you swear or affirm that the contents of the affidavit are true. You sign in the notary's presence, and they complete the jurat with the date, location, and their official seal. You leave with the original, ready to send to your pension fund or institution.

Commissioning is a flat $19.90 per signature stamp. One deponent means one stamp, with no hidden fees.

Many pension recipients are elderly or have difficulty travelling. Ontario Regulation 431/20 permits the oath to be administered remotely over two-way audio-video technology, provided both you and the notary are physically located in Ontario during the call. You sign while the notary watches on camera, and they complete the jurat electronically or on the mailed original.

This option is particularly helpful if you cannot attend in person. Book a virtual appointment through our website and complete the entire process from home.

Some foreign pension authorities require an apostille or authentication chain on top of the notarization before they will accept the document. Canada joined the Apostille Convention in 2024, so Global Affairs Canada can now issue an apostille for notarized documents destined for member countries. Check with your pension authority to confirm whether a simple notarized affidavit is sufficient or whether additional authentication is required.