Apostille & International Documents
Clear answers on apostilles, document authentication, and preparing paperwork for use abroad.
Making Sense of Your Certificate of Life: A Guide for North Carolina Retirees
Every year, retirees who earned pensions abroad receive a form asking them to prove they’re still alive. It sounds simple, but how that form is worded decides whether a notary can sign off on it.
If you’re a North Carolina retiree receiving a pension from another country, this guide explains what a Certificate of Life is, what makes one notarizable, and what to do if your pension office also requires an apostille.
Key Takeaways
- A Certificate of Life lets a foreign pension office confirm that a retiree is living and still eligible for benefits.
- A North Carolina notary can notarize it when you make the statement (“I declare that I am alive…”).
- A notary can’t notarize a form that asks the notary to certify that you’re alive.
- You choose whether the notarization is an acknowledgment or a jurat.
- Some pension offices also require an apostille, so check your form’s instructions.
What Is a Certificate of Life?
A Certificate of Life, sometimes called a life certificate or proof of life, is a form that foreign pension offices send to retirees to confirm they’re still living and eligible to keep receiving benefits.
The forms come in many formats and are sometimes bilingual, such as English and French, which can make them confusing to complete. Here’s what to know before your appointment.
Who Receives One
Retirees who receive a pension or benefits from a government or agency in another country.
How Often
Many pension offices ask for one on a regular schedule, often once a year. Your form will list its deadline.
Why It Matters
A late or rejected form can delay your benefit payments, so getting it right the first time matters.
Who Makes the Statement Decides Everything
In North Carolina, notaries can take acknowledgments, administer oaths and affirmations, and take verifications or proofs. Certifying a fact, such as whether someone is alive, isn’t one of them. That’s why the wording on your form matters so much.
You make the statement
You’re the one declaring the fact. The notary verifies your identity and notarizes your signature.
The notary makes the statement
This asks the notary to certify a fact about you, which a North Carolina notary isn’t authorized to do.
“Think of it this way: if you say it, I can notarize it. If I have to say it, I can’t.”
— Aldora Hunter, Owner & Notary Signing AgentAcknowledgment or Jurat? You Choose
If your form doesn’t already include notarial wording, the notary attaches a certificate. Under North Carolina law, a notary can show you the recognized options, but the choice is yours.
Acknowledgment
You confirm to the notary that the signature on the form is yours. You may sign in front of the notary or acknowledge a signature you’ve already made.
Jurat
You sign in front of the notary and swear or affirm that the statements on the form are true.
Tip: Check your form’s instructions first. If your pension office asks for a specific type, use that one. If it doesn’t say and you’re unsure, your pension office is the best place to ask.
Does Your Certificate of Life Need an Apostille?
Some foreign pension offices accept a notarized Certificate of Life on its own. Others also require an apostille, an official certificate that authenticates the notary’s signature so your document is recognized in another country.
In North Carolina, apostilles are issued by the Secretary of State, never by a notary. The Secretary of State reviews the notarization and, if everything is in order, attaches the apostille.
Apostilles are used for countries that belong to the Hague Apostille Convention. If your pension comes from a country that isn’t a member, it may require a different authentication process. Your pension office can tell you which one you need.
The Process, Step by Step
- Check your form’s instructions for an apostille requirement
- Have your signature notarized correctly
- Submit it to the NC Secretary of State for the apostille
- Send the completed form to your pension office
We can help with both the notarization and the apostille process, so your Certificate of Life is ready to send abroad.
What We Do Together
We Review the Wording
We check whether your form is worded so that you make the statement.
We Come to You
Mobile appointments at your home, office, or hospital.
We Notarize Your Signature
We verify your identity and attach the certificate you choose.
We Help With the Apostille
If your pension office requires one, we help you take the next step.
If the wording doesn’t work: when a form asks the notary to certify that you’re alive, we’ll point out the problem so you can request a corrected form from your pension office.
What to Bring to Your Appointment
- Your Certificate of Life form. Wait to sign it until your appointment, in case you need to sign in front of the notary.
- A current, government-issued photo ID, such as a driver’s license or passport.
- Any instructions or cover letter from your pension office.
A Quick Tip for Fellow Notaries
If a retiree brings you a Certificate of Life, look first at who is making the statement.
- The signer declares their own status: you can notarize it as an acknowledgment or jurat, whichever the signer chooses.
- The form asks you to certify that the signer is alive: don’t notarize it as written.
- Don’t rewrite the form for them. In North Carolina, a non-attorney notary can’t help draft or complete a document that needs notarizing. Send the signer back to the pension office for a corrected version.
The National Notary Association has published similar guidance for notaries in other states.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Certificate of Life? +
Can a North Carolina notary notarize a Certificate of Life? +
What if my form asks the notary to certify that I’m alive? +
Should I choose an acknowledgment or a jurat? +
Does my Certificate of Life need an apostille? +
Need Your Certificate of Life Notarized?
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