Retirement involves a change in the social status of a citizen, which naturally entails the emergence of new rights and responsibilities.
As a rule, pensioners have significant concessions from the state, expressed in the provision of various social benefits. To exercise your right to receive them, your preferential status needs to be confirmed. The documentary form of this is a pension certificate, which will be discussed in this article.
What is a pension certificate
A pensioner's certificate is a special document in the form of a booklet, which confirms that its owner has a preferential status and the right to receive appropriate benefits.
This paper was first introduced under the USSR in 1981. The document was issued to all citizens who were recipients of any monetary allowance (benefits) from the state.
Over time, the appearance of the ID has undergone changes, and today it is a small book with a hard, bright red cover. It depicts the coat of arms of the Russian Federation in gold embossing.
The document contains all the necessary information about the pensioner, including:
- FULL NAME;
- year of birth of the pensioner;
- photo of the owner of the book;
- basis for assigning a pension (type of pension provision);
- the amount of the pension and the period of its issue.
In addition, the booklet contained information about the territorial branch of the Pension Fund of the Russian Federation that issued it, and the date of issue.
The certificate is certified by the personal signature of the head of the department and sealed with the appropriate seal. Without proper certification, the paper cannot be considered valid. In the photo below you can see what the document looks like:
The main functions of the document in question are:
- confirmation of the pensioner’s social status;
- confirmation of pension amount;
- confirmation of the right to receive additional benefits and allowances.
In practice, the booklet is used in the following cases:
- when registering pension supplements;
- when applying for subsidies and other benefits, including cheaper travel on municipal and other public transport;
- to receive discounts when purchasing goods and services in public and private institutions and organizations.
Attention! Despite the fact that a photograph is pasted into the certificate and the personal data of the owner, including full name, is written down, it is not a document that certifies the identity of a citizen.
How to send an application through the State Services portal or MFC
A certificate replacing the certificate can be obtained through State Services. To do this you need:
- After logging in, select .
- Go to the Pension Fund portal and use the login and password from the State Services for authorization (you can skip the first point and enter directly to the Pension Fund website).
- Place an order for a certificate.
- Get it from your local Pension Fund Branch.
You can also order a certificate at the Multifunctional Center at the place of registration. To do this, you need only two documents: a citizen’s passport and SNILS + a notarized power of attorney for the pensioner’s representative. You will need to come and receive the paper at the specified time. The period for providing the service is 5 days from the date of application .
You can track the state of affairs using the hotline document acceptance receipt indicated on the application form by reference number.
Types of document
The certificate discussed above was issued to old-age pensioners. However, in our country there are several categories of persons who have the right to count on pension provision, regardless of whether they reach the appropriate age.
This, first of all, includes employees of various state law enforcement agencies who are entitled to retirement based on length of service. Cash payments to them are awarded by the relevant departments, so the form of their pension certificates differs significantly from those issued by the Pension Fund. This applies to former employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the FSB and the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.
Their documents superficially resemble official IDs, which contain the following information:
- the name of the department in which the owner of the paper served;
- personal data and photograph of the established size;
- rank (status).
These documents are also certified by the head of the unit that issued them, as well as by the seal of the relevant department.
As for survivors and disability pensioners, their identification documents did not differ in appearance from those issued for old age, but they stated the appropriate grounds for assigning pension payments.
Certificate forms
The pension certificate itself contained information about the recipient of the pension. The form stated:
- The Pension Fund body that issues the document;
- Certificate number;
- SNILS (this is the number of an individual personal account);
- Full Name;
- Year of birth;
- Photo of a pensioner.
A note was made about the type of pension assigned and its amount. For disability and survivor pensions, payment terms could be specified. Indefinitely indicated for old age pension.
Photo of the pension certificate form
If there are dependents and guardians, the relevant information was entered on subsequent pages.
On the last crust there was a reminder for the pensioner. The need to report to the Pension Fund about all significant changes in his life that could affect the amount of his pension. For example, getting a job, changing the number of dependents.
All information was certified by the signature of the head of the Pension Fund department and a seal. Upon receipt, the pensioner signed his ID next to the photograph.
Why has the certificate been canceled now?
Pension certificates of the established form, mentioned above, are not currently issued. Their issuance ceased in 2015. This means that all those citizens who retired after the specified year do not receive a pension certificate. However, documents that were issued before 2015 have not been canceled and have the same legal force.
Important! If the certificate has become unusable or has been lost, then duplicates will also not be issued.
The official reason why the issuance of the documents in question was stopped is that the scope of application of the pension certificate is very limited and insignificant, that is, simply put, it is not particularly needed, since all the necessary information about the pensioner is contained in modern electronic databases.
At the same time, it is not hidden that this measure made it possible to reduce budget expenses associated with the production of these forms, which is directly related to the constant increase in the number of people who receive pension payments.
According to officials, there are no plans to resume issuing pension certificates in the previous form in the near future.
Procedure for initial receipt and subsequent recovery
When figuring out how to get a pension certificate, a pensioner will find out that they are not issued in 2021. However, previously the registration of pension certificates was carried out in the Pension Fund department. Due to changes made to the current legislation, a corresponding pension certificate is now issued instead of a red book. It also contains information that was previously contained in the document.
Please note: In practice, a pensioner's ID may be lost or damaged. The document can be restored. To do this, you need to contact the territorial department of the Pension Fund of the Russian Federation at your place of residence. You need to have SNILS and a passport with you. However, red pension books are no longer issued. Instead, a classic pension certificate is provided.
What are they giving out now?
To confirm the preferential status and amount of pension payments, from January 1, 2015, a certificate is issued instead of a certificate. It has the same legal significance as a pension certificate, and therefore can be used for similar purposes throughout the Russian Federation.
What is a pensioner's certificate?
The certificate is a document printed on a regular white sheet. It must contain the following information:
- personal data of the pensioner;
- SNILS number;
- territorial body of the Pension Fund of the Russian Federation in which the citizen’s pension file is maintained;
- nature and amount of pension payment:
- the period during which pension provision is provided.
Attention! The certificate is not issued automatically when the right to pension payments arises. To receive it, you must submit a corresponding application. The fact that a certificate is missing does not affect the possibility of receiving monthly security, that is, the payment of money does not depend on the availability of this document.
Sample certificate:
Can SNILS become a replacement for identification and certificates?
SNILS is a green card confirming a citizen’s registration in the pension insurance system. It cannot be used as a replacement for a certificate or certificate, since the presence of this document does not confirm preferential status.
On March 21, the bill, which, among other things, abolishes the validity of green SNILS cards, successfully passed the third reading. If the draft law is adopted, SNILS will be removed from the official document flow.
A little about the help
The provision of certificates was abolished by the law on insurance pensions. The regulatory legal act also adjusted the rules for applying for pension payments. Now pensioners have begun to receive certificates. The innovation affected only persons who received the right to a pension due to their age since 2015. If a pensioner previously received a document, it will not be confiscated. The certificate gives the right to use standard benefits. It is presented in theaters, pharmacies and museums in Moscow and other cities to receive a discount. Additionally, the pension document confirms the fact of the pension assignment.
How and where you can get it: step-by-step instructions
1 step
collection of the following documents:
- statement;
- passport;
- pension certificate (if available);
- SNILS.
Step 2
Contact the pension fund office.
Step 3
Getting help.
The usual period for receiving a document after submitting documents is 2 days , but in some cases it can be extended to 10 days. The certificate is issued free of charge, without paying any state fee.
The paper does not expire, so it can be used several times. If the certificate is lost, it can be restored free of charge.
Not only the pensioner personally, but also his relatives or other persons can receive the document. However, for this they must have a power of attorney certified by a notary.
Is it possible to register at the MFC or order through “State Services”
It is impossible to make a pension certificate through the MFC or through electronic services, since they stopped issuing them back in 2015. However, it is quite possible to obtain a certificate in this way .
When contacting the MFC, you must provide the same set of documents as the Pension Fund. However, it should be noted that the period for obtaining a certificate in this case increases slightly.
You can also order paper through the State Services portal . To do this, you must submit the necessary request, after which you will receive a notification by email indicating the time of your visit to the Pension Fund.
Important! When issuing a certificate through the MFC and State Services, the time frame for receiving it increases. If you need a document urgently, it is better to contact the Pension Fund office directly.
For a long time, the pension certificate was the only document confirming the status of a pensioner. However, today it is no longer issued, although it has not been removed from the official document flow. To confirm his status, a pensioner can order a certificate from the Pension Fund of the Russian Federation, which, in essence, has the same force as a certificate.
What does a pensioner's certificate provide?
As already mentioned, now all basic data on recipients of social support measures have been digitized and transmitted through an interdepartmental electronic interaction system. This means that the certificate itself does not give any additional rights - and only in some cases does it confirm that its bearer has the benefits of a pensioner.
Among other things, these may be the following benefits:
- free travel on public transport, reduced or free travel on intercity and suburban transport. This is determined by regional authorities;
- discounts in pharmacies and some stores;
- discounts at some cultural institutions (theatres, exhibitions, etc.).
Most often this concerns the right to free travel. The fact is that carriers on the streets of Russian cities are predominantly private, and compensation for transporting beneficiaries does not always reach them. Therefore, due to free travel, conflict situations often arise - and thanks to the presence of a special document, they can be avoided.
True, before this, many regions already issued their own certificates
- just to confirm the right to free travel. But now the authorities are gradually abandoning them - now in the regions the right to preferential travel is “linked” to the MIR card, and payment for travel goes through a validator.
Therefore, there is simply no point in urgently issuing a pensioner’s certificate
- it can be successfully replaced by a regional certificate or a certificate from the Pension Fund of Russia. But if a pensioner, for some reason, applies to the Pension Fund, at the same time you can draw up a new document - it still won’t be superfluous.
