NRIs in Canada welcome move to issue life certificates at consulate camps

NRI pensioner, settled in various provinces of Canada, are upbeat that Indian Consulates have started issuing life certificates at public utility camps that are being felicitated by Indian community groups.

However, authorities concerned at the paying branches of various commercial banks are yet to ascertain the proper procedure for uploading these certificates sent by pensioners through post, personally or online. Pensioners organisations, on the other hand, have urged Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, and Ministry of Finance to coordinate with each other on the subject and ensure that no inconvenience or harassment is caused to beneficiaries.

All Banks Retirees Forum president KK Bansal appreciated that the Union Government has initiated a process for issuing life certificates to NRIs settled abroad to enable them get their pension at the paying branch of the Bank in India.

“However, pensioners who have settled abroad or are visiting foreign countries in November are asking us for the procedure of updating life certificates,” said Bansal, admitting that the actual process for uploading was yet to start in the region.

Bansal said there were other alternatives for uploading these certificates but the majority of pensioners preferred to visit their respective bank branches for ensuring the continuation of payment of pension beyond November.

Dinesh Malhotra, a pensioner from Jagraon, presently settled in Canada said the first camp for issuance of life certificate was held at Manitoba in Toronto, where nearly 700 pensioners gathered to avail the facility.

“The Indian Consulate had announced it would organise camps in various cities during November for this purpose and two such camps were held at South Sikh Centre and Hindu temple at Winnipeg of Manitoba on Saturday and Sunday,” said Malhotra. Those pensioners who were bedridden and could not visit the camps were issued certificates through video conferencing, he added.

Ravinder Singh, manager, State Bank of India Pakhowal branch, said the certificates would be uploaded in case these were issued in specific format, mentioning marital status and re-employment status.

“Till now, we have received instruction on the issue but we shall try to upload the certificates after verifying their authenticity in case these are in standard format,” said Ravinder, adding that the bank was already uploading life certificates in response to requests through video conferencing and standard apps meant for online uploading of the document.