Under certain circumstances, the Fund may require that your signature and/or a document be duly authenticated by an authorized official to be acceptable for the purposes of the Fund.
For example:
- Signature authentication is always required on forms Pens.E2 and PF23/A. A designated signature authentication box or area is included on these forms, clearly indicating what information is required from the authenticating official and must be provided on the form so that it is acceptable.
- Signature authentication might be required, under certain circumstances, on the annual Certificate of Entitlement form (CE).
- Signature authentication is NOT REQUIRED if the retiree’s/beneficiary’s signature on the CE form matches the original signature the Fund has on file for the retiree/beneficiary (i.e. usually the signature on their original Payment Instructions submitted at the time of benefit implementation).
- Signature authentication is also NOT REQUIRED, if the signature on the CE form matches a more recently received, duly authenticated signature.
- Signature authentication IS REQUIRED when the retiree’s/beneficiary’s signature on the CE form differs notably from the original signature the Fund has on file and no duly authenticated signature was received by the Fund that would match the ‘new’ signature on the CE form.
- As a general rule, signature authentication IS REQUIRED for each CE form or document on which a thumbprint is affixed.
- If authentication is required, note that a designated signature authentication box is included on the CE form, clearly indicating what information is required from the authenticating official and must be provided on the form so that it is acceptable.
- Authentication of your signature and/or certain documents might be required by the Fund in the context of authorizing the reinstatement of a forfeited or suspended benefit or for the submission of Emergency Fund related documentation. For cases where this is required, and it is not clearly spelled out in related documentation, the Fund would provide you with the necessary guidance on the authentication requirements and process.
- Other circumstances may require the authentication of your signature or a document, in which case the Fund would clearly inform you of such requirement.
If a requirement of signature or document authentication is not clearly indicated for an official Pension form or other form or document, the Fund would inform you of such requirement.
The following information is intended to help clarify the correct process to have your signature and/or a document authenticated so that it is acceptable for the purposes of the Fund.
General FAQ
Who can authenticate/certify my signature - What are the authentication requirements?
-a UN Official (usually a Human Resources Officer or a UNJSPF official);
-a Government Official (usually in a consulate, municipality, police station, etc.);
-a Notary Public.
For the UNJSPF to accept your signature as duly authenticated you must affix your signature and the date on the form or document concerned in the presence of the authenticating official after having confirmed your identity based on a valid government issued photo ID document or a valid UN ID card.
The person authenticating your signature must affix the following details in the designated area provided on certain official UNJSPF forms OR, for other forms or documents, in free format on the same page where you affixed your own signature and the date:
-their original ink signature;
-the authentication date (which, obviously, must match the date that you affixed next to your own signature);
-their full name,
-their official title,
-their stamp/seal of office,
-and, if applicable, their license or index number (e.g. for Notary Publics, etc.).
From that point onwards, all signatures provided by you to the Fund will have to match the authenticated signature or, if not, have to be newly authenticated.
Thumbprint-related questions: When can I sign with a thumbprint - Who can authenticate my thumbprint - What are the authentication requirements?
Thumbprints must ALWAYS be duly authenticated. In other words, whenever you sign a form or document by affixing your thumbprint in lieu of a scripted signature, you must have your thumbprint duly authenticated for it to be acceptable for UNJSPF purposes.
1. If from the outset all your signatures provided to the Fund were in the form of a thumbprint, you will of course be authorized to continue affixing your thumbprint in lieu of a scripted signature on official UNJSPF forms or other documents or communications with the UNJSPF. In order for the UNJSPF to accept a thumbprint in lieu of scripted signature, it must be duly authenticated as described above, i.e.:
Thumbprint authentication can be done by one of the following officials:
-a UN Official (usually a Human Resources Officer or a UNJSPF official);
-a Government Official (usually in a consulate, municipality, police station, etc.);
-a Notary Public.
For the UNJSPF to accept your thumbprint as duly authenticated you must affix your thumbprint and the date on the form or document concerned in the presence of the authenticating official after having confirmed your identity based on a valid government issued photo ID document or a valid UN ID card.
The person authenticating your thumbprint must affix the following details in the designated area provided on certain official UNJSPF forms OR, for other forms or documents, in free format on the same page where you affixed your own signature and the date:
-their original ink signature;
-the authentication date (which, obviously, must match the date that you affixed next to your thumbprint);
-their full name,
-their official title,
-their stamp/seal of office,
-and, if applicable, their license or index number (e.g. for Notary Publics, etc.).
2. For cases where a retiree or beneficiary used to sign documents with their scripted signature, however, can no longer sign documents due to ill health, in lieu of their signature they can affix their thumbprint on the signature line or, where available, in the designated thumbprint box on the official form (only the annual Certificate of Entitlement -CE- form has a designated thumbprint box).
In such cases, thumbprint authentication must be done by their attending physician (doctor).
For the UNJSPF to accept the retiree’s/beneficiary’s thumbprint as duly authenticated by an attending physician (doctor) the retiree/beneficiary must affix their thumbprint and the date on the form or document concerned in the presence of the authenticating physician (doctor) (after the retiree/beneficiary has identified themselves based on a valid government issued photo ID document or a valid UN ID card).
The authenticating physician (doctor) must affix the following details in the designated area provided on certain official UNJSPF forms OR, for other forms or documents, in free format on the same page where the retiree/beneficiary affixed their thumbprint and the date:
-their original ink signature;
-the authentication date (which, obviously, must match the date that is affixed next to the retiree’s/beneficiary’s thumbprint);
-their full name,
-their official title,
-their stamp/seal of office,
-and, if applicable, their license or index number (e.g. for Doctors, Notary Publics, etc.).
The same attending physician (doctor) would have to issue a medical certificate or statement -ideally in English or French language- to the attention of the UNJSPF, on the physician’s official letterhead and providing the physician’s original signature and the signature date, attesting to the retiree’s/beneficiary’s current health situation preventing them from signing the form/document. This medical statement must be attached to the duly authenticated original form and both documents must be returned to the Fund together.
Should the retiree/beneficiary continue to thumbprint their forms (CEs, for example) in the following years, and the same physician authenticates their thumbprint also on future forms, no new medical certificate is required; however, if a different doctor authenticates their thumbprint on future forms, a NEW medical statement must be issued by the new authenticating physician (doctor) and must be attached to the form authenticated by that new doctor in line with the usual requirements.
Furthermore, for cases where the retiree/beneficiary suffers from serious long term health issues, the Fund recommends that during the period when the above described arrangement is used, the retiree/beneficiary and/or their family or friends should start the proceedings for the appointment of a legal guardian for the retiree or beneficiary.
Who can authenticate/certify the copy of an original document (e.g. Birth Certificate, Marriage Certificate, Death Certificate, etc.) - What are the authentication requirements?
Usually, the Fund accepts simple copies of original supporting documentation when such is required by the Fund (e.g. of ID documents, Birth Certificates, Marriage Certificates, Divorce Documents, etc.), i.e. in most cases no authentication of such copies is required.
However, under certain circumstances, the Fund may request a duly certified copy of an original document. If that was the case, the Fund would inform you in this sense.
If the certification of a document is required by the Fund, this can be done by one of the following officials:
– a UN Official (usually a Human Resources Officer or a UNJSPF official);
– a Government Official (usually in a consulate, municipality, police station, etc.);
– a Notary Public.
For the UNJSPF to consider certification of a document acceptable, the official authenticating the document must do so based on the original document presented to them together with the photocopy of said document.
The certifying official must affix the following details in free format on the same page as the image of the original document:
-the mention “Original seen and verified.”
-their original ink signature;
-the authentication date;
-their full name,
-their official title,
-their stamp/seal of office,
-and, if applicable, their license or index number (e.g. for Notary Publics, etc.).
FAQ Certificate of Entitlement
Does the retiree’s/beneficiary’s signature or thumbprint on the CE form need to be authenticated?
Signature authentication is NOT REQUIRED if the retiree’s/beneficiary’s signature on the CE form matches the original signature the Fund has on file for the retiree/beneficiary (i.e. usually the signature on their original Payment Instructions submitted at the time of benefit implementation).
Signature authentication is also NOT REQUIRED, if the signature on the CE form matches a more recently received, duly authenticated signature.
Signature authentication IS REQUIRED when the retiree’s/beneficiary’s signature on the CE form differs notably from the original signature the Fund has on file and no duly authenticated signature was received by the Fund that would match the ‘new’ signature on the CE form.
As a general rule, signature authentication IS REQUIRED for each CE form or document on which a thumbprint is affixed.
What if given the passage of time the retiree’s/beneficiary’s signature on the CE form differs notably from the original signature the Fund has on file?
What if the retiree or beneficiary can no longer sign the CE form due to ill health and instead uses his/her thumbprint?
As a general rule, signature authentication IS REQUIRED for each CE form or document on which a thumbprint is affixed.
In cases where a retiree or beneficiary can no longer sign documents due to ill health, in lieu of their signature the retiree/beneficiary can affix their thumbprint in the designated box on the CE form. The retiree’s/beneficiary’s thumbprint must be duly authenticated by their attending physician (doctor) in the designated fields ON the CE form, including the doctor’s full name, his/her title, stamp/seal of office and his/her original signature. The same doctor would have to issue a medical certificate or statement in English or French to the attention of the UNJSPF, on official letterhead and providing the physician’s original signature and the date, attesting to the retiree’s/beneficiary’s current health situation preventing them from signing the CE form; this medical statement must be attached to the duly authenticated original CE form and both documents must be returned to the Fund together.
Based on the authentication on the CE form and the attached medical certificate, the Fund would accept the retiree’s/beneficiary’s CE and, if received in the required format, consider they have fulfilled the requirements of the annual CE Exercise.
Should the retiree/beneficiary continue to thumbprint their CEs in the following years, and the same physician authenticates their thumbprint on future CE forms, no new medical certificate is required; however, if a different doctor authenticates their thumbprint on future CE forms, a NEW medical statement must be issued by the new authenticating doctor and must be attached to the CE form authenticated by that new doctor in line with the usual requirements.
Furthermore, for cases where the retiree/beneficiary suffers from serious long term health issues, the Fund recommends that during the period when the above described arrangement is used, the retiree/beneficiary and/or their family or friends should start the proceedings for the appointment of a legal guardian for the retiree or beneficiary.
