Independent Transfers

Welcome to the Independent Transfer webpage. We have created this page to provide a place where employers and divisions can find information on how to use the new automated system for Independent Transfers. If you are an employee, please contact your employer for additional information. This web page will provide written instructions on how to fill out and submit forms. Please contact us if you need additional information. Also, below you will find additional working policy information. 

* The prospective employer is to explain denominational policies on the service record and the retirement benefit expectations of the individual should he/she proceed with the transfer, and the entitlements or loss of same arising out of such transfers.

Submit Independent Transfer Letter (ITL) Form

Transferee must fill in the form information and submit it.

ITL Form Instructions (PDF)

Submit Form (S-251)

Once the ITL Form is filled out, the employee must fill out Form (S-251), the independent transfer application. Two forms of identification are required.

Form (S-251) Instructions (PDF)

Form (S-252) is automatically sent to previous employer

Form (S-252) will automatically generate and be sent to the transferee’s previous division to verify years of service. The previous division Secretariat office/employer will fill out the form, sign and attach the former division service record documentation and submit it/return it to the NAD Secretariat.

Form (S-252) Instructions (PDF)

Form (S-254) is automatically generated and sent to transferee and NAD Secretariat.

Transferee must verify and email.

(For individuals that have service in the former division only.)

A PDF of Form (S-254) is generated with the years of service information from the former division and effective date of employment (first day of NAD employment) from the employer. The transferree reviews the (S-254) information, and, if the information is correct, signs it, and returns the signed copy by email to independenttransfer@nadadventist.org.

Form (S-254) Instructions (PDF)

A brief summary is sent to committee

NAD Secretariat prepares a summary about the transferee (i.e., name, effective date of transfer from Division they came from, years of service and whether they vested in the former divisions retirement plan) and sends it to the committee for a vote of approval.

Notification of approval/vote is sent to transferree, prospective employer, and former employer

Once the committee has met and approved the transfer an approval letter is sent to the independent transferee, prospective employer, and former division. A copy of the former division service record is also sent to the current employer. The process is then completed.


Working Policy

E 20 An Independent Transfer is affected in any one of the following four situations:

  1. The transfer of an employee on his/her own responsibility from one division and the subsequent employment in the other division without a regular call. (See E 15 30)
  2. The choice of an inter-division employee who meets the necessary criteria (E 15 30 and GC M 15 20) to adopt another division country as his/her adopted division country. In the case of the employee who remains in continuous inter-division employment, a permanent return is voted for record-keeping purposes only. An independent transfer is processed to the chosen division.
  3. The choice of an inter-division employee who meets the necessary criteria ( see E 15 35 and GC M 15 40) to adopt the host division country as his/her adopted division country. Such a choice is followed by processing a permanent return and an independent transfer to the chosen division where the employee then serves on a local employment basis.
  4. The choice of an inter-division employee to take out citizenship in the host division country. This decision terminates his/her inter-division employee status Such a choice is followed by processing a permanent return and an independent transfer to the chosen division where the employee then serves on a local employment basis.

*For more policy information, see NAD Working Policy book page 270.