An indulgence is a remission of the punishment for sin; the Church tells us which practices can have this effect.  Usually we can only earn them for ourselves

In November, we can earn them and apply them to those who have died.

Ways to Earn Plenary Indulgence for the Dead in November

Nov. 2:  visiting the church or oratory say one Our Father and the Apostles Creed. + the general requirements below.  Attend a Mass and you meet most of the general requirements below.  This may be done on any single day in November if Nov. 2 does not work for you.  (see note below)

Any day in November:  Visit a cemetery any day in November and pray for the dead. + the general requirements below.  This may be repeated any day in November.  (see note below)

If you are home bound, ill or infirm, conditions are further relaxed.  See note below.

 

General Requirements for Earning A Plenary Indulgence

Do the special work specified for this indulgence on the specified day.

Say one “Our Father” and one “Hail Mary” for the Holy Father’s intentions (that is, the intentions designated by the Holy Father each month), preferably on the day of the work

Worthily receive Holy Communion (ideally on the same day if you can get to Mass)

Make a sacramental confession within 7 days or less of  the day of the work

For a plenary indulgence be  free from all attachment to sin, even venial sin (otherwise, the indulgence is partial, not plenary).

 

Other Considerations

One confession can be applied to multiple plenary indulgences; but communion can only be applied to one plenary indulgence.

You can only earn one plenary indulgence a day.

If you cannot meet all of these conditions on some days, you have still done a meritorious work which is applied to the dead; it just has a lesser strength than the full plenary indulgence.

 

Note and Sources

Normally, the Nov. 2 indulgence could only be earned on this day.  This requirement was relaxed in 2020 and 2021 because of COVID.

Normally, visiting the cemetery indulgence could only be earned from Nov. 1-8, but this requirement was relaxed in 2020 and 2021 because of COVID.

For those who are home-bound, etc., the following suggestions are in place:  "The elderly, the sick and all those who for serious reasons cannot leave their homes, for example because of restrictions imposed by the competent authority in this time of the pandemic, in order to prevent numerous faithful from crowding into holy places, will be able to obtain the Plenary Indulgence as long as they join spiritually with all the other faithful, completely detached from sin and with the intention of complying as soon as possible with the three usual conditions (sacramental confession, Eucharistic communion and prayer according to the Holy Father’s intentions), before an image of Jesus or the Blessed Virgin Mary, recite pious prayers for the deceased, for example, Lauds and Vespers of the Office of the Dead, the Marian Rosary, the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, other prayers for the deceased dearest to the faithful, or occupy themselves in contemplative reading of one of the Gospel passages proposed by the liturgy of the deceased, or perform a work of mercy by offering to God the sorrows and hardships of their own lives. "

The decree for 2021 is here, which refers back to the more detailed decree of 2020, here.

For 2022, there has been no formal decree extending to the whole of November, so it may be best to focus work on Nov. 1-8.