How to apply for Instant PAN through Aadhaar based e-KYC?

CBDT has recently announced the launch of new Instant PAN allotment provision. This latest facility has been made available on the Income Tax e-filing portal.

Instant PAN allotment will now be done in near to real-time at free-of cost. Individuals (other than minors) with a valid Aadhaar number (with updated Mobile number) can avail this e-PAN allotment facility.

Under this facility, PAN in pdf format will be generated and issued to the applicant. This e-PAN holds same value as physical PAN card.

What are the pre-requisites to get PAN instantly?

• The applicant (you) should have a valid Aadhaar which is not linked to any other PAN.
• You should have your mobile number registered with Aadhaar.
• The complete date of birth (DD-MM-YYYY) should be available on your Aadhaar card.
• This is a paper-less process and applicants are not required to submit or upload any documents.
• You should not have another PAN.

How to apply for Instant PAN online?

Below is the process to get instant PAN based on your Aadhar e-kyc.

• Kindly visit the e-Filing website of Income-tax department.
• Click the link- ‘Instant PAN through Aadhaar’.

• Click the link- ‘Get New PAN’.

• Fill in your Aadhaar in the space provided, enter captcha and confirm.
• You will receive an OTP on the registered Aadhaar mobile number; submit this OTP in the text box on the webpage.
• After submission, an acknowledgement number will be generated. Please keep this acknowledgment number for future reference.
• On successful completion, a message will be sent to your registered mobile number and e-mail id (if registered in UIDAI & authenticated by OTP). This message specifies the acknowledgement number.

How to download instant e-PAN?

After completing the above procedure, you need to follow the below steps to check PAN allotment status and download ePAN;

• To download PAN, please go to the e-Filing website of Income-tax department.
• Click the link- ‘Instant PAN through Aadhaar’.
• Click the link- ‘Check Status / Download PAN’.

• Submit the Aadhaar number in the space provided, then submit the OTP sent to the Aadhaar registered mobile number.
• Check the status of application- whether PAN is allotted or not.
• If PAN is allotted, click on the download link to get a copy of the e-PAN pdf.

Important FAQs on ‘Allotment of Instant PAN based on Aadhaar ‘ :

• What is e-PAN? – e-PAN is a digitally signed PAN card issued in electronic format by the Income-tax department. This card contains a QR code. QR code holds complete information about PAN card such as Name of the holder, DOB, Father’s name as well as biometric.
• Is this PAN valid? Is it different from the PAN issued via other modes of application? – Yes, this PAN is valid. It is not different from the PAN issued by Income-tax department via other modes of application. However, this PAN is paperless, online and free of cost.
• Can I use this facility if I already have a PAN? Can I apply for another PAN? – No. As per provisions of Section 272B(1) of Income Tax Act, a person having more than one PAN has to pay a penalty of Rs.10,000.
• Can foreign citizens apply for PAN through e-KYC mode? – No.
• Can I apply for PAN if my Aadhaar Card is not active? – No.
• How is Aadhaar verified through instant PAN? – UIDAI sends an OTP to the registered mobile number through the process of Aadhaar e-KYC.
• What if I do not get an OTP? – You can resubmit the Aadhaar e-KYC page to get a new OTP. If you still don’t get an OTP, you have to contact UIDAI.
• If my Aadhaar authentication gets rejected during e-KYC, what should I do? – Aadhaar authentication may get rejected due to wrong OTP. The problem can be resolved by entering the correct OTP. If it still gets rejected, you have to contact the UIDAI.
• Do I need Digital Signature Certificate (DSC) for applying for PAN card through Aadhaar based Instant PAN facility? – No.
• Do I need to upload a scanned photo, scanned copy of Aadhaar card, signature etc. for e-KYC? – No.
• Will I get a physical PAN card? – No. You will be issued an e-PAN which is a valid form of PAN.
• How do I get a physical PAN card? – If a PAN has been allotted, you can get a printed physical PAN card by submitting PAN on the links below-
  • NSDL Portal
  • UTIITSL Portal

• Can I make any changes in my existing PAN through this facility? – No. You can visit above portals’ links and apply through ‘Change Request Facility’.
• If I cannot use the facility of Instant PAN allotment, whom should I contact? – You can mail your grievance to epan@incometax.gov.in .

In case, you already have a physical PAN card but would like to get e-PAN (softy copy) with the same PAN number then you can download e-PAN card by paying nominal charges. For more details, you may go through this article.

Continue reading:

1. Avoid using PAN card as an Identity Proof – Know when to quote PAN
2. PAN Card Lost or Damaged? | How to get new PAN Card online?
3. How to Cancel or Surrender PAN & Aadhaar Card of a deceased person?
4. How Income Tax Department tracks the High Value Financial Transactions?

(Source & reference : Income tax e-Filing Portal) (Post first published on : 19-February-2020)