Link Aadhaar Card and PAN Card

A PAN (Permanent Account Number) card is a unique 10 character code that is assigned to all tax paying entities in India. The card links all transactions that attract tax under a single source, making it convenient for the government to keep track of these.

A PAN card is necessary for filing Income Tax returns in the country, and all individuals and entities that pay tax, including foreigners are expected to have one.All resident Indians can apply for an Aadhaar card.

Issued by the Unique Identification Authority of India, the card is a 12 digit number that serves as proof of identity as well as proof of address. An initiative by the government to have a single identification document for every citizen in the country, the card is a personal identification card that contains the individual’s biometric and demographic information.

Here's how to link Aadhaar with PAN

The Income Tax Department declared that taxpayers can link their PAN card with their Aadhaar card using an easy SMS-based process. People can also go to the official e-filing website of the Income Tax Department and link both these documents.

Know More about Linking Pan with Aadhar

Deadline for PAN-Aadhaar Linking Extended till March 2019

The deadline for carrying out PAN-Aadhaar linking has been extended till March next year. This is the fifth time that the government has extended the deadline. The move to defer the last date for linking both the documents comes after the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) issued an order under Section 119 of the Income Tax Act on June 30, which was the last date for doing the linking as reported by NDTV. The decision to defer the deadline was taken given that the Supreme Court had earlier in the year called for extending the deadline. The apex court’s order stated that the deadline be extended until the five-judge constitution bench delivers its judgement on the various petitions filed which challenged the validity of the biometric scheme. It needs to be mentioned that as per updated data, over 16.65 crore PANs out of the total 33 crore were linked with Aadhaar till March this year.

Given that the deadline has been extended, individuals who are yet to carry out the linking have got some additional time to carry out the linking. In case, an individual has not been able to carry out the linking, here is how they can go about doing it.

• The individual first needs to visit https://www.incometaxindiaefiling.gov.in/home
• Next, click on ‘Link Aadhaar’ under the section ‘Quick Links’.
• On doing so, a web page opens where he/she needs to provide details like PAN, Aadhaar number, name as per Aadhaar, and captcha code.
• Following that, tick the box which reads ‘Request OTP’.
• Next, provide the mobile number and click on ‘Link Aadhaar’

Close

Procedure for Linking PAN Card and Aadhaar Card

Tax payers can link their Aadhaar to their PAN card by logging in to the income tax e-filing portal. Alternatively, tax payers can also link their PAN and Aadhaar without logging in to the income tax e-filing portal as well. In order to link PAN and Aadhaar cards, tax payers have to first register on the Income tax e-Filing portal. Once they have done so, they are to follow the steps outlined below:

• Log in to the e-Filing portal of the Income Tax Department by entering the log-in ID, password and date of birth
• On logging in to the site, a pop up window will appear, prompting you to link your PAN card with Aadhaar card.
• Details such as name, date of birth and gender will already be mentioned as per the details submitted at the time of registration on the e-Filing portal.
• Verify the details on screen with the ones mentioned on your Aadhaar card.
• If the details match, enter your Aadhaar card number and click on the “link now” button.
• A pop-up message will inform you that your Aadhaar card has been successfully linked to your PAN card.

Individuals who have not yet registered on the Income Tax e-filing website can still link their PAN with their Aadhaar number. The linking process for unregistered users is given below:

Step 1:

Open the Income Tax e-filing portal.

Register on it. Your PAN (Permanent Account Number) will be your user id.

Login on the page using your User ID, Password and Date of Birth.

Here a popup window will appear if not just find the blue tab on the highest bar named ‘Profile Settings’ on Menu bar and click on on ‘Link Aadhaar’.

Step 2:

Add the required details like name, DOB and gender as per pan details after Enter your 12 digit Aadhaar card number and verify captcha and Click On Link Aadhaar.

Step 3:

Finally a popup message will display as your Aadhaar card has been successfully linked to your PAN card.

Importance of Linking PAN Card with Aadhaar Card

Both the PAN card as well as the Aadhaar card are unique identification cards that serve as proof of identity that are necessary for registration and verification purposes.

The government has urged all entities to link their PAN cards with their Aadhaar cards. This is being done for the following purposes:

Prevent Tax Evasion:

By linking the Aadhaar and PAN cards, the government will be able to keep tabs on the taxable transactions of a particular individual or entity, whose identity and address will be verified by his Aadhaar card. This will effectively mean that every taxable transaction or activity will be recorded by the government.

As a result, the government will already have a detailed record of all the financial transactions that would attract tax for each entity, making tax evasion a thing of the past.

Multiple PAN Cards:

Another reason for linking PAN with Aadhaar is to reduce the occurrence of individuals or entities applying for multiple PAN cards in an effort to defraud the government and avoid paying taxes.

By applying for more than one PAN card, an entity can use one of the cards for a certain set of financial transactions and pay taxes applicable for those. Meanwhile, the other PAN card can be used for accounts or transactions that the entity wishes to conceal from the Income Tax department, thereby avoiding paying tax on them.

By linking the PAN and Aadhaar card, the government will be able to link the identity of an entity through his/her Aadhaar card, and subsequently have details of all financial transactions made through the linked PAN card. If there are multiple PAN cards registered under the same name, the government will be able to identify the same and take corrective action.

Correction facility for linking PAN with Aadhaar is launched by the Income Tax Department

The IT department has started the online facility for correction of errors in names and other information present on the Aadhaar document and Permanent Account Number (PAN) card. The Income Tax department already launched the facility to link the PAN Card with Aadhaar. Now it has also added two hyperlinks on the official website for e-filing of tax. One link takes to the application page for Permanent Account number by an Indian national or a foreigner and the other link takes you to the page where you can update all the necessary changes. In order to update all the Aadhaar details, an individual can easily log on to the Aadhaar SSUP (Self Service Update Portal). He/she can also upload all the scanned documents that are needed as data update request proof.

 Do NRIs Need Aadhaar Card While Applying For A Pan Card?

Though it is said that one needs to provide the Aadhaar number while applying for a PAN card, UIDAI states that quoting the Aadhaar number or enrolment ID is only mandatory for those who are eligible to obtain a Aadhaar card. As such, an NRI who have not stayed in the country for the prescribed time period mentioned, does not need the Aadhaar card to avail a PAN card.

According to law, a NRI needs to an Aadhaar card only if he/she has stayed in the country for a period of 182 days or more in the last 12 months. Hence, a non resident indian does not need an Aadhaar card to apply for a PAN card. As such, an NRI can apply for the PAN card by simply leaving the space for Aadhaar number blank and instead provide the bank account statement which is less than three months old of the country of his/her residence as proof of address.

FAQs for Linking Aadhaar with PAN

1. 1. If I don’t fall into the taxable bracket, do I still have to get an Aadhaar card or have it linked to my PAN?

   Yes, it is advisable that you apply for an Aadhaar card and have it linked with your PAN. Aadhar is now necessary to avail most government benefits and so it is advisable to apply for it and also get it linked with PAN to ensure that your PAN is valid.

2. 2. Do NRIs residing in India have to link their PAN as well??

   The requirement to quote Aadhaar for filing income tax returns and for making an application for allotment of PAN with effect from July 1, 2017 does not apply to non­resident Indians [NRIs].

3. Is it mandatory to create an account with the department website?

   No, it is not necessary to have an account with the department website. There is a direct link that is available which you can use to link your PAN and Aadhaar Card.

4. I used to live in India but settled abroad. I plan on returning to India. Do I need to apply for an Aadhaar Card or am I exempted from this rule?

   If you plan on staying in the country for more than 6 months or 182 days, you will have to apply for an Aadhaar card when you reach India.

5. How long is the OTP sent by the Aadhaar database valid for?

   The Aadhaar OTP is valid for a total of 15 minutes from the time it was generated.

6. How can I change the mobile number that is registered with Aadhaar?

   You can get in touch with the UIDAI helpdesk by email at authsupport@uidai.gov.in or you can contact their toll-free number which is 1800-300-1947.

7. Can I de-link my Aadhaar number?

   No. There is no option that is available to de-link your Aadhaar number once it has been updated on the e-filing page.

8. How do I make changes to an Aadhaar Number that I have filed?

   You can get in touch with the UIDAI helpdesk by email at authsupport@uidai.gov.in or you can contact their toll-free number which is 1800-300-1947.

9. What should I do if my details as per my PAN card do not match with the ones mentioned on my Aadhaar card?

   If the details on your PAN card such as spelling of name, date of birth or gender do not match the ones on your Aadhaar card, you will have to submit an application with valid proof and get the details corrected. After this, you may apply to link your Aadhaar with your PAN card.

10. Do I have to submit any documentary proof to link my PAN and Aadhaar card?

    No, you are not required to submit any documents when linking your Aadhaar to your PAN card. You have to check if the PAN information mentioned on the website matches your Aadhaar card and then apply for them to be linked.

11. What are the details I have to check when linking my PAN with my Aadhaar card?

    When linking your PAN with your Aadhaar card, you have to make sure that your name, date of birth and gender as displayed on the income tax website matches with the details on your Aadhaar card.