The Process of Linking PAN with Aadhaar Explained

Under Section 139AA, all taxpayers in India are mandated to link their PAN and Aadhaar. According to the directives, anyone who was allotted PAN on or before 1st June 2017 must compulsorily link their PAN with Aadhaar through the Income Tax Department’s e-filing portal. While most taxpayers completed this linking process by the set deadline of 30th June 2023, some are yet to link their PAN and Aadhaar. If you fall in this category, this guide will help you understand how you can complete PAN-Aadhaar linking post deadline.

Prerequisites for PAN-Aadhaar linking

Keep the following things handy before you start the PAN-Aadhaar linking process to ensure it’s as smooth as shopping at an online marketplace:

• PAN Card
• Aadhaar Card
• Mobile number registered with Aadhaar

Steps to link your PAN and Aadhaar after the deadline

Failing to link your PAN and Aadhaar renders your PAN Card inoperative. This means you cannot use it in key financial transactions. Moreover, it can take anywhere between seven to thirty days for your PAN to reactivate after you submit the link request. Therefore, if you need to complete financial activities that require an active PAN like apply for a loan through an NBFC or purchase life insurance, it’s best to get started with the PAN-Aadhaar linking at the earliest. 

Here’s a break-down of the linking process:

Part 1: Pay the delayed PAN-Aadhaar linking fee

1. Visit the e-filing portal and click on the e-Pay Tax option under the Quick Links section.
2. Enter your PAN, confirm your PAN, and input your mobile number.
3. Enter the OTP received on your phone number to complete the verification process.
4. On the next page, click on the ‘Proceed’ button under the Income Tax tab.
5. Choose the assessment year as 2025-2026, select Other Receipts for the type of payment field, and Fee for Delay in Linking PAN and Aadhaar under the sub-type of payment field.
6. The ‘Others’ field will already have Rs. 1,000 auto-filled in as the required delay linking fee. Click on the continue button to make the payment using a convenient digital payment mode.

Note: It can take anywhere between four to five days for your payment to reflect. Therefore, it may be wise to wait for confirmation before proceeding to Part 2.

Part 2: Submit the PAN-Aadhaar linking request on the e-filing portal

1. Log into the Income Tax Department’s e-filing portal and click on the ‘Link Aadhaar’ option that’s listed under the Personal Details section.
2. Enter your PAN and Aadhaar numbers in the relevant fields and click on the ‘Validate’ button. 
3. Input your mobile number and name in the given fields and then click on the ‘Link Aadhaar’ option. Remember your name must be spelt exactly as it is displayed on your Aadhaar Card. 
4. Enter the six digit OTP received on your phone number and click on the ‘Validate’ button. 
5. You will see a pop-up acknowledging that your request for PAN-Aadhaar linking has been successfully submitted to UIDAI for verification. 

Note: You can also submit your PAN-Aadhaar linking request without logging into the e-filing portal. To do so, you have to simply choose the ‘Link Aadhaar’ option from the quick links section. 

How to check PAN-Aadhaar linking status

Once you submit your PAN-Aadhaar linking request, you can also follow up on the status of the linking process through the e-filing portal. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to check your PAN-Aadhaar linking status: 

1. Head to the e-filing portal
2. Click on Link Aadhaar listed under the Quick Links section on the dashboard.
3. Input your PAN and Aadhaar number. 
4. Click on ‘View Link Aadhaar Status’ option to view the status of your request.

If your PAN and Aadhaar are not linked yet, you will receive a pop-up message stating the same. 

Who is exempt from PAN and Aadhaar linking

PAN-Aadhaar linking is not mandatory for the following categories of people:

• A non-resident individual as per the Income Tax Act of 1961.
• Residents of the state of Assam, Jammu and Kashmir, and Meghalaya.
• Super senior citizens aged 80 years and above. 
• Anyone who is not an Indian citizen.

Individuals in the above categories can voluntarily link PAN and Aadhaar through the e-filing portal after the payment of the requisite fee. 

Conclusion 

As a responsible taxpayer, you must link your PAN and Aadhaar to ensure compliance with tax regulations. The guide outlined above breaks-down the linking process into manageable steps covering all aspects including fee payment and status tracking. You can use this comprehensive guide to complete the PAN-Aadhaar linking process at the earliest.