Unable to Link Aadhaar with PAN: Causes and Solutions

The deadline to link PAN with Aadhaar card has already passed, and it is now not possible to link both instruments without paying a prescribed fine. PAN cards not linked with Aadhaar have already been deactivated. However, UIDAI and the Income Tax Department have made provisions to link both instruments after paying the fine.

Importance of Linking PAN with Aadhaar

PAN is one of the most important documents that is used for validating most of the financial transactions. Linking Aadhaar with PAN is mandatory. Let us understand why linking PAN with Aadhaar is important for all taxpayers:

• Failure to link both documents leads to the deactivation of PAN, which in turn can invite penalties and restrict your ability to carry out financial transactions involving PAN.
• It helps eliminate the possibility of multiple PAN cards issued to the same individual, ensuring better identity verification.
• An active PAN card makes it easier to authenticate your identity, facilitating smoother processing of loans, opening bank accounts, and other financial activities.
• It allows the government to track financial transactions better and ensures transparency, helping to reduce tax evasion.
• The Income Tax Department has made it compulsory to link PAN with Aadhaar for filing income tax returns.

Common Reasons for Aadhaar-PAN Linking Failure

There are instances where applicants are not able to link PAN (Permanent Account Number) with Aadhaar for various reasons. The primary reason in this case is the mismatch of the data in both documents.

It is worth mentioning that your PAN will be linked with Aadhaar only if all details in both documents match with each other.

Another reason behind this failure is that the PAN or Aadhaar is already linked to a different PAN.

Steps to Link PAN with Aadhaar

The simplest method for the Aadhaar PAN linking process is by doing it online. Here are the steps to link PAN with Aadhaar:

Step 1: Visit the Income Tax e-Filing portal (https://www.incometax.gov.in)

Step 2: Click on the ‘Link Aadhaar’ option present in the Quick Links section on the homepage.

Step 3: Enter your PAN, Aadhaar number, name as per Aadhaar, and your registered mobile number.

Step 4: Validate with a 6-digit OTP received on your registered mobile number. Enter it to verify your identity.

Step 5: Pay the linking fee of Rs. 1,000 and complete the payment through e-Pay Tax.

Once validated, you will get a confirmation message of successful linking of your Aadhaar and PAN that may take a few days to reflect.

However, if you are someone whose information on PAN does not match with the Aadhaar or vice versa, here is what you can do:

Steps to Correct Aadhaar Card Details if the Information does not Match with PAN

Step 1: Visit a nearby Aadhaar Enrolment Centre
Step 2: Fill the Aadhaar Enrolment/Correction Form
Step 3: Properly mention the details to be updated in the form
Step 4: Submit the form to the executive
Step 5: The executive takes your biometrics to authenticate your identity
Step 6: Provide the Proof of Identity (PoI) document for verification
Step 7: Pay a fee of Rs. 30 (Rs. 25 + 18% GST) to the executive
Step 8: Your application will be accepted and you will be given the acknowledgement slip containing the Update Request Number (URN)
Step 9: The URN can be used to track the status of the PAN application
Step 10: Once updated, you can download the e-Aadhaar from UIDAI’s website
Step 11: Now you can link your PAN with Aadhaar without any difficulty

Step to Correct/Update Details in PAN

In case there are incorrect details in your PAN, you will have to update your PAN details. Below mentioned are steps to correct PAN details online:-

Step 1: Go to the NSDL website and click on ‘PAN’ option
Step 2: Select the ‘Apply Online’ tab
Step 3: In the sub menu, select “change/correction in PAN data” and click on ‘Apply’
Step 4: Now select the application type, fill in other details and proceed
Step 5: You will have to authenticate your application using the Aadhaar eKYC
Step 6: This method uses Aadhaar OTP based authentication method to auto-fill all your details
Step 7: Make a payment of Rs. 110 online through debit/credit card or netbanking
Step 8: You will be given an acknowledgement number that can be used to track the status of the application
Step 9: An update PAN card will be sent to the address mentioned in the Aadhaar card
Step 10:  Once you get the updated PAN, you can link your PAN with Aadhaar easily

This is the online method to update your PAN details. There is also an offline method to do the same. But the only difference, in this case, is that for offline application, you have to download the form, fill in manually and submit it to the TIN centre along with the required document proof.

Contacting Relevant Authorities for Assistance

In case your Aadhaar is linked with a PAN that does not belong to you, you will first have to get it delinked and then try to link your actual PAN with Aadhaar card.

There is no online process to delink PAN with Aadhaar and thus, you will have to visit a PAN centre and submit an application to the PAN officer. Do not forget to submit self-attested copies of your actual PAN and Aadhaar with the application

The officer, on proper scrutiny and verification of your documents, may approve the delinking. It may take up to 30 days for this process to get completed.

Once the delinking gets completed, you can follow the normal procedure to link PAN with Aadhaar online.

Unable To Link Aadhaar with PAN FAQs

Q. What should I do if my name differs between Aadhaar and PAN?

Ans: You will first have to get the incorrect name in the document corrected and then try to link both documents.

Q. How can I update my date of birth if it doesn’t match on both documents?

Ans: You can get the date of birth corrected by providing the birth certificate as proof of date of birth, and once the correction is done, linking won’t be a difficulty.

Q. Can I link Aadhaar with PAN if my PAN is inactive?

Ans: As soon as you pay the penalty on the Income Tax Department’s website, your PAN will become active and then you can try to link PAN with Aadhaar.

Q. How long does it take for corrections in Aadhaar or PAN to reflect?

Ans: It may take anywhere from fifteen to thirty days for corrections to reflect in your PAN or Aadhaar.

Q. Are there offline methods available for linking Aadhaar with PAN?

Ans: As of now, there are no offline methods to link Aadhaar with PAN. You will have to follow the online method to link Aadhaar and PAN.

Q. How can I check the status of my Aadhaar-PAN linking request?

Ans: You can check the Aadhaar-PAN linking status by visiting the e-Filing Portal homepage and clicking on the Link Aadhaar Status in the Quick Links section. Then, enter your PAN and Aadhaar number, and click on the View Link Aadhaar Status option to view your Link Aadhaar status.