PAN Card Status – Track PAN 2023

by Whytecroft Ford | Mar 11, 2023 | Indian Law, Indian Law Weekly Round-Up, NRI Legal Services, OCI, PAN

When applying for your PAN Card, you should know what the different stages of your PAN Card Status indicate once your application is with the depositary.

This segment answers three key questions that Overseas Indian Citizens find confusing, despite the information set out.

Questions

What does my PAN Card application status indicate when tracked on the depositary site?

What stage is my PAN Card application according to its current status?

Where is my PAN Card tracking number post dispatch?

Before we begin, referring to our previous article PAN Card Documents. The documents that you (Overseas Indian Citizen) require for your PAN Card application should be inline with the guidelines. Once you submit your application there are four stages to your PAN application.

First Stage

Application Acknowledged

Firstly, when you submit your application to the depositary, you receive notification of acknowledgement. You will find information relating to the current status of your PAN Card application. Let’s take a look below.

Notification: Acknowledgement

Your application is acknowledged by the depositary.
Your physical documentation is yet to be received by them.
You are advised to forward the necessary requirements.

This indicates that the depositary acknowledges your application. Your supporting documentation is pending. Your PAN application is incomplete for them to move forward on to the next stage. The second stage.

Helpful Tips

You can consider a postal service or courier service for the latter stages of your PAN application. You should keep in mind the difference between the estimated delivery time between both. Further, if there are disruptions in postal services of your origin country, it may cause severe delays to your PAN application.

You have 15 days to send documents to the depositary after Acknowledgement.

Second Stage

Notification : Documents Received

Secondly, you receive notification of receipt of documents. At this point the processing of your PAN application begins.

For example, your documents are received by the depositary and regulatory checks commence. It is at this stage your PAN tracking status informs you of the following;

Your documents have been received.
Your provided information is subject to checks.
Your application is under process with the depositary.

Upon checks and verification by the depositary, your application moves into Income Tax Department process. It is here that the Income Tax Department authorizes your PAN. After this, your PAN is at its third stage of processing.

Third Stage

Thirdly, when you meet all requirements, your PAN is allotted by the Income Tax Department. Your PAN tracking status details the following information;

Example

Your Application is under Process at Income Tax Department.

IE; The Income Tax Department is authorizing your PAN.

To be specific, your allotted PAN is shown on the track status. You can find this on the fifth section of your PAN track status (after – status). Here you will find that the newly allotted PAN digits are not fully displayed for security reasons.

Example

Permanent Account Number (PAN) allotted – “followed by your PAN”

Simultaneously, the Government of India also issues you an E-PAN. The E-PAN is a recent addition to the Permanent Account Number system, comparatively.

You will receive an E-PAN prior to your physical PAN Card.

E-PAN

As we have described above your E-PAN is emailed to your primary email address.

Fourth Stage

In the fourth stage, the depositary completes the postal processing of your PAN Card. Your PAN Card is dispatched to the main correspondence address provided by you.

What Does Your PAN Card Status Indicate

During the fourth stage of the process you will find the following detailed on your PAN status;

Notification: your PAN Card has been dispatched.
Airway bill no: usually consists of 10 digits.

The former advises that your PAN has been dispatched. The latter details a tracking number or airway bill number for your PAN Card. You can use this to track your PAN.

Government Postal Services

In summary, as we’ve discussed in the beginning of this segment, the depositary uses Government services end to end. For example, you reside in the United Kingdom. Parcelforce or Royal Mail UK likely will deliver your PAN card on behalf of the depositary.

From within India, India Post is the government-operated postal system, part of the Department of Post under the Ministry of Communications.

A Final Consideration

How soon you obtain your Permanent Account Number depends on a number of factors. Such as, making an application, supporting documents, photographs, filling in the paper version and getting it right. Your choice of transportation services may play a pivotal role in this.

Retrospectively, it can take anywhere between 1-2 months in obtaining your Permanent Account Number. This applies to an Overseas Indian Citizen applying from abroad.

(The PAN Card status information advised in this segment is based on Protean eGov depositary).

Power of Attorney

Frequently Asked Questions

When will I receive my PAN Card from abroad?

The depositary time frame is anywhere between 10-15 days. Not including service disruptions or busy periods.

Do I need a PAN card for opening an NRO account?

Yes you require a PAN Card.

My correspondence address has changed. How can I update my PAN?

Request for New PAN Card or/and Changes or Correction in PAN data’ form so that the Income Tax Department’s database is updated with your current address.

I am a Qualified Foreign Investor. How can I apply for a PAN from abroad?

Qualified Foreign Investor (QFI) has to apply for PAN – Form 49AA through a Depository Participant only.