In some cases, the Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has relaxed claim settlement rules even more. According to a recent circular from the retirement fund authority, EPFO members would be excluded from the necessity to provide an image of a certified bank passbook or cheque leaf in specific situations.
Also Read: Withdraw Your PF Easily: Here’s EPFO Members’ Guide To Using Umang App
The EPFO uses additional verification measures to ensure the accuracy of claims. These may consist of:
- Online bank KYC verification: Check the KYC details directly with your bank or the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI).
- Employer verification with DSC: Your employer can use a Digital Signature Certificate (DSC) to verify your bank account information.
- Verification of the seeded Aadhaar number: UIDAI will validate your bank’s Aadhaar number.
This would help to speed up the online claim settlement process and reduce the number of claims rejected because the online claim was submitted without an image of the attested bank passbook or cheque leaf.
Moreover, the EPFO may not have specified the eligibility requirements. The following are some possible outcomes:
- Validated bank data: If your bank information has previously been validated by KYC or another method, you may not be required to submit any documents.
- Claim sum: The relaxation may apply to claims that are less than a specified threshold.
The best supporting paperwork for an EPF claim is an original, cancelled cheque with the member’s name, bank account number and IFSC code prominently visible. This serves as validation of your bank account information to settle your claim.
If your bank account lacks a cheque book facility, the EPFO offers an alternative solution. You may send a copy of the first page of your bank passbook that has been duly authenticated (stamped and signed by the bank manager). This validated passbook copy should include your bank account number and the IFSC code.
How to submit an online claim?
- Step 1: Log in to the member interface using your UAN credentials.
- Step 2: Confirm that the KYC and service eligibility conditions listed against his UAN are correct and full.
- Step 3: Choose the relevant claim.
- Step 4: To finish the online claim filing, authenticate with the OTP received against the cell number registered with UIDAI.
Qualifications for eligibility are:
- You must have a registered member status and a valid Universal Account Number (UAN).
- Your Aadhaar number, bank account number, and other KYC information must be seeded and authenticated in your UAN account.