Pan Aadhar Linking: Linking your PAN card with your Aadhaar card has become a necessity in India. Both PAN and Aadhaar play crucial roles in our financial lives – PAN for transactions and taxes, and Aadhaar for identification. To streamline these processes, the government made PAN-Aadhaar linking mandatory.
While deadlines for linking have passed, this article clarifies who can skip this step.
Who is exempt from PAN-Aadhaar Linking?
- Senior Citizens above 80 years old: If you were 80 years old or older at any point during the previous financial year, you are exempt from linking your PAN with Aadhaar.
- Non-residents: People residing outside India and considered non-residents under the Income Tax Act, 1961, are not required to link their PAN with Aadhaar.
- Foreign Citizens: If you are not a citizen of India, you don’t need to link your PAN with Aadhaar.
What happens if your PAN isn’t linked to Aadhaar?
An unlinked PAN card becomes inactive after the deadline. This means:
- Limited Functionality: Your PAN card cannot be used as a valid identification document.
- Financial Transactions Blocked: You might face restrictions on certain financial transactions.
- ITR Filing Issues: You may be unable to file your Income Tax Return (ITR).
- Government Schemes: In some cases, you might be restricted from receiving benefits from government schemes.
Activating a Delinked PAN Card
If you missed the deadline and your PAN is inactive, you can still activate it by linking it with your Aadhaar card on the Income Tax Department website. However, a late fee of Rs. 1,000 will apply.