The Indian Government has made it mandatory for all the tax paying citizens to link their income tax returns to their Aadhaar cards. By doing so they will enable themselves to be able to file income tax returns. According to section 139AA of the Aadhaar Act, 2016, it is applicable only for the Indian citizens. In case you have any errors in your PAN card, then it is advisable to first rectify your PAN card errors before you link PAN with Aadhaar card. Moreover, by linking your income tax returns to your Aadhaar card, it becomes very easy to file income tax returns accordingly.
Process to Link Income Tax Returns to Aadhaar Card
Generally, there are two ways by which you can link your Aadhaar card to Income Tax Returns. You can either choose the online way or you can even link it by simply sending an SMS. Following are the two ways of linking your Aadhaar card:
Online Method
The process to link your Aadhaar card via the online method are as follows:
- Visit the official Income Tax website
- Click on the ‘Link Aadhaar’ option under ‘Services’
- Provide your PAN and Aadhaar number
- Enter your name. The name should be the same as on your Aadhaar card
- Check your Date of Birth as of your Aadhaar card and tick the box if all the details are correct
- Enter the verification code and click “Link Aadhaar”
However, it is important to note that if all the information is correct, then only your PAN card will be linked to your Aadhaar card.
SMS Method
This is another method of linking your Aadhaar card to your PAN card which enables you to file income tax returns. All you need to do is just send a SMS to the registered mobile number. The process for the same is as follows:
- The SMS that is to be send has to be in a specific format that is UIDPAN<space><12 Digit Aadhaar Number><space><10 Digit PAN Number>
- You need to send the SMS either on 567678 or 56161 in order to link your Aadhaar card
Issues That Can Arise While Linking Aadhaar Card with Your PAN Card
There can be certain issues that can arise while linking your Aadhaar card with your PAN card. Mainly, there is one common issue that arises while linking your Aadhaar card. There can be a spelling mistake in your name, DOB or at times you can select the wrong gender by mistake. The spelling mistake can be caused while updating the details in your document or by other human errors. You might have to repeat the whole linking process because of such mistakes. Therefore, it is advisable to first correct these mistakes before linking and to be very careful while filing the aadhar gazetted form in order to avoid such errors. Although there are various methods of correcting your Aadhaar and PAN details, you can correct any mistakes on your PAN card via the official NSDL website. Moreover, if there are any mistakes on your Aadhaar card then you can rectify them from the official UIDAI website.
Exemptions in Linking PAN Card with Aadhaar Card
The individuals eligible for Aadhaar card must link their Aadhaar card to their PAN cards. However, there are certain exemptions in doing so. Some of those exemptions are as follows:
- POIs, OCIs, NRIs and other individuals who do not reside but carry out their businesses in India need not link their Aadhaar cards with their PAN cards.
- Other foreign individuals who are living in India are also exempt from linking their Aadhaar card to their PAN card.
- Meghalaya, Assam and Jammu & Kashmir taxpayers also don’t have to link their Aadhaar card to their PAN card.
- Senior citizens who are above the age of 80 years.