EPF can be partially or completely withdrawn. Complete withdrawal is allowed when an individual retires or if he/she remains unemployed for more than 2 months. At the same time, partial EPF withdrawal is allowed under certain circumstances, including medical purposes, marriage, home loan repayment, etc. You can make a withdrawal claim by filling out the EPF withdrawal form online. However, you can use the online withdrawal claim facility only if your Aadhaar is linked with your UAN.
Employees drawing less than Rs 15,000 per month have to mandatorily become members of the EPF. However, an employee who is drawing ‘pay’ above prescribed limit (currently Rs 15,000) can become a member with permission of Assistant PF Commissioner, if he and his employer agree.
Types of EPF Claim Forms
Organizations can provide different types of PF Forms for different claim processes. Major among them are:
- Form 19: This is to be filled out in case a member finalizes the settlement of the PF account.
- Form 10C: This is to be filled for claiming Scheme Certificate/Withdrawal Benefit as per Employees’ Pension Scheme ’95.
- Form 10D: This is to be filled for pension claims.
- Form 20: This is to be filled for claiming PF by legal heir/nominee on death of a member.
- Form 5IF: This is to be filled for claiming assurance benefit as per Employees’ Deposit Linked Insurance ’76 by legal heir/nominee of a member.
- Form 31: For claiming advance/temporary withdrawal as per Employees’ Provident Scheme ’52.
- Form 13: For transferring PF/pension between different accounts.
- Form 14: For financing a life insurance policy out of the PF account
Eligibility Conditions for EPF Withdrawal
Following are the conditions that an employee must meet in order to be eligible for withdrawing EPF-
- The total amount from the EPF account can be withdrawn only after retirement. EPFO considers early retirement only after the person has crossed 55 years of age
- Partial withdrawal of EPF is permitted only in the case of a medical emergency, house purchase or construction, or higher education
- EPFO allows withdrawal of 90% of the amount 1 year before retirement
- One can withdraw the EPF corpus if he/she faces unemployment before retirement due to lock-down or retrenchment
- As per the new rule, only 75% of the corpus can be withdrawn after 1 month of unemployment. The remaining will be transferred to the new EPF account after gaining employment
- Employees do not need to wait for approval from their employer to withdraw their EPF. By linking UAN and Aadhar to your EPF account, they can get approval online
- While making the claim online, you must have-
- An active UAN number
- Bank details linked with UAN
- PAN and Aadhar details seeded into the EPF database
Steps to Fill EPF Withdrawal Online
Step 1: Visit the UAN portal.
Step 2: Log in with your UAN and password. Enter the captcha.
Step 3: Click on the ‘Manage’ tab and select ‘KYC’ to check whether your KYC details, such as Aadhaar, PAN, and bank details, are verified.
Step 4: Once the KYC details are verified, go to the ‘Online Services’ tab and select the option ‘Claim (Form-31, 19 & 10C)’ from the drop-down menu.
Step 5: The following screen will display the member details, KYC details and other service details. Enter your bank account number and click on ‘Verify’.
Step 6: Click on ‘Yes’ to sign the certificate of the undertaking and then proceed
Step 7: Now, click on ‘Proceed for Online Claim’.
Step 8: In the claim form, select the claim you require, i.e. full EPF settlement, EPF part withdrawal (loan/advance) or pension withdrawal, under the tab ‘I Want To Apply For’. If the member is not eligible for any of the services, like PF withdrawal or pension withdrawal, due to the service criteria, then that option will not be shown in the drop-down menu.
Step 9: Then, select ‘PF Advance (Form 31)’ to withdraw your fund. Further, provide the purpose of such advance, the amount required and the employee’s address.
Step 10: Click on the certificate and submit your application. You may be asked to submit scanned documents for the purpose you have filled the form. The employer will have to approve the withdrawal request, and only then will you receive money in your bank account. It usually takes 15-20 days to get the money credited to the bank account.
PF Withdrawal Documents Required
To initiate PF withdrawal, the employee must submit the PF withdrawal application at the concerned EPFO office. Along with the PF withdrawal application, the employee must also submit the following supporting documents:
- PF withdrawal for housing loan or purchase of site/house/flat or for construction or Addition alteration in existing house or repayment of housing loan.
- A New Declaration Form/Utilization Certificate is required.
- Lockout or closure of the factory
- No document is required.
- Illness of member/family.
- A certificate of doctor and a certificate from the employer that the ESIC facility is not available to the member.
- Marriage of self/son/daughter/brother/sister.
- Marriage Card is required.
- Purchase of equipment by physically handicapped.
- A medical certificate is required.
- Investment in Varistha Pension Bima Yojana
- 90% of the total PF balance can be transferred to LIC.
