While all of us carry a PAN card in our wallets, most of us do not even take a second to look at it properly! It is necessary for individuals to educate themselves regarding the details this document possesses. Moreover, it is vital to know about the changes it went through over the years.
Several iterations of the card have been in use since its launch in 1972. One should be aware of what these changes are. Give this article a read to know it all!
The Income Tax Department of India decided to make certain changes to the design of this document, considered a valid proof of identity. The idea was to incorporate specific features in order to make it more convenient for individuals and entities to use. Note that new features were added to make it more secure as well. After this upgrade, new cards were available to cardholders from July 7, 2018.
However, PAN cards that were issued before this specific date will still be considered valid. Those who want to make use of the advantages this upgraded version has brought can submit an application to issue a new PAN card. Now, let’s learn about what these new additions are in the following section.
Here are some new components added by the IT Department to PAN cards:
This enhanced QR code incorporated in a PAN card comprises the cardholder’s photo and signature. Along with that, it also has details like that person’s father/mother’s name, date of birth, etc. Note that these details are digitally signed and can be obtained or seen only through an application known as Enhanced QR Code Reader. In order to go through all this information via this app, one needs to scan this QR code by using an auto-focus camera with a 12MP resolution or more.
In the newly designed PAN card, some changes in the placement of a few details have been noticed as well. For instance:
Now that the discussion is revolving around the changes made in the physical PAN card, let’s also address the changes made in the e-PAN. Find all this information below!
The Income Tax Department of India launched the paperless e-PAN in order to expedite the verification process. It follows an electronic format and requires the help of Aadhaar KYC for its issuance. This digital copy comprises the following details:
As mentioned earlier, every cardholder’s digital signature must be present in the e-PAN. However, that individual needs to validate the same. Here is the entire procedure of that:
One can check the validity status of the signature here. It should display ‘Signature is valid’ with a green tick mark.
As you can see, validating the signature on a PAN card is quite easy if you know the right process. Now, obtaining a new PAN card has also become much easier after the arrival of applications like ‘Digitlocker’.
Digilocker is an application launched by the Income Tax Department where you can find information such as permanent account number, cardholder’s name, communication address, etc. It also contains a QR code that allows a cardholder to verify his/her PAN details. Here is the step-by-step process to get a PAN card via this app:
It is necessary to know about all the updates and new designs made to PAN cards. You can obtain such information easily from the Digilocker app or Income Tax Department’s official website.
Ans: Yes, the PAN cardholder’s signature plays an integral role in this document. In fact, any PAN card without that specific individual’s signature on it will be considered invalid. This will inevitably lead to rejection in any official work.
Ans: Your residential address is not present on a PAN card. However, the Income Tax department records all relevant details of a cardholder, such as his address internally. Since your address is not visible on a PAN card, you cannot use this document as address proof.
Ans: Yes, the SMS service is available to obtain the PAN acknowledgement number. You just need to send a message to 3030 for this. Type ‘PAN’ and then the application number you receive while applying for it. Make sure there is a space between these two.
Ans: To check your PAN card details, visit the Income Tax Department e-filing portal. Now, on this website, after logging in to your account, go to ‘My Account’. Under that option, find ‘Profile Settings’ and click on ‘PAN Details’.
Ans: For an already registered account, you need to visit the official Income Tax Department website and log in to your account. Once logged in, under ‘Profile Settings’, click on ‘My profile’. Next, select ‘Edit’ under the ‘Contact Details’ tab. Add your new number and complete an OTP verification to change your contact details officially.
Disclaimer: Mutual Fund investments are subject to market risks, read all scheme-related documents carefully.
This article has been prepared on the basis of internal data, publicly available information and other sources believed to be reliable. The information contained in this article is for general purposes only and not a complete disclosure of every material fact. It should not be construed as investment advice to any party. The article does not warrant the completeness or accuracy of the information, and disclaims all liabilities, losses and damages arising out of the use of this information. Readers shall be fully liable/responsible for any decision taken on the basis of this article.
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