Wrong date of birth in PF account? There is a new way to get it rectified now

Is there an error in your provident fund account? Well, the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation has made some changes in its method to allow subscribers to rectify it amid the coronavirus crisis. In a recent notification, the EPFO has asked field offices to facilitate PF members to rectify their date of birth in EPFO records, thus ensuring that their UAN is KYC compliant.

“In a move to extend the availability and reach of online services in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, EPFO has issued revised instructions to its field offices to facilitate PF members to rectify their date of birth in EPFO records, thus ensuring that their UAN is KYC compliant,” the statement read.

It further added that the date of birth recorded in 'Aadhaar' will now be accepted as valid proof of date of birth for the purpose of rectification, provided that the difference in the two dates is less than 3 years. The PF subscribers can submit the correction requests online.

“This will enable EPFO to validate the date of birth of members online with UIDAI instantaneously, thus authenticating and reducing the processing time of change requests,” the statement read.

EPFO has also instructed field offices to expedite disposal of online requests, enabling PF members in financial distress, to apply online for availing non-refundable advance from their PF accumulations to tide over the COVID-19 pandemic.

Earlier, the EPFO allowed its subscribers to withdraw three months basic pay and dearness allowance as non-refundable advance on the ground of COVID-19 lockdown from March 28, 2020. However, the facility was available to those members whose KYC (Know You Customer) compliance was complete.

Now, this decision would help the members to make their universal account numbers KYC compliant.