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What documents are required for a PAN card application?: PAN Card is an important document in India serving the dual purpose of identity verification as well as transaction tracking.
Anyone who earns a taxable income in India or wants to partake in high-value transactions like booking an FD worth over Rs. 50,000 with a bank/NBFC, must possess a valid PAN. As such following entities can apply for PAN:
- Individuals
- HUFs
- Companies
- Firms and LLPs
- Associations (registered inside or outside India)
- Trusts
However, the documents required for each applicant category are different. This article offers a guide on the various documents needed for PAN Card application.
Documents required by individuals who are Indian citizens and HUFs
Indian citizens and HUFs need to submit three types of documents for PAN application: identity proof, address proof, and age proof. Here’s the accepted list of documents for each category:
Identity proof
A copy of any one of the following documents:
- Aadhaar card
- Passport
- Driving licence
- Voter’s ID card
- Ration card with your photograph
- Central Government Health Scheme card
- Pensioner’s card with your photograph
- An attested certificate from the bank with your photograph and bank account number.
- Arm’s licence
- Any photo identity card issued by the central government, state government or PSU
- Original certificate of identity issued and signed by a gazetted officer, MP, MLA, or municipal councilor.
Things to note: For minors, either of the parents/guardian needs to submit one document from the above list. For HUFs, a signed affidavit from the karta (head) stating the name, father’s name, and address of all coparceners is required.
Address proof
You can submit any one of the following address proof documents:
- Aadhaar Card
- Water bill
- Electricity bill
- Landline or broadband bill
- Bank account statement
- Voter’s ID Card
- Passport
- Credit card statements
- Post office passbook with your address
- Consumer gas bill or gas connection book
- Depository account statement
- Domicile certificate
- Driving licence
- Spouse’s passport
- Assessment order from the last property tax payment
- Allotment letter of accommodation issued by the central or state government which is not older than 3 years
- Registration documents for a property
- An original certificate of address that’s duly signed by an ML, MLA, or municipal councillor.
Things to note: Utility bills and bank statements submitted for address verification cannot be more than 3 months old.
Age proof
Copy of any one of the following documents may be submitted as age proof for PAN application:
- Municipality-issued birth certificate
- Birth certificate issued by an Registrar of Births and Deaths authorised office
- Indian consulate issued birth certificate
- Aadhaar Card
- Passport
- Driving licence
- Matriculation certificate from a recognised board
- Marriage certificate that’s issued by a Registrar of Marriages
- Pension payment order
- Domicile certificate issued by the central or state government
- Affidavit outlining DOB signed and sworn before a magistrate
- Photo identity card issued by the central government/state government/PSU
Things to note: For HUFs, only the karta needs to provide proof of identity, address, and DOB.
Documents Required by individuals who are not Indian citizens
Documents required for PAN application by individuals who are not Indian residents include:
Identity proof
Any one of the following documents can be submitted to verify identity:
- Passport
- Overseas Citizenship of India (OIC) Card
- Person of Indian Origin (PIO) Card
- Citizenship/national identification numbers/taxpayer identification number that’s attested by the Apostille or an Indian Embassy/High Commission/Consulate in the applicant’s country.
Address proof
Foreign nationals can produce any one of the following documents as address proof:
- Passport
- Overseas Citizenship of India (OIC) Card
- Person of Indian Origin (PIO) Card
- Citizenship/national identification numbers/taxpayer identification number that’s attested by the Apostille or an Indian Embassy/High Commission/Consulate in the applicant’s country.
- Bank account statement from the country where the individual resides.
- Registration certificate issued by the Office of Foreigner Registration.
- Visa, appointment letter, or contract from an Indian company, along with an original certificate from the employer with the current Indian address.
Documents Required by assessees other than individuals and HUFs
Other assesses are also eligible for PAN Card applications. Let’s have a look at the documents required by other entities with registered office in India require:
Entity Type | Proof of identity/proof of address |
Company | Certificate of Registration issued by the Registrar of Companies. |
Partnership Firms | Certificate of Registration issued by the Registrar of Firms or partnership deed. |
Limited liability partnerships | Certificate of Registration issued by the Registrar of LLPs. |
Association of persons, body of individuals, local authority or artificial juridical persons | Copy of any of the following:
– Agreement – Certificate of registration number issued by a Registrar of Cooperative Society/Charity Commissioner/other competent authority. – Any central/state government authorised document that validates the identity and address of the entity. |
Trust | Copy of trust deed or Certificate of registration number that has been issued by a Charity Commissioner |
Documents Required by firm or association that does not have an office in India
For associations or firms that do not have an office registered in India, but are conducting business in the country, the following documents are needed:
- Registration certificate issued in the country where the applicant resides. It must be attested by Apostille, officials of overseas branches of Indian scheduled banks, Indian High Commission, Indian Embassy, or Indian Consulate in the country where the entity is located.
- Approval certificate issued in India by Indian authorities granting permission to set up an office in India.
The PAN Card application process is pretty smooth and easy as long as you are aware of the documents required for submission. This list varies depending on the type of applicant in question.
The article above has summed up the essential documents needed by each category of applicant while also listing the acceptable proofs required for PAN processing.
This helps offer both individuals and entities looking to start business on an online marketplace, or purchase property, or make certain investments clear about how to go about PAN compliance.