The PAN is mandatory for all existing taxpayers and persons for filing of income tax returns, and for all correspondences with the income tax authorities. The PAN is also required to be quoted by persons entering into financial transactions that are notified by the Central Board of Direct Taxes.

Revision or any kind of change in PAN card or reprint of PAN card costs between Rs107 - Rs. 120 (all inclusive) for Indians and around Rs. 1,040 for residing outside India.

Individuals and entities who are submitting applications for making changes or corrections in existing PAN card are required to pay a fee as processing charges to the government. The fees vary depending on the applicants’ communication address. It ranges from Rs 107 to Rs 120 (all inclusive) for applicants in India. Since individuals and entities residing outside India as well as foreign passport holders can also apply for a PAN card for carrying out financial transactions in India, such applicants are required to pay a fee of Rs. 1,040. The charges are inclusive of the application fee, dispatch charges and GST. PAN card holders can use various payment modes such as Debit Cards, Credit Cards or Net Banking. Overseas applicants also need to pay additional conversion or exchange charges imposed by banks.

The Permanent Account Number is a 10-digit number allotted to taxpayers and comprises of unique combination of numbers and alphabets. For example in the PAN structure AAAPL1234C, the first three characters are alphabetic series running from AAA to ZZZ. The fourth character represents the status of the PAN holder. The fifth character is the first character of the PAN holder’s last name/ surname. The next four characters is a sequential number running from 0001 to 9999. The last character is an alphabetic check digit. During the application process, the PAN applicants are required to select the category they belong to namely Individual, Association of Persons, Body of Individuals, Company, Trust, Limited Liability Partnership, Firm, Government, Hindu Undivided Family, Artificial Juridical Person and Local Authority. Change in PAN card category can be done through both online and offline method involving filling and submitting PAN application form wherein the applicant should select the correct category.

The Income Tax Department has amended the rules concerning applications for new PAN card. As per the new regulations, providing father’s name is optional for individual PAN card applicants having single mothers. However, before the rule was implemented, giving father’s name was mandatory for all the individual applicants. The new rule came into effect since December 2018 wherein a provision has been given in the application form asking the applicant whether he or she wishes to apply for PAN by furnishing the mother’s name instead of father’s name. That is, the applicant must tick the right box for the section stating ‘Select the name of either father or mother which you may like to be printed on PAN card’. In case no option is provided then PAN card will be issued with father’s name.

Any kind of correction in PAN card details like change of signature can be done easily by the online facility by Alankit. This involves filling and submitting the PAN card change form. The applicants should proceed to fill in relevant details like full name, details of parents (in case of individual applicants), date of birth, gender, etc. Then, they must select the box which reads ‘signature mismatch’. They must also provide their current PAN in the relevant box ‘Permanent Account Number’ (PAN). Alternatively, applicants can opt for a paperless method to change their PAN card sign by simply providing a digital signature or uploading a photo of the same along with applicant’s photograph and other documents, as required. The supporting documents required for change in signature include passport, Aadhaar card, elector’s photo identity card, person of Indian origin (PIO) card or Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card issued by government of India, etc.

The PAN is an important identity proof for taxpayers and should contain only authentic details which include the recent passport-sized photograph. In case PAN holders want to update their photograph, they will be required to fill and submit the pan card correction form. Using the online facility by Alankit Limited, they can change their photo in PAN card in just a few easy steps. After duly filling, signing and submitting the form, applicants must attach two recent passport-sized photographs along with the acknowledgement form which they will receive after submission of application and payment of fees. The supporting documents required for change in photo include passport, Aadhaar card, elector’s photo identity card, Photo identity card issued by Central or State Government or any Public Sector Undertaking, etc. The dimensions of the PAN card photo should be 3.5 cm X 2.5 cm or 132.28 pixels X 94.49 pixels.

A PAN card serves as a crucial identity proof. Hence, all the PAN details given by the PAN holder should be authentic. In case an applicant’s changes his or her address, the same should be updated in the PAN details immediately. A valid PAN card is required for citizens and entities in India and outside India who wish to engage in financial transactions. Hence, they should consider making essential changes or rectifications in their PAN details, whenever the need arises, as it can otherwise further delay the documentation or bank related process which will take place on the basis of their PAN card.

The online facility provided by Alankit makes the process of corrections in PAN card details extremely easy and quick. After the successful submission of the PAN applications, applicants receive an SMS mentioning the date of delivery of the PAN card. Once the PAN details are updated, the Permanent Account Number is issued within five working days by the Income Tax Department and applicants can expect to receive the PAN card within 15 to 20 business days. They can also track their applications status simply by using the 15-digit unique acknowledgment number given to them after 3 or 4 days of application.