UAN Registration & Activation Online

Introduction

The Provident Fund is a welfare plan for employees that allows employers to deduct a fixed amount each month from employees' salaries and contribute it to the Provident Fund. In an individual’s career, they may shift from one employer to another. However, to keep only one provident fund, the UAN is instrumental. 

The UAN is a 12-digit unique number the employer provides to every contributing employee to the Employee Provident Fund (EPF). This unique number helps to view details of all the Member Identification Numbers (Member IDs) linked to it. Universal Account Number (UAN) is allotted by the Employees’ Fund Organisation (EPFO) to all the contributory members of EPFO and distributed through the employers.

This article explains how to activate UAN and about UAN registration in detail.
 

How to Generate your UAN?

A company with 20 or more employees must generate the UAN for the employee when they begin working in the service sector for the first time. If an employee has a UAN assigned in the previous organisation, they must provide the new employer with the information. The steps below guide on how to generate a new UAN for the employee:

●    Collect all the ID proofs such as PAN number, Aadhaar number, bank account, and others from the new employee who does not have a UAN yet.
●    Use the establishment ID and password to log into the EPF Employer Portal.
●    In the “Members” section, tap on the “Register Individual” tab.
●    Enter the employee details.
●    Approve all the details in the “Approval” section.
●    The EPFO creates a new UAN, and the employer can link the PF account with the employee’s UAN.
 

UAN activation through the UAN portal

UAN activation is imperative to avail of any online service related to EPF. UAN helps the employee as well as the employer to track multiple job switches. The employee has to register or activate a UAN number to access the EPFO facility. You can execute the following steps to activate your UAN.

●    Visit the official EPFO website.
●    Click on the “For Employees” tab under the “Services” section. 
●    You will be directed to the UAN portal after clicking on the “Member UAAN/Online services.”
●    Enter the required details.
●    Click on the “Get Authorization PIN” option and get the OTP on your registered mobile number.
●    Click on the “I Agree” checkbox and enter the OTP. After that, click on “Validate OTP and Activate UAN.”
●    Access the UAN account with the password received on the registered mobile number. 
 

Linking Aadhar to UAN

It is mandatory to link Aadhaar to a Provident Fund (PF) account. Efficient tracking and recording require an Aadhaar link with its own Unique Account Number (UAN). You can link your Aadhar to UAN online as well as offline. The 2 ways to link it online are as follows-.

A.    EPFO Portal

●    Login to the EPFO portal.
●    Tap on the “for employees” tab.
●    Choose the “Link UAN Aadhaar” option.
●    Enter your UAN number and mobile number.
●    You will receive an OTP on your registered mobile number.
●    Enter your Aadhaar details.
●    Choose your Aadhar Verification Method.
●    You will get another OTP on your registered mobile number.
●    Your Aadhar will be linked to your UAN.

B.    Umang App

●    Download the Umang App.
●    Select the eKYC services.
●    Click on “Aadhar Seeding Option”.
●    Enter your UAN number.
●    Get the OTP.
●    Enter your Aadhar details.
●    You will get another OTP on your registered mobile number.
●    Your Aadhar will be linked to your UAN.

Linking your Aadhar number with your EPF account provides the following benefits.

●    When Aadhaar is linked to EPF and UAN, your information is the same as your Aadhaar card information. It leaves fewer chances of data discrepancies or errors
●    It reduces chances of duplicate accounts.
●    You can get a pension fund online without an employment certificate. You can easily do the whole process online.
●    Once the link is approved, Aadhaar details will be displayed in the Approved KYC tab.
 

Documents required for UAN Activation

You need the following documents at the time of UAN activation. 

●    Aadhar Card
●    PAN Card
●    Bank Account details and KYC
●    Other identity or address proof, if required
 

Importance of Universal Account Number

An employer provides a unique 12-digit number to each Employee Provident Fund (EPF) contributor, known as a Universal Account Number or UAN Number. The Employee Provident Fund Organization (EPFO, Pension Fund) creates and allocates her UANs, and the Indian Ministry of Labor and Employment reviews them.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi purchased his UAN delegation on 1st October 2014 to create a unique identity for all his PF accounts. The vision was to make PF accounts more accessible to account holders. EPFO made it mandatory in June 2015 for all employers covered by the Employee Provident Fund and the Miscellaneous Act 1952.

The introduction of UAN has made life easier for workers and employers. Before the introduction of UAN, employees had to opt out of the Employees' Pension Plan when changing jobs, affecting pension levels. However, with UAN, the employee benefits and employer provident fund assets are automatically transferred to the new account, increasing the amount upon retirement. In addition to easier access and more efficient processes, UAN is essential for the following reasons.

●    Quickly check your PK balance at any time.
●    UAN authenticated by KYC and linked to Aadhaar is secure and can be used to check PF balance by sending a simple SMS via smartphone. 
●    The UAN number is your identification number, regardless of your employer.
●    Only you can access your account based on your KYC details.
●    Transferring your PF account from one employer to another reduces the employer's burden. Provide your new employer with your UAN details and KYC and your old PF will be transferred to your new PF account immediately after verification.