EPFO passbook portal restored after software upgrade; members can access accounts again ahead of 8.25% interest credit

The Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has brought its passbook portal back online after nearly two weeks of downtime caused by a major database consolidation and software upgrade. Now that the passbook portal has been restored, members will once again be able to log in and view their provident fund account statements.

While logging in to the passbook portal, a notice appears that says: "The account transactions for the recently processed accounting years are currently available. Transactions pertaining to earlier accounting years are being migrated and will be made available within the next few days. This is an automated process, and no action is required from the member."

The migration, which began on June 26, is aimed at improving processing efficiency, enhancing service delivery and strengthening the reliability and security of the retirement fund body's digital platform.

The restoration of EPFO's online services was delayed after the organisation extended the suspension of its online member and employer services multiple times. While services are now operational, PF claims and other service requests may experience delays during this period.

EPFO to begin crediting 8.5% annual interest

The passbook portal has been made available just days before EPFO is set to start crediting the 8.25% annual interest for FY2025-26 to subscribers' EPF accounts from July 15. The restoration timing is particularly crucial, as millions of members are expected to use the portal to verify that the interest has been credited.

The return of the passbook facility follows the phased rollout of EPFO's upgraded Unified Member Portal, which began on July 3 after a major technology overhaul aimed at enhancing security, reliability and the overall user experience.

Services for EPF member and employers have been restored in phases and are now available. However, PF claims and other services requests will be processed gradually over the next two weeks as part of the post-migration process, according to EPFO's notice.

During this period, it will carry out additional verification and validation checks to ensure that members' data is accurate before processing claims.

The retirement fund body has also advised users to avoid making repeated requests or repeatedly access online services during peak hours, as such a move could further affect processing.

UAN activation now only through UMANG app

The technology upgrade has also changed how EPFO members activate their Universal Account Number (UAN). The retirement fund body has discontinued UAN activation through the Unified Member Portal. Members can now activate their UAN only via the UMANG mobile application using Aadhaar-based Face Authentication Technology (FAT).

The upgraded portal now displays a notice informing users that web-based UAN activation has been discontinued and directs them to complete the process through the UMANG app instead.

Meanwhile, EPFO services are still unavailable on the UMANG app due to the ongoing migration process. The app displays a notice stating that services are expected to resume shortly.

The prolonged maintenance window is among the longest planned outages announced by the retirement fund body in recent years and has disrupted digital access for millions of subscribers, employers and establishments that depend on EPFO's online platform.