EPFO: Rejoining after break? Here's how to activate your UAN, recover inoperative account online — Stepwise guide

The Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) considers any member account with no contributions for three consecutive years after you have retired or reached 55 years of age (whichever is later) or moved abroad as “inoperative”.

However, if you just had a break in between jobs, undertook freelance work, or worked with an employer not mandated to make EPF contributions for employees, you can activate your UAN and recover access to your account to ensure a smooth process of your PF funds.

So, if you are rejoining the EPFO after a break, today we explain how members can activate their Universal Account Number (UAN) on the Umang app, what steps you can take to recover your account on the portal, and how your funds can be redeemed.

Inoperative account? Here's what to do

• Returning members or members between 55 and 58 years of age who are not retired must ensure that the monthly contributions from the current employer are directed to their existing EPF account.
• This can be done either online or offline.
• For the online process, you will have to link your UAN to an active mobile number and update KYC — Aadhaar, bank account and PAN details.
• Your UAN is printed on your salary slip and can also be found on the portal under ‘Know Your UAN’ after entering your PF member ID or Aadhaar/PAN.
• You can also find your UAN by using the SMS feature as follows: Send SMS EPFOHO UAN to 7738299899 from your registered mobile.

• For the offline process, you can visit the nearest EPFO branch to file a claim.
• Under both processes, the claim once processed will lead to status of account changing from inoperative to active.
• If you are 55 and older and retired, you can withdraw the amount in your EPF account or choose an annuity plan for pension.

UAN activation moved to Umang app — Here's how

Notably, UAN activation and generation of new number through the EPFO portal has been deactivated and shifted to the Umang mobile app by the retirement body. Thus, both these services are no longer be available on the website, with mandatory requirement of Aadhaar-based Face Authentication (FAT).

Here's a stepwise guide to complete the process:

• Download the Umang app from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store.
• First-time users must register on the app with your Aadhaar-linked mobile number and set a 4-digit M-PIN (remember this for future login).
• After signing in, search for “EPFO” and select “UAN Activation” under “UAN Services Through Face Auth” head.
• Choose “UAN activation” from the options, fill in your UAN, Aadhaar number, and Aadhaar-linked mobile number and click on “Send OTP”.
• Once you enter the OTP, it will prompt you to install the “Aadhaar Face RD app” and once done will display the “scan face” screen to open your camera.
• Complete the face scan, and once the app shows a green circle, the face has been successfully captured.

• The app will display your details (name, date of birth, etc.). Review these and click Submit.
• Your UAN will be activated, and a temporary password will be sent to your mobile via SMS.
• To verify the status, in the Umang app, under “UAN Services Through Face Auth” choose the “UAN allotment and activation” option.
• Enter the UAN number (received via SMS), the Aadhaar number, and the mobile number and check the consent box before clicking “Send OTP”.
• If the process was successful, the app will display a message stating: “The UAN entered is already activated”.

What to do if account remains inactive?

If activation appears successful but you cannot login, in most cases the issue is sorted if you wait for 24 hours before trying again.

However, if the issue persists, it is best to contact your employer to ensure your UAN is seeded with Aadhaar, and the mobile number is updated in EPFO records.

Disclaimer: This story is for educational purposes only. We advise investors to check with certified experts before making any investment decisions.