10 Simple Steps to Activate your UAN Number Online

Every employee in India is eligible for the Employees Provident Fund. The provident fund (PF) is the accumulation of several deposits made by an employee and his/her employers throughout his/her working life. In India, the Employees’ Provident Fund Organization (EPFO) manages the policies and standards related to the deployment and management of provident funds to an employee in a public or private enterprise. The EPFO manages more than 11 lakh crores of funds and is the largest social security organization in India. 

In 2014, the central government launched the provision for the Universal Account Number (UAN) that is essentially like a single identification card for an employee’s provident fund. Unlike earlier, employees do not have to seek for information and other details regarding their provident fund from each of their employers. The UAN offers the facility for an employee to have his/her provident fund records on a standardized portal under his/her name which updates automatically and does not need to be verified and updated during a possible change in employment. The UAN is a 12-digit number that can be activated easily through the online EPFO portal where the whole process can be completed in 5 minutes with a good internet connection. 

10 Steps to Activate the UAN Number Online

The UAN number can be acquired through a few different routes. You could request your employer to provide it to you or activate it either through SMS or activate it through the online EPFO portal. Unlike earlier, the online facility offers the facility for UAN activation that can be completed within minutes and without a tedious documentation process. Below, we will see the steps to activate the UAN number on the online EPFO portal:

1. You can visit the official website of EPFO at https://unifiedportal-mem.epfindia.gov.in/memberinterface.
2. Here, you can see the tab ‘Activate UAN’ which you will need to click on, to proceed towards the activation of the UAN.
3. On the next page, you need to fill in your UAN number, Member ID and either the Aadhar number or PAN.
4. Once you have entered the above details, you need to click on the ‘Get Authorization Pin’ tab.
5. Once you have requested for the authorization PIN, you will receive a PIN on your mobile phone number that you have registered on the EPFO portal along with your UAN.
6. On the next page, you will need to enter the OTP that you received on your registered mobile number and click on the ‘I Agree’ disclaimer tab.
7. Here, you need to click on the ‘Validate OTP and Activate UAN’ tab.
8. You will now get your password details on the mobile number that you have registered on the EPFO website.
9. At this point, the UAN has been activated and the employee can use his/her UAN and password to log on to the EPFO portal.
10. You can now use your UAN number to log on to the EPFO portal and modify any details in case the need arises. 

Documents Required for Online Activation of UAN

While online UAN activation can be performed in a few simple steps as illustrated above, you need to submit a few essential documents for acquiring the UAN:

1. Your bank details including the name of the respective branch, bank account number and the IFSC code.
2. Legitimate and valid proofs of identity such as your driving license, passport, voter card ID or the Aadhar card. 
3. Proofs of address such as electricity or telephone bills, rent agreements or documents such as the passport that offer proof of residence.
4. Your PAN card.
5. An ESIC card. 

The UAN ID provides quick access to the details of one’s provident fund. Unlike earlier, it has become much easier to access one’s PF and the various details regarding it, owing to online portals such as the EPFO website. While provident funds offer a crucial lifeline and financial security to retiring employees, it might not be enough due to rising inflation and medical cost. It will be a good idea to consider investing in a flexible fixed deposit scheme such as those offered by AAA-rated NBFCs(Non-Banking Financial Companies) like Bajaj Finance or other banks. Such a combination will ensure reasonably higher returns with the social safety net.