Written by admin• December 26, 2023• 7:15 am• Social Security

EPF Form 31 – Complete PF Withdrawal Process

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HomeSocial SecurityEPF Form 31 – Complete PF Withdrawal Process

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Form 31, commonly called the EPF Advance Form, serves as the means to request a partial withdrawal or advance from an individual’s Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) account. It’s important to note that EPF account holders cannot freely withdraw funds whenever they wish; specific criteria must be met for any withdrawal. Form 31 is designed explicitly for withdrawals in designated situations, such as medical treatment, housing-related expenses, loan repayments, and other specified circumstances.

Understanding the details of these criteria is crucial for those seeking to utilise Form 31 for EPF withdrawals.

This article serves as your comprehensive guide to unlocking the benefits of EPF Form 31 with professionalism and ease.

When Can You Make an EPF Withdrawal

EPF withdrawal using Form 31 is subject to specific circumstances, and individuals can only withdraw their entire savings in the EPF under certain conditions, such as retirement or prolonged unemployment certified by a gazetted officer for more than 2 months.

If individuals do not meet these criteria, withdrawing the entire fund from the EPF goes against Provident Fund rules. Partial withdrawals can be made under special circumstances, and the eligibility conditions are detailed in the table below:

Circumstance	Withdrawal Limit	Minimum Service Required	Other Conditions
Education	Up to 50% of EPF contribution	7 years	Withdrawal for financing further studies or education of children post 10th standard.
Marriage	Up to 50% of EPF contribution	7 years	Withdrawal allowed for the marriage of self, brother or sister, son or daughter.
Land Purchase/Construction	For land purchase: Up to 24 times monthly wages and dearness allowance. For houses: Up to 36 times monthly wages and dearness allowance.	5 years	Property to be purchased under the individual’s name, spouse’s name, or jointly.
Home Renovation	Up to 12 times monthly wages	5 years	The home to be renovated should be registered under the employee’s or spouse’s name, or jointly owned.
Home Loan Repayment	Up to 90% of both employee and employer contributions	1 year	Property must be registered under the individual’s, spouse’s, or jointly owned name. Required documents for loan repayment. Account corpus must be above Rs. 20,000.
Before Retirement	Up to 90% of the accumulated corpus with interest	After 57 years	To cover financial expenses.

Individuals can apply for premature withdrawal online or offline under these specified circumstances.

Declaration in Form 31

Form 31 serves as a crucial declaration for partial withdrawal from the Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF), confirming that the withdrawal reason aligns with specified criteria. To ensure accuracy, the form necessitates the employee’s signature before submission. The employer and EPF Commissioner are also required to fill in specific details. It is essential to provide the latest and factual information in the form and include the necessary documents during submission.

Key details to be filled in Form 31 include:

Member’s name, father/husband’s name
Factory/establishment name and address
PF account number
Basic wage and dearness allowance
Full postal address of the member
Mode of remittance (e.g., account payee cheque for site/house flat purchase, construction through agency, or housing loan repayment; electronic mode; money order for withdrawals below Rs.2,000)
Signatures of both the member and the employer
Advance stamped receipt (Re.1 stamp)
A section designated for the employer to complete
A section designated for use in the PF Commissioner’s office

Ensuring the accuracy and completeness of these details, along with the required documentation, is crucial for the smooth processing of the EPF withdrawal request.

Document Required for EPF Form 31

This table provides a clear overview of the required documents for each specific purpose of Form 31 submission.

Purpose of Form 31 Submission	Documents Required
Medical Reasons	Certificate by the employer Certificate by the doctor
Purchasing a House	Declaration Registration certificate of the property
Loan Repayment	Certificate from the agency stating the outstanding principal and interest
Marriage	Declaration within Form 31
Grant Advances in Special Cases	Certificate from the employer
Physically Handicapped	Certificate from the doctor
Withdrawal Before Retirement	Declaration from the member

How to Download EPF Form 31

To download EPF Form 31 and submit an online advance claim, follow these steps:

Step 1: Log in to the EPFO member portal using your UAN (Universal Account Number) and password.
Step 2: Navigate to the ‘Online Services’ menu and select ‘Claim.’
Step 3: On the claim page, verify the personal information displayed, including your name, date of birth, father’s name, PAN number, Aadhaar number, date of joining the firm, and cellphone number. If all the information is correct, proceed by selecting ‘Proceed for Online Claim.’
Step 4: Choose the type of claim you want to apply for. In the drop-down menu, select ‘PF ADVANCE (FORM 31).’
Step 5: Specify the purpose of the advance from the available options, such as illness, natural disasters, power outage, non-receipt of earnings, or purchase of disability equipment. Enter the amount and your current address in the provided form.
Step 6: Sign the declaration. Once you check the box, the ‘Get Aadhaar OTP’ button will appear. Click on it to receive an OTP (One-Time Password) on your registered Aadhaar-linked mobile number. Authenticate the OTP.
Step 7: After OTP authentication, enter the OTP and click on ‘Validate OTP and Submit Claim Form’ to complete the online EPF advance application process.

How to File an Online Advance Claim

The provided steps guide you through the process of downloading EPF Form 31 and submitting an online advance claim. Here’s a summarised version:

Visit the EPFO member portal and log in using your UAN and password.
Navigate to the ‘Online Services’ menu and choose ‘Claim.’
On the claim page, verify your personal details displayed, including name, date of birth, PAN number, Aadhaar number, date of joining the firm, and cellphone number.
If all information is correct, proceed by selecting ‘Proceed for Online Claim.’
Choose the type of claim by selecting ‘PF ADVANCE (FORM 31)’ from the drop-down menu.
Specify the purpose of the advance (e.g., illness, natural disasters, power outage, non-receipt of earnings, or purchase of disability equipment). Enter the amount and your current address.
Sign the declaration by checking the box. Click ‘Get Aadhaar OTP’ to receive a One-Time Password on your registered Aadhaar-linked mobile number.
Enter the OTP received and click ‘Validate OTP and Submit Claim Form’ to complete the online EPF advance application.

How to File for Online EPF Withdrawal Using Form 31

With the advent of the EPF Form 31 online submission process facilitated by the Employees’ Provident Fund Organization (EPFO), withdrawing funds from EPF has become notably more straightforward. However, individuals need to ensure compliance with certain criteria before initiating the online application:

Active UAN (Universal Account Number) with a functional linked mobile number.

UAN linked to KYC documents, including Aadhaar, PAN card, and other necessary details.

Steps to Submit EPF Form 31 Online

Access the official government UAN portal and log in.
Check if KYC details are updated and verified.
Visit the “Online Services” tab and choose the claim Form 31.
Complete the required details on the claim screen, such as KYC and service details.
Accept the certificate of undertaking to proceed.
Click “Proceed for online claim” and select the PF withdrawal option.
Choose the “PF Advance form” and provide the necessary details like the withdrawal’s purpose and amount.
Apply by clicking on the “submit” button.

Post-Application Steps

Await employer approval.
Receive fund credit to the designated bank account.

Checking Claim Status

Inquire about the status of the claim using the EPF Form 31 claim status on the official EPFO website.

This streamlined online process simplifies the withdrawal of EPF funds, offering greater convenience to individuals.

How to Check Claim Status

Here are the steps to check the status of your Form 31 claim:

Go to the EPFO member portal by clicking on the link: [EPFO Member Portal].
Log in to the portal using your UAN (Universal Account Number) and password. Click on ‘Sign In’ to proceed.
In the ‘Online Services’ section, choose the option ‘Track Claim Status.’
From the drop-down menu, select the location of your respective PF office. The screen will display the code of your PF office and the region code.
Enter the establishment code, which can be found on your pay slip.
Enter your 7-digit account number and click on ‘Submit.’
The portal will display the status of your Form 31 claim.

FAQs on EPF Form 31

Why might my EPF Form 31 be rejected?

There can be multiple reasons why your EPF Form 31 got rejected:

Previous Claim: If you've already availed a claim in the past, your application may face rejection.
Late Submission: Failure to submit the signed claim form within 15 days of making the online application can lead to rejection.
Mismatched Details: Inaccurate details that don't match the EPF office records may result in rejection.
Signature Discrepancy: If your signature doesn't align with the records maintained by your office, your claim may be rejected. It's crucial to meet requirements and provide accurate information to avoid rejections.