EPFO PF Withdrawal Made Easier: Cancelled Cheque and Passbook Upload No Longer Required
EPFO has removed the requirement to upload a cancelled cheque or attested bank passbook for online PF claims. The move simplifies claim settlement, provided bank details are verified with the UAN.
Prasanth Subramani
The Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has simplified the online PF claim process by removing the requirement to upload an image of a cancelled cheque or an attested bank passbook while filing online claims.
The reform was extended to all EPFO members in April 2025 after being introduced on a pilot basis. EPFO stated that the additional bank documents are no longer necessary because the bank account holder's name is verified with the member's details when the bank account is seeded with the Universal Account Number (UAN). :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}
The change is aimed at making PF withdrawal and claim settlement faster and easier while reducing claim rejections caused by unclear or poor-quality document uploads. EPFO said the reform was expected to benefit around 6 crore members when it was extended to all members. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}
The latest government data also indicates that EPFO settled 8.3 crore claims during the 2025–26 financial year, including 5.5 crore advance or partial withdrawal claims. The figures highlight the increasing use of digital and simplified processes for accessing provident fund savings. :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}
However, members should ensure that their bank account details are correctly seeded and verified with their UAN before submitting an online claim. EPFO payments are made directly to bank accounts that have been verified with the concerned bank. :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}
The simplified procedure is expected to make PF withdrawal more convenient for millions of subscribers by reducing paperwork and eliminating the need for additional bank-document uploads during online claim submission.
