Confused About EPF Advance Eligibility: Is It 5 or 7 Years for Withdrawal?

Eligibility Criteria for EPF Advance

What are the criteria for the number of years required to get an advance from the EPF account? Is it 5 years or 7 years? We have submitted FORM 31 for our employee to get an advance from EPF for his son's marriage. He has completed more than 5 years as an EPF member. Yesterday, we received a letter from the EPF Kolhapur office stating that they cannot give an advance as the employee has not completed 7 years as an EPF member.

Please clarify the eligible years to get an advance from EPF.

Thank you.

For advance against the marriage of oneself, son/daughter, brother/sister, and post-matric education of children, the minimum service required is 7 years [68(K)]. For a housing loan, it is 5 years [68(B)].

Regards,
Abbas.P.S