EPF Withdrawal Delays: How Long Did It Take for Your Claim to Be Processed?

Hi, I submitted my PF withdrawal form on October 12; however, it is still under process. In general, how many months does the EPF authority take for disbursement?

As per the rule, the claim is to be settled within a month. However, many times it takes longer than this. The timeframe depends on the EPF office concerned. Where did you submit your claim?

If your claim pertains to the Kandivali office, I am sorry to say that there is no guarantee of settlement for your claim. I acknowledge that this response may not be appropriate. I prefer not to comment further on the Kandivali EPFO. I simply wish you good luck in recovering your hard-earned money from this RPFO.

Thanks and regards,
Keshav Korgaonkar

You should receive it in due course of time. Normally, it takes three months to settle the account if all things are in order.

Thanks and regards,
Keshav Korgaonkar

In the meantime, you can check your claim status online on the EPFO website: http://www.epfoindia.com - EPFO India Resources and Information.

Thanks and regards,
Keshav Korgaonkar

PF Claim Disbursement Process

After applying for the claim in PF, you'll receive your disbursement within 40 days. There may be a delay depending on the banks, so you should check the claim status first. The claim status will indicate if payments have been sent or not. If your form is rejected, you'll need to apply with a new one. Otherwise, visit the PF office to receive feedback about your claim.

Instructions for Employees Applying for PF

Any employee intending to apply for PF should provide their current working mobile number. The PF office will send your payment information to your mobile number. Please follow these instructions.

Good luck.

Regards,
T. Asha (HR-Admin)

I agree with Keshav Korgaonkar. I had submitted the claim in Aug 2010 in my office. The EPFO received it on 15th November 2010. After I lodged an RTI query (in Oct 2011), things moved fairly quickly, and I received the PF amount on 30th Nov 2011. In the bargain, the PF office did not pay me interest for the period between 1st April 2011 till 30th Nov 2011. My letters and emails are not answered at all.

Grievance Redressal System Issues

The grievance redressal system on the EPFO site is a major sham. It promptly sends a mail stating that "the PF claim will be settled when processing is completed" and considers the issue closed immediately. Anyone from RPFO down does not send any written response AT ALL, unless, of course, it is an RTI query.

FPF/Pension Challenges

The FPF/pension is another story. I had moved through 5 companies—all within Maharashtra and 4 of them in and around Mumbai. PF account transfer letters are not sent unless the transfer is across different PF offices. Even after submitting the details—with photocopies of annual PF slips and a detailed explanatory letter—it took them close to 4 months to process the claim, between Feb 2012 to May 2012. I was assured that the details would be sent to Kandivali PFO by the end of May 2012. I still had to follow through, and after meeting the APFO in charge of pensions, the papers moved on 13th August 2012. When I went to Kandivali PFO, I was given the PPO number and other details on 27th September and told that the pension and arrears would be disbursed soon. The pension was disbursed on 12th October 2012, but arrears are still pending.

The bank tells me that I have to submit necessary details with a copy of the PPO. As of now, I have not received the PPO.

Best of luck to anyone who is trying to get PF and related dues.

Regards,
Shashank

Please use RTI if you have sent documents through registered post. They will expedite your processing. First, check online whether your application has been rejected. File RTI to know the reason, as they take a long time to send rejection letters and many times don't send them. I hope you have sent Form 19 and 10C with a signature attested along with the bank passbook front page and a cancelled cheque (optional).

As per the rule, within 45 days, the claim will be sent to the bank account or the claim form will be returned with remarks for resubmission.

Regards,
R.S. HARI.