Navigating EPF and EPS: How to Manage Your Accounts While Living Overseas?

Hi, I worked for Company 1 from 29-Jun-1995 to 27-Apr-2005. Since the service is approximately 10 years, I have the paper EPS Scheme Certificate for this period from EPFO, Ambattur, Chennai.

I worked for Company 2 from 03-Aug-2006 to 31-Jan-2009 (Service: 2 years 6 months) EPF at EPFO, Gurugram. I did not withdraw and could not transfer this to the next employer.

I worked for Company 3 from 15-May-2009 to 08-Sep-2011 (Service: 2 years 3 months) EPF at EPFO, Tambaram, Chennai. I left India for an overseas job and did not withdraw.

Upon returning to India in Nov-2018, I worked for Company 4 from 02-Nov-2016 to 02-Aug-2017 (Service: 9 months) EPF at EPFO, Bommasandra. During this employment, I obtained a UAN number, corrected forms, and transferred Company 2 & 3 EPF to Company 4 under the same UAN. However, the total experience in the allotted UAN is only 5 years 6 months.

In Apr-2018, I left India for an overseas job and am currently residing overseas.

My Clarification:

a. How can I check if the UAN is operative or inoperative?

b. Given that I have only 5 years 6 months of service after UAN allotment, should I apply for withdrawal of full EPF & EPS or withdrawal of EPF & Scheme certificate for EPS (as I have Company 1 scheme certificate)?

c. Living overseas (resident of Chennai), how can I link/merge the Company 1 EPS Scheme Certificate online (as I am outside India) with the UAN allotted through the last employer, while the PF account is at Bommasandra, Bangalore?

d. I am 50 years old now. Can I combine Company 1 EPS scheme certificate (EPFO, Ambattur, Chennai) with the 2nd Scheme Certificate (EPFO, Bommasandra, Bangalore) and apply for a pension? Can I submit for Pension at EPFO Ambattur, Chennai?

e. Should I apply for pension now (50 yrs) or at 58 yrs? What will be the pension amount difference between 50 & 58 yrs pension?

Thanks, Soma
Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Tags: scheme certificate, epf account, overseas job, pf account, City-United-Arab-Emirates-Dubai, Country-United-Arab-Emirates

To address your queries:

a. To check if your UAN is operative or inoperative, you can log in to the EPFO member portal using your UAN and password. Once logged in, you can view the status of your UAN account.

b. Given your total service of 5 years and 6 months after UAN allotment, you have the option to either withdraw the full EPF & EPS or withdraw the EPF and retain the Scheme Certificate for EPS from Company 1. You may choose based on your financial requirements and future plans.

c. To link/merge the Company 1 EPS Scheme Certificate with your UAN online while residing overseas, you may need to reach out to the EPFO helpdesk via email or phone to inquire about the specific process for linking the Scheme Certificate from abroad to your UAN.

d. As you are 50 years old, you can consider combining the EPS scheme certificates from Company 1 and Company 2 to potentially apply for pension benefits. Please contact the EPFO office in Ambattur, Chennai, to inquire about the process and eligibility criteria for submitting your pension application.

e. Regarding applying for a pension, you have the option to apply at 50 years of age or wait until you are 58 years old. The pension amount may vary based on your age at the time of application, with potential differences in the monthly pension payout. It's advisable to calculate the pension amounts at both ages to make an informed decision based on your financial needs.

For further guidance on the specific procedures and eligibility criteria, it is recommended to directly contact the EPFO office or consult with a financial advisor to understand the best course of action based on your individual circumstances.