Struggling to Merge Two UANs into One Account: What Steps Should My Friend Take?

Dear Sir, One of my friends worked in a construction company from January 2014 to April 2016. At that time, the company asked for the bank passbook and mobile number for UAN generation. The UAN was generated, and PF was deducted. In 2016, he left the company and stopped using the mobile number registered in the PF account. Since then, he has not been able to update or merge the UAN. The construction company has also not addressed these concerns.

When he joined another company in 2017, he was assigned a new UAN number. Now, he wants to merge the two UAN numbers. What is the process?

UAN Generation Details

1. The first company's UAN was generated using the bank passbook and mobile number in 2014.
2. The second company's UAN was generated using the Aadhar card, bank passbook, and mobile number in 2017.

How can he merge both UANs into a single account?

Now, he should first activate the UAN. Before that, please ensure that his mobile number is active. In order to activate the UAN, visit the member portal and go to the link "activate UAN" and follow the instructions. You will get a temporary password, and then you can log in to the member portal and change the password so that it can be remembered.

Then go to the "One member one PF" field under Online services. Provide the UAN to be merged with the current UAN. You will also find the details of the previous organization there. Submit the information. The transfer will be processed in due course, provided there is no change in the spelling of the member's name, father's name, date of birth, etc. Any changes in the member's details will make the process a bit more difficult; otherwise, it is straightforward.

The mobile number is not in service. Is there an alternative option to activate UAN?

How was the current UAN generated?

Companies often generate UANs by themselves without consulting employees, primarily for compliance rather than employee benefit. To address this, ask the employer to first update the mobile number in the PF records. Once updated, you can proceed to activate the UAN.

Process for Activating Aadhaar-Attached Mobile Number

Could you please elaborate on the process to activate an additional mobile number that is Aadhaar attached? Is visiting the respective PF office helpful?

Filling in the Joint Declaration

Fill in the Joint Declaration, which is to be signed by the member and the previous employer, and mention all the missing details. Include the current phone number, old phone number, and Aadhar number. EPFO will correct the details from its end. After this, the member will be able to transfer and merge it with the correct UAN number online through the employee portal.

The additional mobile number linked to Aadhaar should be connected to the UAN. As suggested by Swetley, you can complete a joint declaration and submit it to the EPF Office. Since it involves changing the mobile number, I believe you can do this through the employer portal without the need for a hard copy of the joint declaration. Nonetheless, reach out to the HR person in the company and request their assistance with this process.