Universal account number or UAN is a unique number given to every member of Employees Provident Fund. This 12 digit number links various EPF members ID. The UAN does not change in lifetime. You can change many jobs, but this number will be with you. This number does not replace PF number. Rather, it is an additional number. Every employee gets the universal account number. Currently unemployed can also get the UAN. Even a student can also get UAN upfront before joining the employment. Within six months EPFO has successfully allotted the UAN to all the current employees. Now it has given this facility to the trust PF members and unemployed PF members. I recommend that you should get your UAN number as soon as possible.

Fortunately, for the UAN you don’t need the employer. If your employer didn’t tell you the universal account number, You can get UAN online. EPFO is trying hard to establish direct connection with employee and reduce the role of employer. You must be aware of the high handedness of many employers, because of the PF key.

Features of Universal Account Number

An employee will get only one universal account number
You will have same UAN in different jobs within the country
Change jobs as much as you want, the EPF will follow you

This number would be attached to your identity
The KYC documents are used for authentication of the universal account number
The EPFO portal issues the UAN. The Employers tell UAN to the employees

How to activate EPFO UAN?

You can access your UAN by visiting the UAN Member Portal Website. First you need to activate your UAN by clicking on the link called” Activate your UAN” on the portal. You should keep his/her Member ID, Mobile number and UAN ready while trying to log-in. You will receive your UAN from your employer. You need to follow the steps listed to activate your UAN.

Visit the link: http://uanmembers.epfoservices.in/uan_reg_form.php
Enter your mobile number, UAN and EPF account details.
EPFO will send an authorization PIN to your mobile number, once you enter the aforesaid details.
Submit the PIN received in your mobile and activate UAN.
Generate your login ID and password to complete the registration process.

10 Benefits of Universal Account Number (UAN) To the Employee

You can link all of your previous PF account at one place
EPF Transfer has become very easy. It can be done automatically
EPF balance from all of the account gets transferred automatically
You can easily take loan from the PF account. The process would be online soon
You will get monthly SMS update of PF contribution

You can easily check and download your PF passbook any time
Employer cannot blackmail you because of the EPF. He would not be able to withhold the PF of an employee
If you link your Adhaar with UAN, you can withdraw PF without employer’s signature.
You can update your personal details online
You will get to know whether your company is depositing PF on time or not as both mobile alerts and online checking facilities are available

Documents to be submitted in your new organization for linking member ID to UAN

You need to submit the following documents to link the member ID of a new organization to UAN:

Any KYC document.
Bank account details including Bank Account Number, IFSC Code and Branch Name.
Last working day of the previous company.
UAN provided by the previous organization.

In case an employee does not have an UAN, then she/has to submit the following documents:

Bank Account Number.
IFSC Code.
Branch Name.
Last working day of the previous company.
PF Account number of the previous organization.

KYC documents required for UAN

The following documents are accepted as KYC documents:

Bank Account Number
Driving License
Election Card
Passport
Ration Card
ESIC Card

How EPFO Issue Universal Account Number (UAN)?

Steps for Existing Employee

EPFO itself has allotted the universal account number of all the contributing members.
Employers download these universal account numbers of it employees.
EPFO has directed the employer to tell the new universal account number to every employee.
Further employer would upload KYC details of the employee.
An employee can also upload his KYC. Then employer needs to verify it.

Steps for New Employee

The employer submits the first PF contribution of new employees.
These new members without UAN will be intimated to the employer through the OTCP (Online transfer claim portal).
The employer has to fill the details of these new employees in the OTCP. The employer would also fill UAN of the employee, if she has any.
If the employee doesn’t have UAN previously, then the employer can generate the new UAN for him through the portal.
If the employee has the UAN, then the employer has to verify it from the previous employment. The new employer can view the details of previous employment through the OTCP using UAN. After verification of personal detail the employer approves existing UAN for the employee..

In the next step employer uploads the copy of KYC documents.

Know UAN at The EPFO Portal

Initially EPFO has entrusted employers to distribute the UAN to its employee. But, for some obvious reasons, most of the employers did not disclose UAN to its employees. Therefore, despite allotting UAN to 5 crore employees, only few lakhs people registered at UAN portal. While, UAN portal gives you the direct link to your PF account.

Now, EPFO gives you the facility to know your UAN online. Once you get the UAN, Activate it online. After the activation, you must upload KYC documents. This will be very beneficial in future.

What About Old PF account?

There are more than 6 crore inoperative PF accounts. Rs 26,000 Crore is lying in these accounts. The UAN will also solve this problem. At the UAN portal you can easily link your previous PF accounts. If you KYC details matches with the old PF accounts, the linking will complete within a month.
However, if you don’t have PF account number or your old company is shut now, even in this situation you can track your old PF account and link it to the UAN. PF department has actively started to identify the inoperative accounts. It has made an online page to trace the old inoperative account. If you are in such situation, use this EPFO Inoperative Account Help Desk an do share your experience with Plan money tax.
If for any reason you are not able to link your previous account with UAN, you can use old online process of PF transfer.

Convenience of New UAN Member Portal

EPFO has also introduced a new portal for members based on UAN. You should register in this portal. The registration in this portal will give you greater convenience about all EPF matters. It is like the key in your hand.
Facilities at UAN Member Portal:

You can check your UAN allottment status
You don’t need to check the PF balance through SMS. You can download/print your EPF passbook anytime
You can download/print your UAN card
You can link all your previous PF accounts with UAN. The name should be same
You can file PF transfer or withdrawal claim online
You can view the status of PF claim online
You can update your KYC