How to Apply for PRAN Card & Get PRAN Number?

Individuals subscribing to the National Pension Scheme are allotted a Permanent Retirement Account Number so that they can access their accounts. PRAN card registration is mandatory for State and Central Government employees. Registration details are available on the official website of National Securities Depository Limited.

However, one can also apply for PRAN in several other modes. Therefore, to know what is PRAN NPS and how to apply for it, you can refer to this article.

Without any delay, read through to know more!

NPS subscribers get a 12-digit unique Permanent Retirement Account Number, which enables them to access their accounts from any location across India. There are two types of NPS accounts held under PRAN. They are:

• Tier-I: This account is meant for retirement savings and is non-withdrawable.
• Tier-II: Like any other savings account, you can withdraw your savings from this account type. However, you cannot avail of tax benefits.

Further, this number is granted by the National Securities Depository Limited (NSDL) for a lifetime. Therefore, once allotted, a PRAN cannot be changed throughout a subscriber’s life.

Moreover, after PRAN allocation, subscribers have an option to get physical copies of their PRAN card.

Here are some benefits of possessing a Permanent Retirement Account Number card:

• Subscribers can distinguish themselves from others and keep track of their savings and investments.
• One can also update vital information with the help of a PRAN.
• Individuals can also know about their PRAN card status with this number.

Therefore, from the aforementioned points, it is evident that one must apply for PRAN online or offline to obtain benefits.

Any applicant between the age of 18 and 60 years can proceed with the PRAN application. However, they need to register with the Central Recordkeeping Agency (CRA) and Drawing and Disbursing Office (DDO) before applying for PRAN.

Furthermore, subscribers need to fill up the PRAN application form either in an online or offline mode as per their convenience. In the following section, you will find details regarding the application process in online and offline modes, along with the steps to fill up the application form.

PRAN Application Online

One can opt for a PRAN card to apply online by visiting the NSDL or Karvy website. These websites are the CRAs for maintaining and opening NPS accounts in India. If you wonder how to know the PRAN of an NPS, you can use these online portals and apply for a number either using an Aadhaar card or PAN card. Here are the steps to follow if you want to apply for PRAN online using an Aadhaar card:

• Go to the official website of NSDL.
• Click on the National Pension System link. 
• Upon clicking on this, you will find a dialogue box on the screen with the “Registration” option. Check on it. 
• Now you need to specify how you wish to proceed with the registration process. Click on “Register with Aadhaar Offline e-KYC” and proceed. 
• You can complete the KYC by inputting Aadhaar OTP. It will be sent to your Aadhaar registered mobile number. 
• Automatically, your photo and demographic details will be fetched and transferred in the online form. 
• Fill up other mandatory details online. 
• Upload your signature in *.JPEG and *.JPG format with file size varying between 4kb and 12kb. 
• In case you wish to change the transferred photo from Aadhaar, you can change it by uploading a new one.
• Finally, you will be redirected to the payment gateway for making a contribution towards your NPS account. You can proceed with the payment by opting for an internet banking or debit/credit card facility.

Given below are the steps to follow if you want to apply for a PRAN card using your Permanent Account Number (PAN):

• Visit the official website of NSDL.
• On the homepage, you will find a link named “National Pension System.” Click on it. 
• A dialogue box will appear on the screen. Check on the “Registration” option and proceed. 
• Now click on “Register with Permanent Account Number” and proceed to the KYC steps.
• It is vital to have a bank account with an NPS authorised bank for KYC verification. 
• The name and address you provide for KYC should match with the ones in the bank records. 
• In case of any mismatch, the registration may be rejected. During such an instance, one should contact the bank. 
• All the other details must be filled in mandatorily in online mode.
• One should upload a digital signature as mentioned above. 
• Now you will be redirected to the payment gateway so that you can make a contribution to your NPS account.

Apart from the above methods, one can also apply for PRAN in offline mode.

PRAN Application Offline

If you want to know how to get PRAN for NPS, you can apply for a Permanent Retirement Account Number offline. All you need to do is follow these steps:

• Visit your nearest Point-of-Presence under the National Pension System. These institutions are authorised to carry out several NPS-related activities.
• Collect the PRAN application form and fill it out properly.
• Attach the necessary documents required for PRAN registration.
• Verify all the details before making a payment.
• After successful registration, you will receive the card at your address.

Now let’s delve deeper into the application form for PRAN to understand how to fill it.

Steps to Fill PRAN Application Form

A Permanent Retirement Account Number form consists of five sections. They are as follows:

• A: Personal details.
• B: Employment details.
• C: Nomination details.
• D: Scheme details.
• E: Declaration of T-PIN and I-PIN.

After downloading the above-mentioned form, a subscriber must follow the steps given below:

• Fill in all the details except section B.
• The DDO fills out section B.
• While filling out the form offline, one must make sure to use block letters and a black pen only. 

Other than this, there are some mandatory documents one needs to present or attach with the registration form. These will help you with a successful PRAN registration process.

One must attach certain documents to their PRAN application forms for registering under the scheme. Here are some documents one needs to carry:

• Application form for PRAN card.
• Aadhaar card.
• PAN card.
• Scanned copies of passport size photographs for online mode.
• Copy of bank passbook.
• Scanned copies of signature.

Further, NRI subscribers must also be aware of the PRAN application process.

If you are an NRI and want to know how to find PRAN of NPS, you need to follow the steps given below:

• Select your appropriate bank account status from the options repatriable or non-repatriable accounts.
• Submit the NRE/NRO bank account details along with a scanned copy of your passport.
• Finally, select the preferred address for communication between overseas addresses or permanent addresses in India.

In addition to this, subscribers can check their PRAN application status in an easy and hassle-free way.

Generally, a subscriber receives the PRAN via post after 20 days of submitting the forms. However, in case of delay, you can track the status of your card in the following manner:

• Go to the official NPS portal on the NSDL website.
• You will find a “PRAN Application Status (Through Ack. No)” option on the homepage.
• Upon clicking on the above option, you will land on a new page.
• Now select the option “Subscriber Registration Request Status."
• Enter the relevant details, Ack. No, and a Captcha code and tap on “Search.”

Upon knowing the status, you can download the Permanent Retirement Account Number card online from the NSDL website.

Therefore, going through this article, it is apparent that there are several ways in which one can apply for a PRAN card. With respect to a subscriber’s convenience, he can choose any application mode and aim to increase his retirement corpus.