How to get Income Tax Return Copy Online: Step-by-Step Guide

If you have even a little experience of financial proceedings, you must know how indispensable ITR copies are. However, if you are new to the world of ITR filing and don’t know why or how to get an income tax return copy online, here is a brief overview to help you out.

Read on to know more about the definition, importance, and method of collecting income tax return copies after e-filing.

What is an Income Tax Return Copy?

An income tax return copy or ITR-V is like a receipt that acknowledges that you have filed your returns. The Income Tax Department generates one against each e-filed return without a digital signature. You can then download, print, and sign the form and send it to the Centralised Processing Centre, Bengaluru, within 120 days. This will confirm the authenticity of your e-filing and will initiate the income tax return process.

Keeping a copy of this document even after the completion of ITR processing is very important since it is required in many procedures.

Why is it important to have your Income Tax Return Copies?

An ITR-V or ITR acknowledgement copy is a significant financial document and acts as proof of income in a number of processes. Here is a list of some.

Loan applications: Most lending institutions demand ITR copies of at least the past 2-3 years as proof of financial records before sanctioning loans.
High-value insurance policy: ITR copies also act as genuine income proof for insurance companies. They ask for these documents, especially when selling high-coverage plans, to confirm the policyholder’s ability to pay the high premiums.
Visa application: Copies of IT returns are the only income proof accepted during visa applications. This is basically a way for foreign embassies to gauge if you have enough financial interest to return to India.
Settling past dues: Here’s another importance of ITR copies besides serving as income proof. You might need to face a rare situation where the IT Department decides to send you a notice saying you have outstanding tax from a 5-year old return filing. In that case, you need to answer by sending copies of your past ITR acknowledgement records.

IT return copies become all the more important for independent professionals, businesses, and freelancers, who do not have salary slips as income proof. However, irrespective of whether you are salaried or non-salaried, it is imperative to know how to get income tax return copies if you are not aware already.

How to get an ITR Copy online?

Here is a detailed discourse on how to get an ITR copy online.

Step 1: Visit the official income tax e-filing portal and click on “Login Here.”

Step 2: Enter your user ID, password, and the security code to sign in to your account.

Step 3: On the next page, click on “View Returns/Forms.”

Step 4: You will be redirected to another page, where you will need to enter your PAN. Also, choose “Income Tax Returns” from the drop-down menu beside “Select an Option.” Click on “Submit.”

Step 5: The next page will display all details of your e-filed returns, including the acknowledgement number. Click on this number to view downloadable ITR-V.

Step 6: Click on “ITR-V/Acknowledgement XML” under “Downloads/Status Description.”

Your ITR-V or e-filing acknowledgement will be downloaded on your device.

Is there any process to get ITR copies offline?

If you are unable to follow how to get an income tax return copy online and are wondering about offline alternatives, here is a little piece of information. After you e-file your returns, the IT Department will send the ITR-V directly to the email ID registered against your PAN. You can check your mailbox and download your ITR-V from the email, if received.

You can then print this form, sign it, and send it to the IT Department’s CPC, Bengaluru, via ordinary or speed post within 120 days.

How to get Income Tax Return copies of previous years?

If you haven’t been keeping copies of your previously filed IT returns and are wondering, “how can you get your older income tax return copy online,” here's your solution. Follow steps 1-4 of the previously discussed process to download ITR copies online. Then, follow the given steps.

Step 1: The next page will display a list of all your returns filed till date. Click on the acknowledgement number corresponding to AY, for which you want to download an ITR copy.

Step 2: Click on “ITR-V/Acknowledgement XML,” under “Downloads/Status Description,” for your selected AY.

The ITR copy will be downloaded on your device. Similarly, you can repeat this process of how to get an income tax return copy online for other assessment years.

What if you do not get your Income Tax Return Copy

If you have been counting on the Income Tax Department’s email containing your ITR acknowledgement copy, and haven’t received the same, worry not! This is exactly where the process for how to get an income tax return copy online comes in handy.

Yes, if you do not receive the email acknowledgement, simply download your ITR copy from the e-filing portal following the steps we previously discussed. Once you manage to get your hands on this document, make sure to organise it along with your previous return copies and maintain these records for at least 10 successive years.

Frequently Asked Questions

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How do I open my downloaded ITR acknowledgement copy?

The password to open your ITR-V is a combination of your PAN in lowercase, followed by your date of birth or organisation’s date of incorporation in DDMMYYYY format. If your PAN is CFGGK1606L, for instance, and DOB/DOI is 5th March 1982, your password will be “cfggk1606l05031982”.

How long does it take for the IT Department to send the ITR acknowledgement copies?

The IT Department can take up to 2-3 working days to send the ITR-V to your registered email ID.

What will happen if I do not have copies of my income tax returns?

ITR copies are proof that you filed your returns for an assessment year. Not having this document is like not having any record of your filed returns, and you will not be able to avail of several services where ITR copies are mandatory documents.