PAN Card Form 49A: How to Fill Pan Card Form 49A and 49AA?

A PAN card is an important document for every Indian citizen. You don’t only need it for opening a bank account or filing your income tax returns but it is also one of the most crucial identification documents.  You would need it for various transactions, and there is a certain procedure to apply for the same. In this article, we will discuss how to apply for a PAN card through Form 49A and 49AA.

What is Form 49A for a PAN Card?

Obtaining a PAN (Permanent Account Number) is essential for all earning individuals and non-individual entities in India. All Indian citizens, entities incorporated in India and any other unincorporated entity that forms in India must file Form 49A to apply for their PAN card. 

What are PAN Card Form 49A and Form 49AA?

PAN card Forms 49A and 49AA are application forms for obtaining a PAN card. If you are an Indian citizen, you must apply for a PAN card using Form 49A. However, if you are a foreign resident, you must file Form 49AA to get your PAN card. 

Structure of PAN Form 49A & Form 49AA?

The structure of these forms is given below along with the sample. 

• Full Name of the Applicant - It includes your first, last, middle name and marital status. However, you can’t use abbreviations for the first and last names.
• Abbreviation of the Name - If you want to see a shortened name on the card, fill in your abbreviation. However, you can’t use abbreviations for the first and last names.
• Alternate Name - If you were ever known by any other name, add the details here. It shall include your first name, last name, and surname.
• Gender - Choose your gender from the available options.
• Date of Birth - The individuals shall mention their date of birth, which should match the birth certificate and other documents you are attaching as proof. In the case of organisations, they must mention the date of agreement, incorporation, trust deed, or partnership deed as applicable.
• Parents Name - It is mandatory to fill in your father’s full name, including his first name, last name, and surname. Entering the mother’s name is optional unless the mother is a single parent. You can choose whether your father’s or mother’s names should be printed on the PAN card.
• Address - This shall consist of your residential and office address details. Ensure you enter complete details of your town, city, and pin code, which matches the address on your address proof documents. However, you can only consider adding an office address if you are an individual earning income from a profession or business.
• Communication Address- Choose an address, either your office or residential address, to fill in as the correspondence address. It will serve as your point of communication.
• Email ID and Contact Number - You must carefully fill out your country code, state code, telephone number, mobile number, and email address.
• Applicant’s Status - You need to mention if you are an individual, a company, a partnership firm, or a member of a HUF.
• Registration Details - This section is only for entities, such as companies, LLPs, firms, etc. Individuals and HUFs need not fill out this section.
• Aadhaar Number - This section is available only in Form 49A and not on 49AA. Indian residents should fill in the details in this section as mentioned on their Aadhaar card. Here is a sample of FORM 49A 

• Country of Citizenship and ISD Code - This section is available only in Form 49AA and not on 49A. Here, foreign citizens must provide their country of citizenship and the ISD code of the country of citizenship. Here’s a sample of FORM 49AA

• AO Code - The tax jurisdiction code under which you would fall is at the top of the forms. You can obtain this code from the official NSDL website, PAN centres, or the Income Tax office. 
• Sources of Income - Mention the source from which you earn your income.
• Representative Assessee - Fill in the name and address of the person who might legally represent you as per the Income Tax Act.
• Documents Submitted - Mention all the documents you have submitted along with the form.

How to Fill Pan Card Form 49A and 49AA?

To fill forms 49A and 49AA, you need to keep the following points in mind:

Basic Rules

The form should only be filled in English. If you are filing offline, make sure to use block letters to fill the form and prefer black ink. Fill only one letter in a box in case of offline forms. The fields marked with an asterisk * are mandatory to be filled. The details of the ID and address proof you are providing and the details you fill in the form must match. Avoid overwriting, and make sure to read all the other instructions given towards the end of the physical form.

Photo

Provide two high-quality images as they will be visible on your PAN card. Do not staple the photograph when filling out the offline form. 

Signature/Thumb Impression

If you are using a thumb impression to fill the form, use only your left thumb impression. Sign or place your thumb impression across the photo affixed on the left side of the form in such a manner that your signature/thumb impression is partially on the photo as well as on the form. You need to ensure the signature is on both the photograph and the form. However, it applies only to the photograph on the left side of the form and not the right. That should be clear because it appears on your PAN.  

AO Code

This is the code that indicates the tax jurisdiction under which you fall. As the applicant, you are responsible for filling out this information.  The details include Area Code, AO type, range code, and the area number.  You can find this information on the NSDL website, PAN centres, or the Income Tax office.

How to Apply PAN Card Form 49A and Form 49AA?

You can fill out Forms 49A and 49AA to apply for a PAN card either online or offline. We have discussed both methods in detail here.

Online Method

Step 1: Visit the NSDL website or UTIITSL website.

Step 2: Select ‘PAN Card for Indian Citizen/NRI - Form 49A’ if you are an Indian citizen or ‘PAN Card for Foreign Citizen - Form 49AA’ if you are a foreign citizen.

Step 3: Select the mode of receiving a PAN card and fill in all the details in the form.  

Step 4: Upload the documents and pay the required fees. 

Step 5: Submit the application. You will receive an acknowledgement number. 

Step 6: Send the documents by courier or post them to the NSDL or UTIITSL office. 

Offline Method

Step 1: Download ‘Form 49A’ or ‘Form 49AA’ from the Protean website or the Income Tax website, respectively. 

Step 2: Fill in the application. 

Step 3: Attach signature and photograph to the application. 

Step 4: Submit the application form and the documents to your nearest PAN centre.

Step 5: Pay the fees for the PAN card application. 

Step 6: You will get an acknowledgement number.

The PAN card will be issued within 15 days after verification of the documents.

Documents Required for Forms 49A & Form 49AA

An applicant must attach the following documents while filing either of the two forms:

• Proof of Identity: It could be your passport, driver's license, Aadhaar, etc. 
• Proof of Address: This may be anything ranging from electricity bill, water bill, passport, Aadhaar, or any other document with your address on it. 

A PAN card is a very important document for every individual with a source of income and for all businesses to be able to run their operations smoothly. Hence, it becomes imperative that you apply for a PAN card very carefully. Remember, every person or entity can only have one PAN card. In case of any duplication, it is punishable.

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