EPF Form 19 is required if a member wants to withdraw funds from the account through final settlement. This form can also be used for withdrawal of pension benefits or to avail a non-refundable advance from PF account. The option of withdrawing funds through this form can be used while leaving employment due to retirement or other reason. However, the option of availing an advance from PF account is only available during a member’s service term if some of the conditions are met.
| Category | PF Form 19 |
| Used for | Final settlement |
| Eligibility | Existing employees who wish to close their existing EPF account |
| Mandatory | For final settlement |
| Mode | Online and offline form filling |
| Timeline | To be filled at least 2 months post leaving the job |
Contents of Form 19
Form 19 comprises the following details:
- Member name
- Father’s or Husband’s Name (applicable in case of married women)
- Date of Birth
- Name and Address of the employing company
- P.F. Account No.
- UAN
- Permanent Account Number (PAN)
- Date of joining company
- Date of leaving service
- Reason for leaving service
- Postal address of member
- Mode of payment
Important factors to note while filling Form 19
Before filing Form 19, EPF members must consider the below-mentioned important aspects:
- A member must activate his/her UAN on the EPF member portal
- As a mandatory requirement, the bank account, PAN and mobile number of the EPF member must be linked with UAN
- If a member is not eligible for final settlement, he/she will not be able to see Form 19 in the withdrawal form section
- The member’s and employer’s signature are required while filling the Form 19
- Form 19 can be used only after completion of two months of leaving the service or start of retirement
- EPF member must ensure to provide his/her registered mobile number for final settlement
- PAN is mandatory for claiming final EPF settlement
- The employing organisation’s signature and seal are mandatory for offline settlement of EPF
| Did you know – You can avail EPF services through the UMANG app |
The Indian government now allows eligible employees to avail EPF-related services through its Umang app. The app is helpful for both employees and employers. Some of the extra services offered through the app include:
- Locating establishments and EPFO offices
- Keeping track of claim status
- Account details using SMS
What’s more, there is also a live chat option on the app which is provided by the EPFO!
Steps to fill EPF Form 19 online
After leaving the job, an EPF member can either choose to settle the PF account or transfer the balance to the new EPF account with the new company. Those who want to make a final settlement must fill Form 19. Here is how an EPF member can fill Form 19 online:
- On the EPF member portal, a member must login to his/her UAN account
- Within the “Online Services” section, select option “Claim (Form – 31, 19 & 10C)”
- A user must then enter the last 4 digits of the linked bank account and select “Verify”
- An employee must provide his/her registered mobile number at the start of the form
- Select “Yes” to proceed with signing the “Certificate of Undertaking”
- From the drop-down menu under the “I want to apply for” section, select the option “Only PF Withdrawal (Form-19)”
- Once the new form section expands, the user must mention his/her complete address.
- After selecting the disclaimer, click on “Get Aadhaar OTP”
- User will then receive an OTP on his/her registered mobile number
- User must then enter this OTP in the field provided before submitting the application
- A reference number is generated post successful submission of the application
- The amount withdrawn will be deposited within 15-20 days in the bank account linked to user’s UAN
If an EPF member requires the final settlement payment through cheque, he/she must fill the advance stamp receipt. This means a revenue stamp of Re. 1 has to be affixed on the form and the member should sign across the stamp. Those who choose the ECS option (electronic credit), do not need to fill an advance stamp.
Steps to fill EPF Form 19 offline
The steps to fill the EPF Form 19 offline are as follows:
- Obtain a copy of the EPF Form 19 from the nearest EPFO office or download it from the official website.
- Fill in the required details in the form, such as personal details, employer details, and PF account details.
- Ensure that the form is signed by both the employee and the employer.
- Attach a cancelled cheque or a copy of the passbook to the form to facilitate the transfer of funds.
- Submit the filled-in form along with the necessary documents to the EPFO office.
What is a Composite Claim Form?
For EPF withdrawal, EPFO requires the applicant to fill one form, which is known as the Composite Claim Form (CCF). This form can be used to make partial or full withdrawal of PF funds, It can also be used to withdraw money lying in one’s EPS account. Depending on whether an applicant has the Aadhaar number or not, there are two forms –
a. Composite Claim Form ( Aadhaar) and
b. Composite Claim Form (Non- Aadhaar)
How to check the EPF settlement claim status?
To check the EPF Settlement Claim Status, an applicant needs the claim ID which is available on the official EPF website. Here are the steps to be followed for checking settlement claim status once the user has the claim ID:
- Visit the EPFO portal and enter the claim ID in the search bar.
- The current status of the claim and other related details will be seen here
- If the claim is approved, user will receive the settlement amount in his/her bank account within the given timeline.
End Note
Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) is a retirement pension scheme in which an employee and his/her employer are required to contribute a portion of the monthly salary towards the EPF account. This is applicable during the service period, after which, the EPF member can withdraw the lump-sum amount for retirement purpose.
FAQs
By using EPF Form 19 for online claims processing, an EPF member does not require his/her employer’s attestation. Such claims can also be processed within 5 days post online application.
PF withdrawal through Form 19 can be done only after the employer updates the exit date or date of end of service of the EPF member. In absence of this, the EPF department will halt the withdrawal process.
No, it is not necessary to withdraw pension along with PF amount.
If an employer does not update an employee’s exit date for PF withdrawal despite reminders, the employee can register a complaint through the EPFO portal. If a written complaint is filed with the EPF commissioner, subsequent action is taken for issue resolution.
Composite Claims Form /9 CCF is to be used for offline application to withdraw PF amount.
