EPF E-Nomination: What Members Need To Do To Ensure It Is Complete

Nomination is crucial to ensure that in case of an untimely death, the assets of the deceased person are transferred to the nominee without delay or unnecessary formalities or dispute. Yet, many a time, this important option is ignored in financial planning. In the context of the employee provident fund (EPF), the employer does all the formalities, starting from deducting a part of an employee’s salary, depositing it with EPFO, and updating the employee’s records. However, the nomination needs to be updated by the employee only. Although EPFO has mandated updating nominations, many employees still ignore it.  

A clear and complete nomination ensures a hassle-free settlement of provident fund benefits by releasing the amount as the employee desired. It can help families to avoid unnecessary legal disputes and complications in receiving the money during an already difficult time.

Digital advancements have made updating personal information in the EPFO records easier. EPF members (employees) can check their EPF details and update their nominations online without the need to visit EPFO’s office and submit physical documents.

One can check it by logging into the official EPFO portal for members. Members need to have their Universal Account Number (UAN) and password to log in to the portal. Once logged in, go to the ‘Manage’ tab at the top of the page and select ‘E-nomination’ from the drop-down menu. Members can check ‘View History’ on the top right to confirm whether a nomination already exists. If the status shows ‘Nomination Successful’, it means the process is complete and a valid nomination exists in the EPFO records. But if it shows nomination incomplete or verification pending, the process is yet to be completed.      

E-Nomination In EPF

For those who have not added a nominee, use the online portal for EPF members to register a nomination or complete the process. However, while doing so, one must remember the following points:

• Ensure your profile photo and current address are up to date in the records.

• Specify if you have a surviving family (spouse, children, or dependent parents).

• Keep the nominee’s details (date of birth, Aadhaar number, and a digital passport-size photograph of under 100 kb) ready while updating the nomination.

How To Fill E-Nomination

• Visit the official EPFO Unified Portal for members and log in with your credentials

• Click the ‘Manage’ tab on the top left of the screen and click ‘E-nomination’ from the drop-down menu

• If your profile details are not updated, it will prompt you to update your details first in the records. Once done, nominee details can be updated

• Enter the nominee's name, date of birth, relationship, address, and Aadhaar number, and upload a digital passport-sized photograph of the nominee. Note that more than one person can be nominated in the EPFO records by using the ‘Add Row’ feature.

• To add another nominee, click ‘Add Row’ at the bottom and repeat the process of entering nominee details

• Once details of all nominees are entered, click ‘Save’

At this stage, nominee details are saved in the system and EPF records, but the process is not yet complete. It requires the member to e-sign the nomination to give validity to the nomination. This is a critical step because without completing it, the process remains unfinished.

EPFO has repeatedly warned that an e-nomination is invalid without an e-Sign.

In such incomplete cases, the nomination will not be considered for action if the member passes away.

How To E-Sign EPF Nomination?

• Log in to the official unified portal for members. Under the Manage tab, go to the ‘e-nomination’ option  and click on the E-sign link

• On the next page, two options will appear: Aadhaar-based e-Authentication using either a standard Aadhaar number or a 16-digit Virtual ID (VID)

• Select the appropriate option and click ‘Verify’

• In case of selecting Aadhaar number, an OTP will be sent to the member’s Aadhaar-linked mobile number. Enter the OTP and click ‘Submit’

• If choosing the virtual ID, enter the most recently generated virtual ID (VID); otherwise, the UIDAI system, where this virtual ID is generated using the Aadhaar number, will give an error message.

So, if you have already updated the nomination in your EPF account, make sure it is e-signed, too, and if you haven’t yet thought of updating the nomination, don’t ignore it anymore.