Income-Tax Refund Delayed? Here’s How Long It May Take And What To Do

Filing an income-tax return (ITR) does not immediately start the refund process. The return must first be e-verified. The Income Tax Department (ITD) then checks the details against Form 26AS, the Annual Information Statement (AIS) and the Taxpayer Information Summary (TIS).

“Assuming there's nothing unusual in the filing and the bank account is already pre-validated, most taxpayers see the refund land in about four to five weeks,” says Aarjav Jain, executive director and NRI tax expert, Dinesh Aarjav and Associates Chartered Accountants.

How Long Refunds Take And Why Delays Happen

The timeline is only an estimate and may vary according to the complexity of the return, the form used, the department’s workload and the verification required. ITR-1 returns filed by salaried individuals may be processed within 10 to 20 days, while ITR-2 and ITR-3 returns involving capital gains or business income may take 45 to 90 days.

“After successfully filing and e-verification of an income tax return, an income tax refund usually takes three to six weeks (20 to 45 days) to hit your bank account,” says Deeksha Kankani Dhoot, founder, CA Deeksha Kankani & Associates.

Once an intimation under Section 143(1) is issued and the refund is approved, the amount may take another three to seven business days to reach the bank account.

Delays may occur if e-verification is pending, the bank account is inactive or not pre-validated, or PAN and bank details do not match. Differences between the ITR and Form 26AS, AIS or TIS may also lead to additional checks.

“If you claim a refund amount based on a TDS figure that doesn't match what your employer or bank uploaded to Form 26AS or the Annual Information Statement (AIS), the system halts processing for verification,” says Dhoot.

Outstanding tax demands from earlier years may be adjusted against the refund under Section 245. Returns involving foreign income, large transactions or unusually high refund claims may also receive closer scrutiny.

How To Track The Refund And Take Action

Taxpayers can log into the income-tax e-filing portal, select View Filed Returns and check whether the return is verified, processed or marked Refund Issued. The TIN-NSDL refund tracking facility can show the payout status after processing.

If the refund has not arrived within four to five weeks, taxpayers should check their registered email and mobile number for notices, review the Section 143(1) intimation and confirm that the nominated bank account is active and pre-validated.

“If the return shows as processed, there's been no communication from the department, and the refund still hasn't come through, at that point it makes sense to raise a grievance on the e-Filing portal directly,” says Jain.

Where the status shows Refund Failure, taxpayers can submit a refund reissue request after validating the bank account. If the status remains stuck for months, they may file an online grievance with the Centralised Processing Centre.

FAQs

1. How long does an income-tax refund usually take?

Most refunds are credited within three to six weeks after successful e-verification, though complex returns may take up to 45–90 days.

2. Why can an income-tax refund be delayed?

Common reasons include pending e-verification, an unvalidated bank account, PAN-bank mismatches, differences in Form 26AS or AIS, and outstanding tax demands.

3. What should taxpayers do if the refund is not credited?

Check the refund status and Section 143(1) intimation, validate the bank account, request a refund reissue if needed, or raise an online grievance.