The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has issued new standard operating procedure guidelines for correcting personal details of Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) members in their provident fund accounts.
As per an EPFO circular issued on July 31, 2024, “In suppression of earlier SOP, the Competent Authority has approved the SOP verison 3.0 for joint declaration for member profile updation. In all cases of joint declaration requests, the Field Offices should do a stronger due diligence so that, cases of impersonation/ identity theft or otherwise do not occur.”
A joint declaration is a request made by employees, which is then authenticated by the employer, for the modification or addition of members’ basic profile parameters. Any changes requested through a joint declaration must be supported by the necessary documents. The basic profile parameters include: Name, Gender, Date of Birth, Father’s Name, Mother’s Name, Spouse’s Name, Marital Status, Date of Joining, Reason for Leaving, Date of Leaving, Nationality, and Aadhaar number.
The circular has divided the profile changes into Major and minor categories. Documentary proof must support all major and minor change correction requests, stated the EPFO circular. For minor changes, at least two required documents must given along with the joint declaration requests. For major changes, at least three required documents have to be submitted. In case of changes related to Aadhaar, an Aadhaar card or E-Aadhaar card linked with an active mobile number would be a sufficient document.
Read More: Provident Fund For Your Kid: Is PPF A Good Option For Minor Children?
Here is a look at changes categorised as major and minor.
Major changes in personal details of EPF member
| Member name | If the name gets changed phonetically irrespective of number of alphabets getting changed,In case 3 or more than 3 alphabets get changedIf expanding the name |
| Date of birth | If the change in date of birth is more than three years |
| Father’s name | If the name gets changed phonetically irrespective of number of alphabets getting changed,In case 3 or more than 3 alphabets get changedIf expanding the nameIf inserting the name for the first time |
| Mother’s name | If the name gets changed phonetically irrespective of number of alphabets getting changed,In case 3 or more than 3 alphabets get changedIf expanding the nameIf inserting the name for the first time |
| Spouse name | If the name gets changed phonetically irrespective of number of alphabets getting changed,In case 3 or more than 3 alphabets get changedIf expanding the nameIf inserting the name for the first time |
| Marital status | If status is changed after the death of EPF member |
| Date of joining | If date is changed after the death of EPF member |
| Reason of leaving | If the reason is changed after the death of EPF member |
| Date of leaving | If the change is done after the death of EPF member |
| Nationality | From Non-SSA to SSA country |
| Aadhaar | All types of changes or updation related to Aadhaar |
Read More: Check EPF balance online: Simple steps to check your EPF balance via the UMANG app
Minor changes in personal details of EPF member
| Member name | If less than 3 alphabets get changed and the name not changing phonetically,If adding surname in case of female after marriageIf removing salutations like Shri, Dr. Mr and Mrs. Miss etc. |
| Gender | Male/Female/Transgender |
| Date of Birth | If the date of birth change is less than or equal to three years |
| Father’s name | If less than 3 alphabets getting changed and the name not changing phonetically,If removing only salutations like Shri, Dr., Mr., Mrs. Miss etc. |
| Mother’s name | If less than 3 alphabets getting changed and the name not changing phonetically,If removing only salutations like Shri, Dr., Mr., Mrs. Miss etc. |
| Spouse name | If less than 3 alphabets getting changed and the name not changing phonetically,If removing only salutations like Shri, Dr., Mr., Mrs. Miss etc. |
| Marital status | Change in status in any other cases |
| Date of joining | Change in status in any other cases |
| Reason of leaving | Change in status in any other cases |
| Date of leaving | Change in status in any other cases |
| Nationality | From Non-SSA to non-SSA country changeSSA to SSA country changeSSA to non-SSA country changeFor updating the nationality as Indian for the first time |
How to submit joint declaration request for corrections in EPF account
The EPF member can submit a joint declaration request for correction via the Member e-Sewa portal. A member can get only data corrected for those EPF accounts maintained by the present employer. No employer will have any modification rights for EPF accounts belonging to other/previous establishments. There is also a limit on the number of times changes in personal details are allowed.
