What is a Passport?A passport is an official identity and travel document issued by the Ministry of External Affairs. It allows Indian citizens to travel internationally and serves as valid proof of nationality. The validity of an Indian passport is 10 years for adults and 5 years for minors. There are three types of passports in India with differing issuance fees and processing times:Ordinary Passport (Blue): Issued to general Indian citizens for personal or business travel.Diplomatic Passport (Maroon): Issued to senior government officials and diplomats.Official Passport (White): Issued to individuals representing the Government of India on official assignments.To obtain a passport, an individual has to fulfil the eligibility conditions, such as being a citizen and of a certain age, and provide documents as proof of address, identity, and date of birth.What is a Passport?A passport is an official government-issued document that serves as proof of a person’s identity and nationality. It enables international travel by allowing the holder to enter and exit foreign countries legally. In India, passports are issued by the Ministry of External Affairs under the Passports Act, 1967.Indian passports are essential for:Applying for visas to travel abroadProving Indian citizenship in foreign countriesReceiving assistance from Indian embassies while overseasIt also acts as a valid identity document for various purposes within India.Why is a Passport Essential?A passport is essential because it legally authorizes international travel and acts as a globally recognized proof of identity and nationality.

The reissue of passport is necessary if your passport expires, is lost, damaged, or requires updated details. The process includes submitting the documents required for reissue of passport, filling in the application online, paying passport reissue fees and, in some cases, undergoing police verification. Key Highlights:Where to apply: Through the Passport Seva portal.Application process: Fill out the application form, pay fees, and schedule an appointment.Required documents: Differ based on reason for reissue, such as expiry, loss, or changes to personal details.Fees: Depends on booklet size and choice of service (Normal or Tatkal).Police verification: Mandatory in specific cases, like lost passports or address changes.What is Passport Reissue?Passport reissue is the process of obtaining a new passport booklet when the existing one has expired, is nearing expiry, is damaged, is lost, or has no blank visa pages.  It is also required if personal details such as name, address, or marital status need to be updated. A new passport number is issued, while your citizenship and identity remain unchanged.The application for reissue of passport must be submitted through the Passport Seva portal, supported by the required documents. Police verification for passport reissue is typically required when the name or address needs to be updated, if a passport is lost/ stolen or reissue of a passport after three years of expiry of the previous passport.Difference Between Passport Reissue and RenewalWhile both terms are often used interchangeably, they differ depending on the reason for obtaining a new passport booklet:Reissue of a passport: A passport is reissued when a new booklet is required due to the exhaustion of pages, damage, theft, loss, addition of pages, or update of particulars. In such cases, you can only apply for a reissue and not a renewal of your passport.Renewal of passport: Passport is renewed where the validity period of the passport is to be extended.

EPFO lets members withdraw their accumulated PF balance at retirement or earlier for emergencies or unemployment. With KYC, withdrawals can be done online via the UAN Member e‑Sewa portal without paperwork. EPFO 3.0, introduced recently, offers more flexibility and member convinience.   Which Form to File For PF Withdrawal?Current StatusPurposeWithdrawal TypeFormEmployedEmergency Fund or AdvancePartial WithdrawalForm 31Unemployed For less than 2 MonthsNo Withdrawal PossibleWait 2 monthsMore than 2 MonthsFull SettlementForm 19 & Form 10CRetiredMonthly PensionMonthly PensionForm 10DRetirement Final SettlementForm 19 & From 10C/10DRequirements For PF WithdrawalTo ensure than PF withdrawal application is not rejected make sure to the following requirements are complete:UAN & KYC: UAN must be activated. Also make sure to link Aadhaar and PAN, and verify it. Bank Details: Make sure that your bank account is linked with UAN.

In the Budget 2024, the government announced 3 new ‘Employment Linked Incentive’ (ELI) Schemes. These schemes provide benefits to employers and first-time employees enrolled for the EPF (Employees Provident Fund). However, activating UAN (Universal Account Number) and linking Aadhaar with the bank account is mandatory to receive the benefits under the ELI scheme. The EPFO has extended the last date for activating UAN and Aadhaar linking in your bank account to June 30, 2025. Know more about how to activate UAN, link your Aadhaar bank account and the last date for doing it.Deadline for UAN Activation and Aadhaar LinkingThe EPFO has provided a deadline for all first-time employees to activate their UAN to receive ELI scheme benefits. The EPFO initially provided that the last date for UAN activation and Aadhaar-bank linking is 2 February 2025. However, the EPFO has now extended the deadline for UAN activation and Aadhaar-bank account linking to 30 June 2025.

Linking Aadhaar with UAN is mandatory to use EPF services, file online claims, transfer PF, update details and receive benefits seamlessly. Employees can link UAN with Aadhaar to ensure faster PF withdrawal, online claim filing, and error-free KYC records.This guide explains how to link UAN with Aadhaar using online and offline methods.Key HighlightsYou can link Aadhaar with UAN via EPFO e-KYC portal (OTP/biometric), employer-assisted KYC, or by visiting the EPFO office.New EPFO rules allow Aadhaar–UAN linking even when personal details mismatch through online Joint Declaration (JD).You can check UAN–Aadhaar link status through the EPFO portal under Profile Information → Aadhaar.Methods to Link Aadhaar With Your EPF AccountMultiple online and offline methods can be used to link UAN with Aadhaar. Online MethodsThrough EPFO PortalThe option to link PF account with Aadhaar is currently unavailable. The steps to be followed earlier were:Step 1: Visit the Unified Portal of Employees’ Provident Fund and login by entering UAN and password Step 2: Click on ‘Manage’ on the top panel and then on ‘KYC’.Step 3: On the next page, under the ‘Add KYC’ tab, provide your bank, PAN, Aadhaar and passport details. Then click on ‘Submit’. After submitting, you can find these details under the ‘Pending KYC’ tab.

A Provident Fund (PF) is an investment fund wherein the employee and employer/government contribute toward an employee’s retirement corpus. All PF investments are made in the account maintained by the EPFO (Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation). The EPFO allocates a Universal Account Number (UAN) for such accounts. The Universal Account Number is a unique 12-digit number allotted by the EPFO to all its members. Irrespective of changing jobs, the UAN remains the same. The UAN is essential to view and download the EPF passbook.What is EPF Passbook?Every month, 12% of the basic salary plus Dearness Allowance (DA) of employees is contributed towards the PF account of the employee.

You can download your PAN card online as an e-PAN card through official government portals once your PAN is allotted or updated. The e-PAN is a valid digital copy of your PAN card. PAN card download can be done online using PAN number, Aadhaar number, or acknowledgement number.Key Highlights:e-PAN card can be downloaded for free within 30 days of allotment from NSDL, UTIITSL, or the Income Tax portal.Instant e-PAN issued via the Income Tax e-Filing portal is available within 10 minutes for Aadhaar-linked users.Mobile number linked with Aadhaar is mandatory for OTP-based e-PAN download.The e-PAN PDF password is the date of birth in DDMMYYYY format.Prerequisites for Downloading e-PAN CardBefore you proceed with PAN card download online, ensure the following requirements are met:Your PAN must be allotted or generated.Aadhaar card is mandatory for instant e-PAN download through the Income Tax portal.Your mobile number must be linked with Aadhaar to receive OTP.You should have at least one of the following:PAN numberAadhaar numberAcknowledgement number (for NSDL/UTIITSL applications) e-PAN Card Download After applying for the e-PAN card, you can download it once it is generated. Usually, the e-PAN card will be generated and allotted after 15 days of its application. The instant e-PAN card applied on the Income Tax website will be generated within 10 minutes of its application.However, please note that you can download the e-PAN card from the NSDL website only when you have applied for it on the NSDL website.

A UPI wrong transaction complaint can be raised when a UPI payment is sent to the wrong account or a transaction fails but the amount is debited. In such cases, users can report the issue through the official wrong UPI transaction complaint number or NPCI’s online grievance mechanism to get the issue resolved.Key HighlightsNPCI provides a dedicated helpline and online portal for UPI-related complaints.Complaints can be raised for wrong transfers, failed, pending, or debited transactions.Most UPI complaints are resolved within 3–5 working days.Complaint status can be tracked online using the complaint reference number.Providing accurate transaction details helps speed up resolution.Wrong UPI Transaction Complaint NumberThe official NPCI UPI complaint number is 1800-120-1740. This number is available 24x7 for addressing the concerns of the UPI users, enabling you to raise your concerns according to your preference. It usually takes 3 to 5 working days to resolve the UPI wrong transaction complaint once it is registered. How to Raise a Wrong UPI Transaction Complaint?If you are facing any issues while processing a UPI transaction, you can file a UPI wrong transaction complaint with the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI). To file a complaint for a wrong transaction, you can follow these easy steps:Step 1: Visit the official website of NPCI and navigate to their ‘What we do’ tab to select the ‘UPI’ option.Step 2: Click the ‘Dispute Redressal Mechanism’ under the ‘UPI’ option.Step 3: Scroll the page and click the ‘Transaction’ option under the ‘Complaint’ section.Step 4: Select the ‘Nature of the transaction’ according to your complaint.Step 5: Choose the issue as ‘Incorrectly transferred to another account’ and briefly comment on your issue.Step 6: Enter the transaction ID, bank name, rupees, transaction date, email ID and click ‘Submit’.Ensure all details are correct so that the officials can look after the issue carefully and resolve it at the earliest.How do I Complaint UPI Transaction Failed?Encountering a failed UPI transaction can be frustrating, but you can raise a complaint to resolve the issue at the earliest.

Updating your Aadhaar after a legal name change is essential for consistency across all government and financial records. While Aadhaar card name change online is no longer allowed, you can still update it easily at an Aadhaar Seva Kendra. This guide explains how to change name in Aadhaar card, required documents, fees, and how to track Aadhaar update status.Key HighlightsAadhaar name change must be done offline at an Aadhaar Enrolment Centre or Aadhaar Seva Kendra.Submit the Aadhaar Update Form along with a valid Proof of Identity (POI) and pay a fee of Rs. 50.You will receive a URN (Update Request Number) to track your Aadhaar name change status online.Aadhaar card name change cannot be done without valid ID proof, except in UIDAI-approved exceptional cases.Updated Aadhaar can be downloaded online once the request is approved.Aadhaar Card Name Change OnlinePreviously, the process of name change in Aadhaar card was both online and offline. However, now, only the address change in Aadhaar card is online, and the rest of the updates in Aadhaar card are offline. Aadhaar card name change can only be completed offline by visiting an Aadhaar Enrolment Centre or Aadhaar Seva Kendra. How to Change Name in Aadhaar Card?Currently, you cannot opt for Aadhaar card name change online.

Union Budget 2026 Update:Capital gains tax exemption on Sovereign Gold Bonds has been restricted in Budget 2026. Tax-free capital gains at maturity will now be available only to original subscribers who hold the SGB till maturity. Investors who buy SGBs from the secondary market will no longer be eligible for tax-free capital gains, even if held till maturity.Sovereign Gold Bonds (SGBs) are government-backed securities issued by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) as an alternative to physical gold. They eliminate storage concerns, offer assured annual interest, and provide capital gains tax exemption only for original subscribers holding the bond till maturity, as per Budget 2026. No new Sovereign Gold Bond tranches have been announced for FY 2026–27, as per the latest updates.Key HighlightsSovereign Gold Bonds (SGBs) offer 2.5% interest per annum on the issue price, paid semi-annually.SGBs have an 8-year maturity, with premature redemption allowed after the 5th year.Capital gains on SGBs are tax-exempt at maturity only for original subscribers who hold till maturity. SGBs purchased from the secondary market do not qualify for tax-free capital gains, even if held till maturity.SGBs can be bought in the primary market (new issues) or the secondary market (stock exchanges).What is a Sovereign Gold Bond?The Government of India introduced the Sovereign Gold Bond (SGB) in November 2015 under the Gold Monetisation Scheme to offer an alternative investment to physical gold.