Common Mistakes NRIs Make for PAN Card & How to Avoid

The application process for an Indian PAN card as a Non-Resident Indian (NRI) or Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) seems straightforward on the surface, but in reality, the Income Tax Department of India enforces strict, uncompromising guidelines. A single, tiny mistake, such as uploading an incorrect photo size, signing in to the wrong box, or selecting the incorrect tax code, can result in your application being rejected entirely. For NRIs, preventing a rejection comes down to knowing exactly where the most common pitfalls lie. 

This comprehensive guide breaks down the most frequent mistakes applicants make, explaining why they happen and providing clear, actionable steps to ensure your PAN application is approved seamlessly.

1. Signing in the Wrong Places

Why it happens: Most of the application forms have one or two signature fields. The PAN application form has three different areas requiring your signature or thumb impression. The third box, on the photograph itself, is easy to overlook and is commonly missed most of the time.

What goes wrong: The form is returned to you as incomplete. You must reprint, re-fill, and re-mail. If you have already sent the form internationally, this means you have to pay the courier fees again and incur at least three weeks of additional delay.

How to avoid it:

Here are the three signature areas on the PAN application form:

• Left Photograph box: You need to sign across the bottom edge of the photo, half on the photo and half on the form (this ties the photo to the form).
• Signature/Thumb Impression box: You must sign within the box in the left column; this is your formal signature for the PAN card.
• Declaration section: You also need to sign at the bottom of the form confirming that the information provided is accurate.

Before mailing, you should verify all three areas. Better yet, you may let someone else check the form against a diagram of the correct signature positions - fresh eyes catch that you become blind to.

2. Expired Passport or Outdated Bank Statements

Why it happens: Most of the time, people choose the most convenient document rather than the most current one. An expired passport feels like a valid ID - it still has your name, photo, and date of birth, and a bank statement from eight months ago seems recent enough, but the rules say otherwise.

What goes wrong: The expired passport is not accepted as the identity proof for a fresh PAN application. The bank statements can be used as address proof, but they must be dated within the last three months. Statements older than three months are likely to get rejected. 

How to avoid it:

• You should download a fresh statement within the week before you are going to submit. When applications get delayed, three months can pass way faster than you think.
• You should check the expiry date on your passport before you start the application. If it expires within 6 months, then you should renew it first. You require a valid passport for other India-related matters. 
• If the name format in your bank statement is different from your passport, then you can request a new one with the account name the same as your passport. 

3. Name Mismatch Between Documents 

Why it happens: Names can change after many years of emigration and life in another country. Your Indian bank account may list your name as it appears in your old documents. But your passport may have been issued a few years ago with a different name. Also, there's a chance that a US driver's license uses your legal name, in which case it expands the initial that is abbreviated in your passport.

What goes wrong: The NRI PAN card application processor compares the name on the application form with the names on other supporting documents. Any discrepancy can trigger a query or rejection, such as a single additional middle name. Here are some of the common mismatches: 

• Expanded initials on one document
• Father's name is included on one document but not another
• The middle name can be there on the passport, but absent from the bank statement
• The married name can be there in some documents, and the maiden name on others
• Different transliterations of the same name across various documents

How to avoid it: Before filling out the application form, bring all your documents and compare the name on each one yourself. Use the name exactly the same as it is on your passport as the primary reference. If a document has a different version of your name, then you should include an explanatory covering letter mentioning the discrepancy, or obtain an updated document. Do it before filling the single field on the form. 

4. Wrong International Taxation AO Code

Why it happens: The AO (Assessing Officer) code is used to identify the tax jurisdiction responsible for your PAN. NRIs must use the International Taxation AO codes (specific codes assigned by the city and country of residence). The application form requires this code, but it does not provide any guidance on finding the right one.

What goes wrong: If you use a domestic Indian AO code, your application may be flagged during processing and rejected. Worse can also happen; it may be processed and assigned, but to the wrong tax jurisdiction. This may cause problems with your tax filings later. 

How to avoid it: Look up the International Taxation AO code for your resident country on the Income Tax Department website before you start filling out the form. You will require: your country of residence and your nearest major city for the relevant Indian consular area. If you cannot find the correct code, then a wrong AO code is among the most damaging and hardest-to-correct errors in the application.

5. Photo Not Meeting Specifications

Why it happens: The PAN card photo specifications are strict and specific. Most applicants submit a passport-style photo thinking that it will be acceptable, but passport specifications and PAN specifications have important differences. 

What goes wrong: The photo is rejected at verification, and the entire application is returned. If the specifications are violated, then even a good photo can be rejected. 

How to avoid it: You should get your photos taken specifically for the PAN applications, and not repurposed passport photos. If you are in the US, a photo service can print to exact dimensions "3.5cmx2.5cm, white background, no glasses, ears visible". Take the photos within 3 months of your intended application date.

Official PAN Card Photo Requirements

• Size: 3.5 cm wide x 2.5 cm tall (landscape orientation, not the same as passport)
• Colour photograph: Black and white is not accepted
• Ears must be visible- hair pulled back, no earrings obscuring the ear
• Background: solid white or off-white- no patterns, no grey gradient
• Full face should be visible, eyes open, neutral expression, and looking at the camera
• Taken within the last 6 months- no old photos, even if they are high quality
• Printed clearly- no pixelation, no dark shadows on the face
• No glasses- this is a strict rule as of 2020; even the prescription glasses are not allowed.

6. Using the Wrong PAN Application Form

Why it happens: Most of the online guides refer to Form 49A (Form 93,94)- known by most of the Indians. When an OCI card holder or foreign national searches for "PAN Card application form", Form 93 appears. 

What goes wrong: Most people confuse Form 49A vs 49AA, currently Form 93,94,95,96. Form 93,94 are for Indian citizens (including those who are living abroad), and Form 95,96 are for foreign nationals and OCI/PIO card holders. Submitting the wrong form leads to rejection, and the error is often only discovered weeks into the process after you have mailed the physical documents. 

How to avoid it: The rule is quite simple once you know it:

• Form 93: For Indian citizens (by birth or naturalization), including NRIs who have an Indian passport, no matter where they currently live. 
• Form 95: For Foreign nationals (including OCI card holders, PIO card holders, and citizens of any country other than India) who need a PAN card for Indian tax purposes. 

7. Missing Attestation on NRE/NRO Statements

Why it happens: Foreign applicants are usually not aware that overseas bank documents require additional attestation. A clearly printed statement from Bank of America feels official enough, but in the eyes of the Indian Government, it is an unverified foreign document.

What goes wrong: The document is rejected for lack of attestation. You need to get attestation and resubmit, which means you need to visit a bank branch in person or schedule an appointment at an Indian consulate, both of which take time.

What attestation means: For overseas bank statements used as address proof, you need either: 

•  Bank manager attestation: a bank official present at your branch signs and stamps the statement confirming that it is genuine, or
• Indian consulate/ embassy attestation: an official at the nearest indian diplomatic mission stamps the document.

How to avoid it: If you are using an overseas bank statement as address proof, then get it attested by your bank manager before including it in your application package. The visit is going to be quite short, so don't miss it and let it be the reason for application failure.

8. Applying When You Already Have a PAN

Why it happens: NRIs who received a PAN card years ago and forgot about it, or those who are unsure whether a family member's earlier application ever went through. Sometimes, the first application "disappeared" into the system without a card arriving, and the applicant assumes it was never processed. 

What goes wrong: If a PAN was previously issued in your name and you submit a new application, the system marks it as a duplicate. This results in a penalty and a surrender process- you need to formally surrender one of the PANs. The process is lengthy and administrative. The penalty is a fixed amount of Rs 10,000, no matter whether the duplication was intentional or not.

How to avoid it: Before applying, you must check whether a PAN already exists in your name or not. You can do this by visiting the Income Tax e-filing portal. Then go to "Know your PAN" - you need your name, date of birth, and mobile number. If a PAN already exists, you need a correction/update, not a new application. If you have lost your physical card, then request a reprint- do not apply for a new one. 

9. Sending Documents Without Tracked International Mail

Why it happens: International tracked mail is more expensive than standard mail. When you are already stretched for time and patience, saving $15-20 on courier costs by cutting the tracking charges seems reasonable. 

What goes wrong: Untracked mail disappears without recourse. If your documents do not reach the Protean or UTIITSL processing centre in India, you have no proof of delivery, no claim, and no way to trace what happened. You lose the documents, which may include original certificates, and the fees you have paid for them to be attested and prepared. You must start the process entirely. 

How to avoid it: Always use a tracked international courier service with a scan at delivery. The tracking cost is $15-25 additional; the cost of re-doing the application from scratch is $80-120+. 

10. Not Tracking the Application After Submission

Why it Happens: Once you mail the documents, many applicants shift their attention elsewhere and assume that the process is running on its own. For resident Indian applications, this is fine as the process is faster and better supported. For NRI applications, the assumption of passive progress can be quite costly.

What goes wrong: Some applications have an "Under Process" status for 30, 45, or 60 days. This is usually a sign that a query has been raised - a clarification is needed on a document, a photo issue flagged - that no one has told the applicant. Without tracking status, you may miss the small window to respond before the application lapses. 

How to avoid: Check the application status every 7-10 days after submitting the document. Use the Protean tracking portal with your acknowledgment number. If the status remains the same after 20+ working days, you should immediately email Protean or UTIITSL to request a status update. You should include your PAN acknowledgement number and a clear subject line.

11. Using Outdated Form Templates After April 1, 2026

Why it Happens: Old Forms 49a and 49aa templates remain widely available online on cached pages, unofficial sites, and even some agency portals during the transition period. The applicants download these old forms and use them without realising that they have been superseded. 

What goes wrong: From April 1, 2026, India's Income Tax Department is replacing the current 2-form system with 6 new PAN card forms. All the applications submitted on old templates after the changeover date may be rejected or face processing delays. 

New document trap: The form change also introduces a new compulsory requirement- an additional Date of Birth proof document (different from Aadhaar). The applicants who were not aware of this requirement will submit incomplete applications even if they are using the new accurate form. 

How to avoid it: You should apply through an authorised service that is already working with the new forms. PAN Card Express is already compliant with the April 2026 changes and will provide the clients with the correct template of the form and checklist of documents.

Final Thoughts

Securing an Indian PAN card abroad does not have to be so stressful. Most application rejections are completely preventable and stem from minor, easily overlooked details rather than a fundamental lack of eligibility. With the above-mentioned checklist, you can easily catch the formatting errors, name discrepancies, and outdated documents before your paperwork is done. You should always double-check the forms, verify your signatures, and submit your application with complete confidence.

Whether you choose to handle the mailing and tracing independently or decide to take a professional pre-screening service, getting the logistics right is in your control. You may consider taking the PAN card application services from Visament, as they have a team of experts in this field.