Hitting "submit" on your return is only half the job. Until you verify it, the Income Tax Department treats your return as though it was never filed — no processing, no intimation, and no refund. You have just 30 days. This guide covers verification, what happens next, and how to track (or rescue) your refund. For the filing itself, see our complete guide to income tax return filing.
The 30-day rule
You must verify your return within 30 days of filing. This window was reduced from the earlier 120 days with effect from 1 August 2022, and it catches out people who remember the old timeline.
The consequence of missing it is severe: an unverified return is treated as invalid — legally as if you never filed. That means no refund, no Section 143(1) intimation, and exposure to late-filing consequences if the deadline has since passed.
The six ways to e-verify
Log in at incometax.gov.in and go to e-File → Income Tax Returns → e-Verify Return. Then choose:
1. Aadhaar OTP — the fastest for most individuals, done in under two minutes. Requires PAN-Aadhaar linking and a mobile number registered with UIDAI. The OTP is typically valid for about 15 minutes. 2. Net banking — log in to the e-filing portal through your bank's net banking and it verifies automatically. 3. Bank account EVC — generates a code to your registered mobile and email. The account must be pre-validated and EVC-enabled. 4. Demat account EVC — the same, through a pre-validated demat account. 5. Digital Signature Certificate (DSC) — mainly used by companies, firms, and audit cases. 6. An already-generated EVC — if you have a valid code in hand.
A common failure point: the Aadhaar OTP goes to the mobile number registered with UIDAI, which is often not the number in your e-filing profile. If OTP verification fails, check PAN-Aadhaar linking first, then your UIDAI mobile number.
The offline route: physical ITR-V
If you can't verify electronically, print the ITR-V acknowledgement, sign it in ink, and post it to CPC. Four things matter here:
- Send it to the Centralised Processing Centre, Income Tax Department, Bengaluru – 560500, Karnataka. (This address was updated in 2024 — many older guides still publish the earlier Electronic City address.)
- Send by ordinary or speed post.
- The date CPC receives it — not the date you posted it — is what counts for the 30-day limit. Post early.
- Sign inside the designated box. For AY 2026-27, signing outside it can render the physical ITR-V invalid.
Once verified electronically, you should not send anything to CPC — the acknowledgement itself says so.
Missed the 30 days? You still have options
File a condonation request on the e-filing portal explaining the delay, and e-verify once it's accepted. If the request is rejected, you'll need to re-file the return as a belated return — with the consequences that carries. See our guide to belated, revised, and updated returns.
Always confirm the status has actually changed from "verification pending" to "successfully verified" before you consider the job done.
What happens after verification
Verification hands your return to CPC for processing. Broadly:
| Stage | Typical timing |
|---|---|
| Verification | Immediate (online) |
| Processing at CPC | Around 15–30 days from e-verification for straightforward returns |
| Intimation under Section 143(1) | Sent by email once processed |
| Refund credited | Usually within a few days of the intimation |
These are indicative, not guaranteed — complex returns, mismatches, and seasonal backlogs all stretch them.
Reading your Section 143(1) intimation
This is the department's summary of how it processed your return, comparing your figures with its own. It ends in one of three outcomes: refund due, tax demand raised, or no demand, no refund. Read it carefully — if a demand has been raised, it needs attention. See our guide to responding to an income tax notice.
Tracking your refund
Two ways:
- Without logging in: use the NSDL/Protean refund status tool with just your PAN and assessment year (AY 2026-27) plus a captcha.
- With login: go to e-File → Income Tax Returns → View Filed Returns → View Details for the relevant year, which shows the refund amount and credit date.
Refund entries also appear in Form 26AS — see our guide to Form 26AS vs AIS.
Why refunds fail or get delayed
Almost all refund problems trace to a handful of causes:
- Bank account not pre-validated — by far the most common. Refunds are credited only to a pre-validated account linked to your PAN.
- Invalid IFSC, a closed account, or a name mismatch between your bank records and your PAN.
- PAN not linked to Aadhaar. An inoperative PAN blocks the refund entirely — and you earn no interest for that period.
- Adjustment against an earlier outstanding demand.
- Mismatch with Form 26AS or AIS, which can push the return into further checking.
- A large refund attracting additional verification, or a general processing backlog near the due date.
How to fix a failed refund: reissue
If the status reads "Refund Failed":
1. First pre-validate the correct bank account under My Profile → My Bank Account. 2. Go to Services → Refund Reissue and click Create Refund Reissue Request. 3. Select the validated bank account and the relevant assessment year. 4. e-Verify the request using Aadhaar OTP, EVC, or DSC.
Reissued refunds generally take a few weeks. If the status has been stuck at "Processing" for an extended period, you can raise a grievance through e-Nivaran on the e-filing portal, or contact the CPC helpline on 1800-425-2229.
Interest on a delayed refund
If the department delays your refund, you're entitled to interest under Section 244A at 0.5% per month (6% per annum) on the refund amount.
- Where the return was filed by the due date, interest runs from 1 April of the assessment year to the date the refund is granted.
- Where the return is belated, interest runs only from the date of filing — another quiet cost of filing late.
- Part of a month is ignored in the computation.
Example: a ₹25,000 refund credited seven full months after 1 April would carry interest of ₹25,000 × 0.5% × 7 = ₹875.
Two things to remember: this interest is taxable as Income from Other Sources in the year you receive it, and an inoperative PAN forfeits it for the blocked period. Note also that under the Income Tax Act, 2025, this provision is renumbered — but Section 244A is what applies to your AY 2026-27 refund.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Assuming filing is the end of it — an unverified return is legally never filed.
- Thinking you still have 120 days — it's been 30 days since August 2022.
- Posting ITR-V late — receipt at CPC, not dispatch, stops the clock.
- Sending ITR-V after e-verifying — unnecessary.
- Not pre-validating your bank account before filing — the top cause of refund failure.
- Ignoring the Section 143(1) intimation — it may contain a demand.
A note on changing rules
Timelines, portal navigation, the CPC address, and section numbering all change — the verification window itself was cut from 120 days to 30. Treat this as a current-position guide and confirm the process on the e-filing portal before acting.
Conclusion
Filing is step one; verification within 30 days is step two, and without it nothing else happens. Use Aadhaar OTP if you can — it takes two minutes — and confirm the status reads "successfully verified." After that, watch for your Section 143(1) intimation, track the refund on the portal or the NSDL tool, and make sure your bank account is pre-validated and PAN-Aadhaar linked, because that's where most refunds come unstuck. Get those two things right and the money usually arrives without you having to chase it.
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FAQs
1. How long do I have to e-verify my ITR? 30 days from the date of filing. This was reduced from 120 days with effect from 1 August 2022. Miss it and your return is treated as invalid — legally as if it was never filed.
2. What happens if I don't verify my return? It isn't processed at all: no Section 143(1) intimation, no refund, and you may face late-filing consequences. You can file a condonation request on the portal; if rejected, you must re-file as a belated return.
3. What is the fastest way to e-verify? Aadhaar OTP — usually under two minutes. It requires your PAN to be linked to Aadhaar and an active mobile number registered with UIDAI. Note the OTP goes to your Aadhaar-registered number, which may differ from your e-filing profile number.
4. Where do I send the physical ITR-V? To the Centralised Processing Centre, Income Tax Department, Bengaluru – 560500, Karnataka, by ordinary or speed post. The date CPC receives it counts for the 30-day limit, so post early — and sign inside the designated box.
5. Why has my refund failed? Most often because your bank account isn't pre-validated on the portal. Other causes include an invalid IFSC, a closed account, a name mismatch with your PAN, an inoperative PAN (not linked to Aadhaar), or adjustment against an earlier demand. Fix it via Services → Refund Reissue.
6. Do I get interest if my refund is delayed? Yes — 0.5% per month (6% per annum) under Section 244A, from 1 April of the assessment year if you filed on time, or from your filing date if the return was belated. This interest is itself taxable.
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Suggested Internal Links
- Income Tax Return Filing (complete guide) → `/income-tax-return-filing/` — anchor: "complete guide to filing your return"
- Belated, Revised & Updated Returns → `/belated-revised-updated-return/` — anchor: "belated and revised returns"
- Respond to an Income Tax Notice → `/respond-income-tax-notice/` — anchor: "responding to an income tax notice"
- Form 26AS vs AIS → `/form-26as-vs-ais/` — anchor: "checking Form 26AS and AIS"
- Which ITR Form to File → `/which-itr-form-to-file/` — anchor: "which ITR form applies"
- Advance Tax → `/advance-tax/` — anchor: "advance tax and excess payments"
- ITR Filing Service → `/services/itr-filing/` — anchor: "get your return filed and verified"
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About the author
Regikart CA Team
Chartered Accountants at Regikart. Want to discuss this in the context of your business?
