Which record should change first?
This is an evidence-first sequence, not a rule that a passport always overrides every other record. If PAN and passport are correct and only bank data is wrong, ask the bank to correct its record.
| Mismatch | Evidence to establish the correct detail | First correction |
|---|---|---|
| Married name | Marriage certificate or accepted name-change evidence linking old and new names | Update the outdated identity record, then PAN if it still carries the old name |
| Spelling | Accepted identity document with correct spelling | Correct the mistranscribed record |
| Date of birth | Birth certificate or other accepted full-date evidence | Resolve conflicting source records; correct passport if wrong, PAN if wrong |
| Father's name | Accepted evidence bearing the correct father's name; change evidence for a substantive change | Correct the wrong parent field, not the applicant's name |
| Initials expanded | Identity proof supporting the full name | Correct the abbreviated PAN database name if required, then KYC |
For an Indian passport error, follow the passport reissue procedure; for a foreign passport, its issuing authority's procedure. Marriage does not turn the PAN father's-name field into a husband's-name field. Do not change a correct birth date merely to pass a bank match.
File PAN CR-01 from abroad
Since 1 April 2026 the individual correction form is PAN CR-01, replacing the old 'Request for New PAN Card or/and Changes or Correction in PAN Data' form for individuals. It serves Indian and foreign citizens.
Start a correction request through Protean or UTIITSL. Enter the existing PAN, complete mandatory fields and select the fields to change. Provide the current identity, address and date-of-birth proofs, PAN copy and evidence of the requested change. Follow the chosen provider's signature, photograph and submission instructions.
Protean offers physical-document and eligible paperless routes. If using physical documents from abroad, send the signed acknowledgement and supporting papers to the address shown in its current instructions. Its published procedure says they should reach it within 15 days of online application; allow for overseas delivery. Keep the acknowledgement and track the request.
CR-01 asks NRIs for their passport number and foreign-citizen individuals for their country-of-residence TIN. Do not substitute a fresh-allotment form because you have changed citizenship.
The document pack, including a foreign passport holder's identity proof
| Purpose | Evidence to prepare |
|---|---|
| Existing PAN | PAN card copy, as requested by CR-01 |
| Foreign-citizen identity | Passport, Indian-issued PIO card, OCI card, or other national/citizenship ID or TIN with the prescribed attestation |
| Foreign-citizen address | An accepted document bearing the address, including overseas bank or Indian NRE statement where applicable |
| Birth date | Passport or other permitted evidence showing the full date; the foreign-citizen list also allows specified birth certificates |
| Marriage-related name change | Marriage certificate; provider also lists marriage invitation, Gazette publication, passport showing husband's name, or gazetted-officer certificate |
| Minor spelling or initials correction | Suitable identity proof bearing corrected details |
| Other substantive name change | Gazette publication or gazetted-officer certificate under the provider's additional-document list |
The national/citizenship ID or TIN alternative needs a Hague Apostille, Indian embassy/High Commission/consulate attestation, or attestation by authorised officials of an overseas branch of an Indian scheduled bank. That is not a blanket apostille rule for every passport copy.
An Indian citizen living abroad uses the Indian-citizen evidence list. Under the 2026 rules, Aadhaar is not date-of-birth proof. Confirm any conflict between old web instructions and the current form with the provider before dispatch.
Keep the same PAN, then check each downstream record
A correction keeps the PAN number. Do not file a fresh application or obtain a second PAN to solve a mismatch. If two numbers already exist, use the duplicate-PAN surrender page; fresh PAN for a foreign passport holder is a different workflow.
| Record | What to do after correction |
|---|---|
| PAN database | Check the corrected name and birth date with Verify Your PAN |
| E-filing profile | Check Personal Details; if the old data remains, raise a support request with the acknowledgement and corrected PAN |
| Each bank | Submit its change/KYC request, corrected PAN and identity/change evidence; obtain confirmation |
| Broker, DP and KRA | Submit the intermediary's modification request and requested proof; check the client master and KYC status |
Do not treat receipt of a corrected card as confirmation that every institution has updated. PAN identity correction is also separate from e-filing residential status and the NRI status-change checklist.
Clear the mismatch before the deed date
Make the identity check part of preparing the draft deed. Compare the seller's or buyer's full name, PAN number and passport details with the bank records that will receive or release the money. Give the conveyancing professional the old-to-new name evidence and ask how the deed should record the identity trail.
Plan completion around confirmed correction and KYC acceptance, not the date you submit CR-01. Keep time for a provider query, overseas document delivery and separate bank or DP review. If the transaction is already scheduled, give those desks the acknowledgement and ask what remains outstanding; an acknowledgement is not evidence that the correction has been processed.
Do not alter an old deed, tax certificate or bank statement yourself to make its name match. Keep the historical document with the evidence linking the names.
A worked example: Neha's Bengaluru sale
Fictional example. Neha in Toronto plans to sell her Bengaluru flat for Rs 90 lakh. Her correct passport uses her married surname; PAN and the receiving bank still use her maiden surname. A proposed Rs 9 lakh advance plus Rs 81 lakh at completion totals Rs 90 lakh before any transaction taxes or deductions. These are deal figures, not tax calculations.
She prepares the marriage certificate, passport, existing PAN and address evidence, then files CR-01 for the supported name change. After processing, she verifies the PAN details and submits the bank's separate name-change request. Her lawyer checks the identity trail for the old deed and new sale documents.
She retains the same PAN throughout. She does not tell the buyer that submitting CR-01 has cleared the bank's review; she obtains confirmation before relying on the planned payment date.