Pension question, India
Can I withdraw my PF after leaving India?
A member who resigns (rather than retires at superannuation) must wait two months after leaving service before the EPF amount can be withdrawn. An EPF account that receives no contribution for three years after retirement, permanent migration abroad, or death is classified as inoperative.
What to do next
- Find your UAN or PF account number on old payslips.
- Note the date you left your last Indian job and the date you moved abroad.
- Run our free check to see which other countries may hold a pension in your name.
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Tell us where you worked. The free check shows which countries may hold a pension for you, and which can be ruled out and why. No sign in, no charge.
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Does an inoperative account keep earning interest?
EPFO classifies an account as inoperative when no contribution has been received for three years after retirement or permanent migration abroad, and its answer on whether such an account earns interest is no, with interest running only to age 58.
- Source: epfindia.gov.in and pib.gov.in, read 4 October 2026
Do you give advice on what to do?
No. We identify where a pension is likely held and the official route to it, and we name each source with the date we read it. We do not give financial, tax or legal advice.