EPFO rules for NRIs’ EPF withdrawal: Do NRIs need to wait till 58 years of age to withdraw their employees’ provident fund retirement corpus?

Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) withdrawals can generally be made after a member turns 58, on retirement, or after remaining unemployed for more than two months.

But do the same rules apply for EPF subscribers who leave India for employment or other purposes and become a Non-resident Indian (NRI)? Do they have to withdraw their entire EPF corpus or can they withdraw it partially? Can they withdraw their corpus immediately after leaving India, or do they have to wait till the retirement ageof 58? Know what the latest Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation rules say.

Can an NRI withdraw their EPF corpus?

Existing EPFO members can withdraw their accumulated EPF balance before migrating abroad for employment opportunities. Members who plan to settle abroad permanently can apply for a complete withdrawal of their EPF balance after completing the prescribed formalities.

An NRI can also retain the EPF balance and withdraw it on reaching the applicable retirement age of 58 years. The balance continues to earn interest at an 8.25% per annum rate, even though an NRI is not allowed to make further contributions to the EPF account as an NRI.

Do NRIs need to wait till 58 years of age to withdraw their EPF retirement corpus?

NRIs do not have to wait until the age of 58 to withdraw their EPF balance if they are leaving India and relocating permanently overseas. The complete withdrawal of the EPF balance is permitted in such a situation.

Is EPF withdrawal taxable for NRIs?

EPF withdrawals may be taxable for NRIs under the applicable income tax provisions and EPF rules. The tax treatment depends on factors such as an employee’s period of service in India before moving abroad, the timing of withdrawal and the exemptions applicable to the withdrawal.

Therefore, an NRI should check the applicable tax provisions before withdrawing the EPF balance, particularly when the withdrawal is being made before retirement.

For resident Indians, an EPF withdrawal is generally tax-free if they have completed five years of total continuous service at the time of the final settlement, subject to the conditions, and generally taxable if they withdraw earlier.

When can an NRI withdraw their EPF balance?

The timing of an EPF withdrawal depends on the member’s situation. For NRIs, the rules provide different withdrawal options depending on whether they are moving abroad permanently, have stopped working, or have reached the prescribed age for withdrawal.

Moving abroad for employment: An existing EPFO member can withdraw the accumulated EPF balance before leaving India for a job overseas.

Settling permanently outside India: If the member is leaving India with plans to settle abroad permanently, the entire EPF balance can be withdrawn. The member can apply for the withdrawal before leaving India after completing the required formalities.

Unemployment: An NRI can also withdraw the EPF balance after remaining unemployed for at least two months.

At 54 years of age: If the member does not opt for an immediate withdrawal, a partial withdrawal can be made at the age of 54, or one year before the applicable retirement age. After job loss, EPF members can withdraw up to 75% of their PF balance immediately, including employer contributions and interest. The remaining 25% can be withdrawn after one year of unemployment.

As an NRI, you may withdraw your EPF balance upon attaining retirement age. Although you may not contribute to it as an NRI, your balance keeps earning 8.25% interest PA, which you can withdraw fully.