505. Is there a difference between

Resident & Non-Resident PAN Card?

Question: I have a PAN card which I received when I was living in India, and filed my income-tax return as resident. Now I reside in USA and have a US citizenship, and have NRO Savings and NRE Demat account. My bank has requested me to update address for PAN card. I was reading that I can submit correction in PAN DATA form to updated my address from India to USA and submit the documents and fees required. Since I am a US Citizen, do I have to apply for a new PAN card, and surrender my old card which I had received as resident? Is there a seperate form to update the status on my PAN Card from Resident to US Citizen? Can I request change of address and also change of status on the same correction form ? Thank you for your help. Thanks Paresh Thacker Answer: There is no requirement for a former Indian citizen to surrender their PAN Card and apply for a new one. A person can only have one PAN Card and it is valid for life. There is no difference in NRI/PIO/OCI holder PAN Cards, they are all the same. Recently though, the application form for a new PAN CARD (those applying for the first time) has been changed for Indian citizens and foreign citizens. The obvious reason for such a change seems to be the verification document requirement for Indian citizens and foreign citizens. The Indian citizen form specifies documents required for Indian citizens and the applicable fee in India. On the other hand the foreigners form, specifies the documents required for verification purposes and applicable fee from foreigners, such as PIOs/OCI holders etc. For step by step instructions on how to change your address on PAN Card please see question number answer to question number 496 titled, How to change your address on your PAN Card.

NRIs Holding Indian Passport

should use PAN Application for

Indian citizens

Those people who hold Indian citizenship, even if they are settled abroad should use the form applicable to Indian citizens. [Form 49A]. The reason for this is that the PAN Application FORM 49AA on the question of applicants country of citizenship, does not offer India as a choice in their drop down menu. Those who hold foreign citizenship, such as OCI holders, Persons of Indian Origin who have acquired foreign citizenship or foreigners who are not of Indian origin should all use Form 49AA