Filed ITR? Your income tax return will become invalid if you don’t do THIS step within 30 days

Income tax returns: The Income-Tax (I-T) Department has noted that when filing your returns all assessees must complete the process by completing e-verification of their ITR filing.

In fact, not doing so within 30 days after filing your returns may result in your ITR refund getting delayed due to “invalid” or “incomplete” process.

The tax department has clarified that you can complete the requirement on the e-filing portal using Aadhaar OTP, net banking, or electronic verification code (EVC) generated using a pre-validated bank account or pre-validated demat account, to ensure a secure and hassle-free process.

Steps to e-verify your ITR on income tax portal

• Go to the income tax department’s e-filing portal here (incometax.gov.in). Click on ‘e-Verify Return’.
• You need to enter your PAN, assessment year for which the verification is being done (2025-26), and acknowledgment number.
• Alternatively, you can also log in with your PAN and password, then go to “My Account” and then click “e-Verify Return”.
• The new page will then display the file for which verification is pending.
• Click on “e- verify” where you will be shown three options:

1) I already have an EVC to e-verify my return.

2) I do not have an EVC and I would like to generate EVC to e-verify my return.

3) I would like to use Aadhaar OTP to e-verify my return.

Can someone else verify your filing for you?

The Authorised signatory or representative can e-Verify the return on behalf of the assessee using any of the following methods:

What happens if e-verification or ITR-V is submitted after deadline?

Where the return of income is uploaded within due date but e-verified or ITR-V submitted after 30 days of uploading, in such cases the date of e-verification / ITR-V submission shall be treated as the date of furnishing the return of income and all consequences of late filing of return under the act shall follow, as applicable.

The date on which the duly verified ITR-V received at CPC shall be considered for the purpose of determination of the 30 days period. It is further clarified that where the return of income is not verified after uploading, such return shall be treated as invalid.