Income Tax Refund Status: How to Check It and Fix Delays (AY 2026-27)
Filed your return and still waiting for the refund? Here is where to check the status, what each status means, why refunds get stuck and how to get a failed refund reissued.
Official portal: Income Tax e-Filing Portal
Indus Tax is a private CA firm, not affiliated with the Government of India. This guide explains the official process; we never ask for your portal password.
Before your refund can start
Refunds only begin once these basics are in place:
- The return is filed and e-verified within 30 days — an unverified return is not processed
- The bank account for the refund is pre-validated under My Profile > My Bank Account
- The name on the bank account matches the name on your PAN
- Your PAN is linked with Aadhaar — refunds are not issued on an inoperative PAN
How to check refund status on the e-filing portal
The portal shows the full life-cycle of your return:
- 1Log in at incometax.gov.in.
- 2Go to e-File > Income Tax Returns > View Filed Returns.
- 3Select Assessment Year 2026-27 (or the year you want).
- 4Click View Details to see each stage — filed, verified, processed, refund issued — with dates.
- 5Once processed, the intimation under Section 143(1) sent to your email shows the refund computed.
Check refund status without logging in
After the department sends the refund to the refund banker, you can also check it on the Protean (formerly NSDL) refund status page at tinpan.proteantech.in with just your PAN and assessment year. It shows whether the refund was paid, and the mode and date of payment.
What each refund status means
The status tells you whether to wait or act:
| Status | Meaning | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Return filed, not verified | The return has not been e-verified | e-Verify now — within 30 days of filing |
| Successfully e-verified | Queued for processing at CPC | Wait |
| Processed with refund due | Refund computed and sent for payment | Watch your bank account and the status page |
| Refund issued | Paid to your bank account | Match the amount with the 143(1) intimation |
| Refund failed | Bank rejected the credit (closed account, IFSC or name mismatch) | Fix bank details and raise a refund reissue request |
| Refund adjusted against demand | Set off against an earlier outstanding demand | Check Pending Actions > Response to Outstanding Demand; disagree if the demand is wrong |
How to request a refund reissue
If a refund failed, you can ask for it to be paid again:
- 1Log in and go to Services > Refund Reissue.
- 2Click Create Refund Reissue Request and select the record.
- 3Choose a pre-validated, EVC-enabled bank account.
- 4Verify with Aadhaar OTP, EVC or DSC and submit.
Why refunds get delayed
If a refund is paid late, you are generally entitled to interest under Section 244A at 0.5% per month. The usual causes of delay are:
- The return was not e-verified, or was verified late
- The bank account is not pre-validated, or has been closed
- Your claim does not match AIS or Form 26AS and is flagged for adjustment
- An old demand is being adjusted against the refund
- A defective-return notice under Section 139(9) is pending
- Large refunds are sometimes reviewed more closely
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