When changing jobs, a new Provident Fund (PF) account is often opened at the new organisation. As a result, an employee may have multiple Provident Fund accounts after changing jobs several times. However, it is essential to merge all old PF accounts with the current account for future convenience. This maintains a continuous service record and makes fund balance management easier.

To simplify this process, the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has introduced the Universal Account Number or UAN system. All PF accounts of an employee can be linked to this single UAN number. When joining a new job, informing the new employer of your UAN number makes it possible to link the new PF account with the previous ones.

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Applications to merge multiple Provident Fund accounts can now be made online. Generally, the entire process can be completed in several steps.

Step 1: First, visit the EPFO Member Sewa portal. Log in there with your UAN number and password.

Step 2: After logging in, click on the 'Online Services' tab. Select the 'One Member – One EPF Account (Transfer Request)' option there.

Step 3: A page will then show your personal information and the current organisation's PF account details. The old PF balance will be transferred here.

Step 4: To transfer the old PF account, you need to enter the 'Previous Member ID' or previous UAN number. Then click on the 'Get Details' option.

Step 5: After this, information about previous PF accounts linked to your career will appear on the screen.

Step 6: Then, clicking on the 'Get OTP' option will send a one-time password (OTP) to your registered mobile number.

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Step 7: After submitting the OTP and filing the application, a request to merge PF accounts will be created.

This online request will first go to your current employer. Once the employer gives approval, EPFO verifies the application and merges the previous PF accounts with the current account. When the process is complete, all money deposited in your Provident Fund will be visible in a single account. This will make checking balances, transferring, or withdrawing money much easier in the future.