Waiting for your IT refund? Here's a step-by-step guide for you

Track your ITR refund online with ease, know where to check, what each status means, and what to do if there's a delay

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If you’ve filed your Income Tax Return (ITR) for Assessment Year 2025-26 and are now waiting for your refund, you can easily check its status online. The Income Tax Department allows taxpayers to track their ITR refund through its official e-filing portal. Here’s a step-by-step guide based on the latest directions from the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT).

 

Where to check refund status

There are two ways to check your refund status:

 

• Through the income tax e-filing portal. 
• On the website of the refund banker, i.e., NSDL (now part of Protean eGov Technologies).

However, the most detailed and updated status is usually available on the e-filing portal itself, according to the Income Tax Department.

Step-by-step guide on the e-filing portal

• Go to https://www.incometax.gov.in 
• Click on ‘Login’ and enter your PAN, password and captcha 
• Once logged in, go to ‘e-File’ > ‘Income Tax Returns’ > ‘View Filed Returns’ 
• Select the relevant Assessment Year (2025–26) 
• Click on ‘View Details’ to check your ITR status 
• Scroll to the ‘Refund Status’ section to view the refund processing stage

This section will show whether your refund has been issued, is under process, or has failed due to incorrect bank details.

 

Refund issued but not received?

In many cases, refunds are delayed or fail due to bank account validation issues. CBDT advises taxpayers to ensure that the bank account provided for receiving the refund is:

 

Pre-validated

-Linked to the PAN

 

-Enabled for Electronic Clearing Service (ECS)

 

If the refund has been processed but not credited, you can raise a refund reissue request through the same portal.

 

Keep an eye on your messages

Taxpayers also receive email and SMS updates from the Income Tax Department once the refund is credited or if there’s a delay due to technical issues. So, make sure your contact details in the e-filing profile are up to date.

 

Refunds are typically issued within 20-45 days of successful ITR processing. But timelines may vary depending on the complexity of your return and bank validations.