ITR Filed but Not Verified? You Risk a ₹0 Refund

Submitting your ITR online is only half the job. You must verify it within 30 days or the Income Tax Department treats it as invalid — meaning no refund, possible penalties, and a wasted filing.

Here's what happened: The Income Tax Department requires e-verification within 30 days of submitting your ITR, or the return is declared null and void.. Multiple verification methods exist: Aadhaar OTP, net banking login, EVC via bank account or demat account, DSC, or physical ATM.. If you miss the 30-day window, you can apply for condonation of delay, but approval is not guaranteed and causes significant delays in refund processing..

What you should do: Log in to incometax.gov.in right now and check if your filed ITR shows 'ITR-V Pending' — if yes, verify immediately using Aadhaar OTP (fastest method, under 2 minutes).. If your mobile number is not linked to Aadhaar, use net banking or EVC via your bank account to complete verification before the 30-day deadline expires.. Set a calendar reminder for the day you file: mark '30-day verification deadline' so you never accidentally let it lapse in future years..

Aadhaar OTP verification is instant and works even at midnight — no need to visit a bank or wait for ITR-V post. It's the fastest way to lock in your refund.