Refund Failed: How to Raise a Refund Reissue Request

A failed refund isn't lost. CPC (the Centralised Processing Centre) sent it, the credit didn't go through, and the money waits until you ask for it again. You do that with a refund reissue request on the e-Filing portal, under Services > Refund Reissue. The request itself takes a few minutes. The part that takes time is fixing why the first credit failed, because the portal only lets you pick a bank account that is already validated.

So do it in this order: find the cause, fix it, wait for the account to show Validated, then raise the request.

Step 1: Confirm the refund actually failed

Go to e-File > Income Tax Returns > View Filed Returns, choose the assessment year and click View Details. The refund status should show that the refund failed. If it shows the refund as issued, partly adjusted or fully adjusted instead, a reissue request is the wrong tool; see ITR processed but no refund in your bank for those cases, and every refund status message for what each one means.

Step 2: Find out why it failed

The portal's Refund Status user manual gives five reasons:

Reissuing to the same account without fixing the cause will fail again.

Step 3: Fix the cause

Inoperative PAN. Link PAN with Aadhaar first, paying the late fee the portal asks for. A refund isn't paid while the PAN is inoperative. See inoperative PAN: frozen refund and how to undo it.

Bank account problems. Go to Profile > My Bank Account.

1. Add the account under Add Bank Account, or pick the existing one and correct it.
2. Submit it for pre-validation. The portal sends the request to your bank, and according to the portal's FAQ the status updates within 10 to 12 working days. You get the result by SMS and email.
3. If validation fails, the account moves to Failed Bank Accounts, where you can click Re-Validate after fixing the problem. Bank account pre-validation failed covers each error.
4. When it shows Validated, turn on Nominate for Refund.

Only savings, current, cash credit, overdraft and NRO accounts can be validated for refunds. A PPF or loan account fails with an Invalid Account error.

Step 4: Raise the refund reissue request

These steps follow the portal's Refund Reissue user manual. Button labels may change slightly over time.

1. Log in to the e-Filing portal.
2. On the Dashboard, go to Services and click Refund Reissue.
3. Click +Create Refund Reissue Request.
4. Select the failed refund record and click Continue.
5. Select the bank account for the refund and click Proceed to Verification. Only validated accounts appear here. If the one you want is missing, use the Add Bank Account link and come back once it is validated.
6. Choose how to e-verify and click Continue.
7. Note the Transaction ID shown on the success message. You also get a confirmation by email and SMS.

Verification options

You can verify the request with:

• an OTP on the mobile number registered with Aadhaar
• a DSC (digital signature certificate) registered on the e-Filing portal
• an EVC (electronic verification code) through a validated bank account, a demat account or net banking

Step 5: Follow the request

Go back to Services > Refund Reissue and click View Refund Reissue Request to see the status of what you submitted. Once the request is accepted, the refund status for that year on View Filed Returns should change when the refund is sent again.

The portal doesn't publish a fixed time for a reissued refund to arrive. If weeks pass without any change on either page, raise a grievance on e-Nivaran quoting the Transaction ID; see e-Nivaran done right.

A worked example

Suresh's AY 2026-27 return was processed with a refund of ₹14,250. The refund failed because the savings account he gave in the return had been closed in May 2026.

The reissued amount follows CPC's records. Interest under section 244A, if due, is worked out by CPC; Suresh doesn't have to claim it in the request. Refund interest under section 437 (formerly 244A) explains how it is calculated.

AY 2026-27 refunds still run under the Income-tax Act, 1961, even though the Income-tax Act, 2025 has applied since 1 April 2026.

Common mistakes

• Raising the request before the account is validated. The account won't appear in the list. Validate first.
• Leaving the closed account nominated. Remove or un-nominate accounts you no longer use so future refunds don't fail the same way.
• Using reissue for an adjusted refund. If the refund was set off against an old demand, there is nothing to reissue; challenge the demand instead.
• Losing the Transaction ID. You need it for any grievance later.

Watching refunds for several PANs

If you file for family members, myutils.me is an independent app that signs in to the portal for each PAN you add and shows each return's status and refund details, including the account and bank reference the portal holds. It refreshes when you add a PAN or press Sync. The reissue request itself has to be raised on the portal.

FAQ

How do I raise a refund reissue request?

Log in to the e-Filing portal, go to Services > Refund Reissue, click Create Refund Reissue Request, select the failed refund, pick a validated bank account, e-verify, and note the Transaction ID.

Why can't I see my bank account in the reissue request?

Only validated accounts are listed. Add or re-validate the account under Profile > My Bank Account and wait for it to show Validated, which can take 10 to 12 working days.

Can I raise a reissue request if my refund was adjusted against a demand?

No. Reissue is for a refund that failed. An adjusted refund was used to pay the demand; if that demand is wrong, respond to it and file a rectification.

How long does a reissued refund take?

The portal doesn't publish a fixed time. Track it under View Refund Reissue Request and the refund status on View Filed Returns, and raise an e-Nivaran grievance with the Transaction ID if nothing moves for several weeks.

Will a failed refund still earn interest?

You don't apply for interest in the reissue request; CPC works out any interest due under section 244A. An inoperative PAN affects interest, so if that was the cause, read the inoperative PAN guide.

Sources

• Refund Reissue user manual, Income Tax e-Filing portal
• Refund Status user manual, Income Tax e-Filing portal
• My Bank Account FAQs, Income Tax e-Filing portal