Your untouched EPF and PPF are still yours after you move abroad, but neither pays into a US account: EPF settles into an Indian bank account, and a PPF withdrawal as an NRI goes only to an NRO account. So start with the bank account, not the claim form. The four steps: open an NRO account, claim your EPF, close your PPF, then move the money to the US.
What "dormant" means for each account
You probably left India with three things running on autopilot: an old employer's EPF (Employees' Provident Fund) balance, a PPF (Public Provident Fund) account, and the savings account both were linked to. Each one goes quiet under a different rule, and the fix starts with knowing which rule applies.
Your EPF keeps earning, and that's the trap
An EPF balance you stopped contributing to doesn't become inoperative when you leave your job. Under paragraph 72(6) of the EPF Scheme, 1952, as amended in November 2016, an account becomes inoperative only at age 58, and interest is credited until then.
That sounds like good news, and it is for growth. It's also why people leave the money for a decade, then find the UAN was never activated, the KYC is stale and the linked bank account is frozen.
Your PPF can't be extended once you're an NRI
If you opened the PPF while resident, you can keep it to its 15-year maturity as an NRI. You can't extend it in five-year blocks the way a resident can.
A year without the ₹500 minimum deposit makes it a discontinued account. Reviving one takes ₹500 for each missed year plus a ₹50 penalty per year.
Your old savings account is probably frozen
An Indian bank treats a savings account as inoperative after two years with no transaction you started yourself. Since June 2025, RBI rules require banks to let you refresh KYC to reactivate it at any branch, or by video KYC where the bank offers it.
Reactivating a resident savings account doesn't solve the problem, though. As an NRI you shouldn't be running one at all, which is where step 1 comes in.
Step 1: Set up an NRO account before you file anything
Every route out of EPF and PPF ends in an Indian bank account, so build that first. An NRO account (Non Resident Ordinary) is the account an NRI uses for money earned or held in India, and it's the only account a PPF payout can be credited to.
Your options, in order of effort:
- Ask the bank holding your frozen savings account to re-designate it as NRO. You'll refresh KYC as part of that.
- Open a new NRO account remotely. Most large banks do this from the US with a passport, visa and overseas address proof.
- Use an existing NRO account if you already have one, even at a different bank.
Get the NRO account's IFSC and confirm the account name matches your PAN and passport exactly. A single-letter mismatch is enough to bounce an NEFT credit.
Step 2: Unblock and claim your EPF
EPF has two routes, and which one you take depends on your Aadhaar and UAN status, not on how long the account has been quiet.
If your UAN is active and Aadhaar is linked
Log in to the EPFO member portal, add the NRO account under KYC, and have it approved. Then file Form 19 for final settlement online.
If the account has been flagged as inoperative, raise an unblock request first through the portal's inoperative account assistance option. It goes to your last employer, then to EPFO officers for approval.
If you have no Aadhaar, or it isn't linked
Under an EPFO circular dated 29 November 2024, Indians who migrated abroad, took foreign citizenship and never got Aadhaar can file a physical claim using their passport. EPFO verifies the bank account manually and pays by NEFT. If the balance is above ₹5 lakh, your former employer must also confirm your identity.
If you're still an Indian citizen without Aadhaar, the paper Form 19 route through the regional EPFO office remains open, though it's slower. Getting an Aadhaar card as an NRI on your next India trip usually costs less time than the paper route.
Step 3: Close the PPF and take the PPF withdrawal as an NRI
Visit or write to the bank or post office branch that holds the PPF, and ask for the maturity proceeds or a closure to be credited to your NRO account. Bring your passport and visa, since the bank needs proof of your current residency status.
Your choice depends on where the account stands:
| Where your PPF stands | What you can do as an NRI | Interest effect | Where the money goes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Past its 15-year maturity | Close it; you can't extend | None, full rate | NRO account only |
| Five or more financial years, not mature | Close early on change of residency | 1% below the rates credited | NRO account only |
| Under five financial years | Nothing yet; wait until it qualifies | Keeps earning the full rate | Not applicable yet |
Worked example. Priya moved to Seattle in 2019. Her PPF, opened in 2015, matures in 2030, and her old savings account is frozen.
She opens an NRO account at the same bank instead of reviving the savings account, then closes the PPF early under the residency change rule. She gives up 1% on the interest but can repatriate the money now.
Whether that 1% is worth paying depends on what the money does next. If it's sitting idle until 2030 anyway, I'd usually let a PPF run to maturity: it keeps compounding tax free in India and you lose nothing by waiting.
Step 4: Move the money to the US
Once the funds sit in NRO, RBI lets you remit up to USD 1 million per financial year from NRO balances. Your bank will ask for Form 15CA, and above ₹5 lakh usually a CA certificate on Form 15CB, the same Form 15CA and 15CB process used for rent.
The USD 1 million cap is per financial year across all your NRO money, not per account, so plan it alongside any property sale. The full repatriation rules and the RBI's own FAQ on NRI accounts cover the limits.
The US side of a dormant account
Dormant in India doesn't mean dormant to the IRS. On client returns I treat a PPF as a deposit account in your own name, not a foreign trust, so Form 3520 doesn't apply.
It does go on your FBAR and Form 8938. Interest credited after you became a US resident is US income in the year it's credited, even though India exempts it.
EPF raises a snag I've hit on client returns. A passbook for an untouched EPF account can show the 1 April opening balance and nothing after it, so you'll need to work out the 31 December figure the FBAR asks for yourself.
How PPF and EPF are taxed in the US covers the income side, and a dormant or closed account on your FBAR still counts.
Your next step
Open or re-designate the NRO account this month, before touching either claim. I'd do that first even if the PPF matures years from now, because every later step waits on it. If you'd like help sequencing the claims and the US reporting, InvestMates can map it out with you.
Frequently asked questions
Can I withdraw my old PF amount online without a UAN?
No, you can't withdraw an old PF balance online without a UAN, because online claims need an activated UAN with completed KYC. Without one, you file a paper Form 19 at the EPFO regional office, and a UAN is generated as part of processing the claim.
What to do if Aadhaar is not linked with UAN?
If Aadhaar isn't linked with your UAN, link it on the EPFO member portal if you hold an Aadhaar number. If you're a foreign citizen who never had Aadhaar, EPFO's November 2024 circular lets you file a physical claim with your passport instead.
Can I activate my dormant bank account from abroad?
Yes, you can usually reactivate a dormant Indian bank account from abroad, because RBI's June 2025 changes allow the KYC update by video KYC where your bank offers it. Ask the bank to re-designate it as NRO, the right NRI account type, rather than reviving it as a resident account.
How do I withdraw my PPF amount from SBI as an NRI?
To withdraw your PPF amount from SBI as an NRI, apply at the SBI branch holding the account with your passport and visa, and name your NRO account for the credit. Proceeds can't go directly to an NRE account or abroad, and the rules for existing PPF accounts still apply.
Can I reactivate my EPF account after moving abroad?
You can unblock an EPF account after moving abroad, but you can't restart contributions without a new Indian employer. Unblocking only lets you claim the balance, which still earns interest until you turn 58.