ITR Processed but Refund Not Credited to Bank Account? Here’s What to Do

The Income Tax Department is all over the news with taxpayers alleging that their ITR filing status is showing “processed” although the refund is yet to hit their bank account. The last date to file Income Tax Returns was extended to September 16 for the assessment year 2025 – 26 and as per reports, 7.68 crore ITRs have been filed this year. However, many taxpayers are taking it to social media over the ambiguous ITR status.

If you’re one among the many taxpayers wondering “after filing ITR, when will I get a refund”, then this read is for you. Know more about ITR refund time, how to check income tax refund status and what should you do if your refund is delayed.

ITR Refund Delayed

The Income Tax Department refunds any excess tax paid by a taxpayer than their actual liability. Once processed, the income tax refund takes about 15 to 30 days to reflect in your bank account. This year, the last date to file ITRs was extended twice to September 16th for the convenience of taxpayers.

As per reports, the apex tax authority has already processed more than 6 crore ITRs out of the 7.68 crore ITRs filed. Even then, many taxpayers are alleging over social media platforms that even though the status of their ITR filing has changed to “processed”, they have not received any refund amount in their bank account.

Common Reasons for ITR Refund Delay

Your income tax refund may be delayed if:

• You’ve furnished incorrect bank details on the e-filing portal
• There’s a mismatch between the tax data in your ITR and the tax data available in Form 26AS or Annual Information Statement
• There’s a simple backlog in the processing stage

What Does ITR Refund Processed Mean?

While a “processed” status against your income tax refund can be often misinterpreted as refund initiated, it has a different meaning. If your ITR refund status shows “processed”, it simply means that the Income Tax Department has completed the process of verifying your Income Tax Returns and calculated the final amount to be refunded.

However, even after being processed, the refundable amount may be delayed due to one or more of the aforementioned reasons for a delay.

How to Check Income Tax Refund Status

You can easily check your income tax refund status from the government’s income tax portal by following these three simple steps below:

Step 1: Visit the income tax portal and log in with your user ID and password.

Step 2: Navigate to “View Filed Returns” under the “Income Tax Returns” tab.

Step 3: Select the current assessment year and click on “View Details” to check your ITR refund status.

What to Do if ITR is Processed but Refund is Delayed

If your income tax refund status has changed to “processed” but the refund is delayed, consider the following measures:

• Double-check if you’ve furnished correct bank account details in the income tax portal.
• Contact your bank to verify if there’s a delay at their end.
• Raise a refund reissue request on the income tax portal.
• Wait 15 – 30 days for the refund to process.
• Reach out to the Centralised Processing Centre (CPC) of the Income Tax Department

Important Helpline Numbers

To Conclude

Taxpayers in India are taking it to social media to complain about a delay in ITR refund this year, even when the ITR refund status is showing as “processed”. While the ideal wait time can be up to 30 days, refund may be delayed if you’ve furnished incorrect bank account details, there is a mismatch of tax information in your ITRs filing and Annual Information System available with the department or simply because of a backlog in processing stage. In case your bank account details are correctly furnished, you can raise a refund reissue request on the e-filing portal or reach out to the Centralised Processing Centre (CPC) of the Income Tax Department in Bengaluru.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many days does it take for an ITR refund?

An ITR refund usually takes anywhere between 15 to 30 days after the status of refund has changed to “processed”.

Why is my ITR refund delayed even though ITR status is showing “processed”?

Your ITR refund can be delayed due to various reasons such as incorrect bank account details in the government’s e-filing portal, mismatch of tax data or simple backlogs in the processing stage.

What does ITR refund processed mean?

ITR refund processed means that the Income Tax Department has verified your Income Tax Returns and calculated the final amount to be refunded.

What steps can I take if my ITR refund is delayed?

If your ITR refund is delayed, you must first cross check if information related to bank account and tax information is correctly furnished.

Can I request a refund reissue from the Income Tax Department?

Yes. In case your income tax refund is delayed, you can raise a refund reissue request through the e-filing portal.