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Check the GST Portal to see whether your refund is awaiting action, then check PFMS to see whether the bank account was validated and payment was disbursed. They show different stages of the same workflow: a processed application is not necessarily a paid refund.
Where to check GST refund status
Use the GST Portal for the application and officer stage. Use the Public Financial Management System (PFMS) for bank validation and payment movement. GSTN describes the distinction in its refund-tracking advisory: the GST Portal indicates where an application is pending with the officer or taxpayer, while PFMS reports bank validation and disbursal.
| Service | What it tracks | How to check |
|---|---|---|
| GST Portal | Application progress, officer action and taxpayer action or notices | After login: Services > Refunds > Track Application Status. Search using the filing year or ARN. GSTN also documents a pre-login route: Services > Track Application Status, select Refund, and enter the ARN. |
| PFMS | Bank-account validation and refund disbursal | Choose the PFMS view for the stage: GST Registered for validation after RFD-01; GST Successfully Processed after RFD-05; or GST Under Process if the record is absent from Successfully Processed. |
GSTN’s tracking advisory says, “Thus, validation of bank account takes place at two stages.” PFMS checks the account after the refund application is filed in RFD-01 and again after the officer issues the payment order in RFD-05. A GST Portal status and a PFMS status can therefore differ without being contradictory.
How to track a refund by ARN
- Open the GST Portal tracking page. Sign in and go to Services > Refunds > Track Application Status, or use the pre-login Services > Track Application Status route and select Refund.
- Enter the ARN or select the relevant filing year. The ARN is the application reference used to locate the refund claim.
- Review the current stage and any associated communications. If the status indicates taxpayer action, open the notice or communication and follow its instructions and deadline.
- If the officer has issued RFD-05, check PFMS as well. Use GST Successfully Processed to look for the disbursal record; if it is not there, check GST Under Process for a failure description.
GSTN provides the portal routes and PFMS stage checks in its tracking advisory. Historical status labels are also recorded in a GSTN functionality note; the live portal may present labels differently.
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Letter Size Yearly Tax Organizer Book with 12 Separate Pockets Spiral Bound 8.5x11 Tax Document Folder Tax Record Book with Tabs Monthly Bill Receipt Income Tax Organizer System for Home Office Taxes
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What to do when the claim is pending or delayed
| Stage or form | Where to check | What it means | Next action |
|---|---|---|---|
| Awaiting acknowledgment or scrutiny | GST Portal, using the ARN | The application is still at an application/officer stage, or the portal is awaiting further handling. | Check for notices and communications. Under the CBIC refund rules, a non-cash-ledger claim is scrutinized for completeness within 15 days; a complete application receives RFD-02, while deficiencies are communicated in RFD-03. This is a statutory processing step, not a guarantee that every live claim will follow that timing. |
| RFD-03 deficiency memo | GST Portal, claim communications | The application has been marked deficient; this is not a final merits rejection. | Correct the deficiencies and file a fresh RFD-01. CBIC Circular 59/33/2018-GST says the deficient application is not further processed and no RFD-04 or RFD-06 order is to issue on that application unless a fresh claim is submitted. |
| Bank validation after RFD-01 | PFMS, select GST Registered | PFMS is validating the nominated bank account. The check can be made using GSTIN or account number. | Read the displayed status and failure description. Do not treat a generic wait as a fix for incorrect bank details. |
| Bank validation or payment after RFD-05 | PFMS, check GST Successfully Processed and then GST Under Process | The officer has issued a payment order, but validation or disbursal may still be underway or may have failed. | If the record is missing from Successfully Processed, look in Under Process for the failure reason and follow the corresponding correction steps. |
| RFD-08 show-cause notice | GST Portal, notice and communication for the claim | The officer proposes that all or part of the refund is inadmissible or not payable; it is not yet the final order. | Reply in RFD-09 within 15 days of receiving the notice, with relevant documents. The officer considers the response and issues RFD-06; the rules require a reasonable opportunity of being heard before rejection. |
| RFD-06 final order | GST Portal, order and reasons | The claim may be sanctioned, partly sanctioned, or rejected. GSTN’s functionality note records these status labels, but a label does not replace the actual order. | Download and read the order, including its reasons. If considering an appeal, verify the applicable route and deadline for that particular refund order. The GST Portal’s general appeal FAQ describes a three-month period and possible further month for certain demand-order appeals; it does not establish that this period applies to every refund order. |
If PFMS reports bank details are wrong
Update the bank account details in the refund application and ask the jurisdictional officer to reissue RFD-05. GSTN distinguishes incorrect account details from technical file-exchange errors: for technical errors, GST System correction and revalidation are described as the remedy, rather than taxpayer bank-detail changes. The GST Portal’s bank-account guide explains account status indicators such as verified, failed, pending and successful with remarks.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.When interest may apply to a delayed refund
Section 56 of the CGST Act provides for interest when a qualifying refund under section 54(5) is not paid within 60 days from receipt of the application. The Act sets a general ceiling of 6%. For the specified refund arising from an order that has attained finality, the ceiling is 9% if payment is not made within 60 days after the consequent application. These are statutory ceilings, not a guarantee that every delayed refund earns interest at those exact rates; eligibility, the applicable notified rate, the starting date and case-specific facts matter. See section 56 of the CGST Act.
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The refund rules provide for an interest order and payment advice in RFD-05 specifying the delayed amount, delay period and interest. The 60-day interest trigger is not a universal deadline for every stage of refund processing. Consult the CBIC Refund Rules and the governing order for the particular claim.
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- Large capacity: This tax document organizer has 13 pockets, each holding about 40 sheets of paper, it can be flexibly expanded and shrunk as the number of files increases, holding a total of about 500 sheets of paper, ideal for organizing and protecting important documents, paperwork, bills, tax records, receipts, invoices and more
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- Broad uses: this expandable file folder organizer is proper for organizing various financial and tax related documents, with strippable labels and divider labels for sorting, making your tax preparation more systematic and managed, ideal for annual tax returns, document storage and filing, professional tax services, and tax agencies
Keep the claim record together
- Save the ARN and note the date the application was received.
- Keep copies of RFD-02, RFD-03, RFD-05, RFD-08, RFD-09 and RFD-06 as they arise.
- Retain PFMS status details and any bank failure description.
- For a notice or rejection, preserve the communication date, response deadline, reply and supporting documents.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
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