Finally I got my long awaited PAN (Permanent Account Number) Card. In the history of PAN cards (which is not that long but still) mine is the one that has taken the longest from the original date of application. I should have taken my PAN card a few years ago but always failed to fill the application form after taking one (I took 6 forms at different times from 2007 to 2011) and never applied till November of last year. So let me tell you the saga.
On November 11th, after my applications for a credit cards being rejected due to not having a valid PAN card, I finally decided to get over myself and go and apply for it. There are several agencies through which you can apply for the PAN but I chose the route via my bank – Federal Bank. That was mistake number one. Most people choose their bank route as it is a lot easier but the service at my particular branch of Federal Bank has been horrendous and I should have been wiser. Anyways, I went there got a form, filled it out and gave them my ids forms – my voter’s id card (as an identity proof) and my apartment’s landline bill (which is in my father’s name) as the residence proof. On being told that the application would get rejected as the landline bill wasn’t in my name, the bank AM had a suggestion – use the bank statement which a lot of people are doing. So I did, remitted the money for the application and they said that they would use the statement. I was to wait for a month – well the agencies have promised the card in 7-10 days but alright!
30 days passed by and no card. I waited some more. On December 28th I called the bank and asked them the status. My application had been rejected – why? because my id proof was not valid. I asked “Did you send the bank statement like you said that you would?” “Oh, we forgot!” Suffice to say, they said that they would resend the application once the form gets back to them. January 18th I get a text message saying that my application was in progress! Yippee! I waited till just a week back and went back to the bank and asked them the status. “You should get it in a week!” And then this happened!
This morning as I was leaving the apartment building, the security guard from the building opposite mine called me and showed me a crumpled, dusty envelop with a person’s dusty partial shoe print on it. The envelop contained my PAN card and luckily it was well covered and hence not damaged. The post man must have dropped it on his way there. This envelop is a registered mail and ideally he should have got someone from my residence to sign for it, in case I wasn’t at home. Luckily for me, a handyman at the next building say it and gave it to the security guard as he recognized me! What the fuck!
Anyway, I now have my PAN Card and have applied for a credit card this afternoon!