Senior citizens no longer required to visit IRD for TIN registration

In a move aimed at easing the administrative burden on senior citizens and persons with disabilities, the Inland Revenue Department (IRD) yesterday said it has introduced a more accessible procedure for obtaining Taxpayer Identification Numbers (TINs). 

According to IRD Deputy Commissioner General B.K.S. Shantha, elderly citizens are no longer required to physically visit the IRD to apply for their TINs. Instead, they can now obtain this essential number by simply submitting their National Identity Card (NIC) along with proof of their current address.

Speaking to Mirror Business, the Deputy Commissioner confirmed that for elderly individuals and those with disabilities, the NIC alone is sufficient for the IRD to create a TIN.  

“We understand the challenges faced by certain groups in travelling long distances and waiting in queues at government offices. That is why we are streamlining this process for them,” he explained.

He further said that if these individuals are unable to visit banks or their respective financial institutions, arrangements have been made for them to submit their NICs through a family member or representative. 

Additionally, while the NIC is the primary document required, it is recommended that applicants also provide a billing proof or a valid email address. This is to ensure that the TIN certificate can be conveniently sent to them without unnecessary delays.

To support this initiative, banks and other financial institutions have been formally instructed to collect only the NIC from senior citizens and differently-abled account holders seeking a TIN. Financial institutions are then responsible for forwarding these NICs, along with the customers’ registered addresses and contact details, to the IRD. The IRD will use this information to create a tax profile and assign a TIN for each individual.

Once the profiles and TINs are generated, they will be delivered to the respective account holders within the following month.  The IRD emphasised that this service is being implemented in coordination with banks to ensure the process is efficient, secure, and accessible for all eligible individuals. By adopting a decentralised collection system through banks, the department aims to reduce congestion at its offices while offering better service to vulnerable community groups.

The IRD reassures the public that the personal data collected through this process will be handled with the highest standards of privacy and security.