How Long Does a TDS Refund Take in India?

I would also check the actual ITR status, rather than relying only on the refund amount shown in the return.

The Income Tax Department identifies different stages, including:

• Submitted and pending for verification
• Successfully e-Verified / Verified
• Processed
• Defective

A return that has not yet been processed is different from a return that has been processed but has a pending refund issue.

If there is a discrepancy or communication from the department, it is better to address that first instead of simply waiting for the refund.

I had a delay because I initially assumed the refund would automatically go into any bank account linked to my PAN.

It is worth checking your bank-account validation on the e-filing portal. The Income Tax Department's ITR filing guidance specifically advises taxpayers to pre-validate their bank account so that any refund due can be credited.

If the return has already been processed but the refund hasn't reached your account, check whether there is a refund failure or whether a refund reissue request is required.

The department also provides an online refund reissue process where a taxpayer can select a validated bank account and submit the request after e-verification.

From what I understand, the important date is ITR verification, not simply the date on which you upload the return.

The Income Tax Department says refund processing starts after the return is e-verified. Its refund-status guidance says that a refund generally takes around 4–5 weeks to be credited after e-verification.

So if you filed the return but left it pending for verification, I wouldn't count the processing period from the original upload date.

I would first check that the return shows as successfully verified and then monitor the refund status on the income-tax e-filing portal.