The Public Provident Fund (PPF) is one of the most trusted long-term investment schemes in India. It offers guaranteed returns, tax benefits under Section 80C, and complete safety since it is backed by the Government of India. If you want to start investing, here’s a simple step-by-step guide on how to open a PPF account through a bank or post office.
Before you start, keep the following documents ready:
Most major banks like SBI, HDFC, ICICI, Axis, and others allow you to open a PPF account.
The Post Office also allows you to open and manage a PPF account.
| Feature | Bank Online | Bank Offline | Post Office |
|---|---|---|---|
| Process | Quick, paperless | Requires branch visit | Requires branch visit |
| Time Taken | Instant account number | 1-2 working days | 1-2 working days |
| Access | Net banking, mobile app | Passbook | Passbook / India Post Internet Banking |
| Best For | Tech-savvy users | People preferring manual process | Rural areas or non-digital users |
If you’re an Indian resident, you can open one. That’s it.
You’re allowed to have only one PPF account, but you can also open one for your child as a parent or guardian.
You can open it at a bank or a post office.
Most banks now let you open it online through net banking, which honestly makes things much easier.
Yes, if you already have a savings account with the bank.
As long as your KYC is done and Aadhaar–PAN is linked, the whole process takes just a few minutes.
Nothing complicated. Usually:
If your bank already has your KYC, you might not even need to submit anything again.
You can start with just ₹500.
That’s the minimum to open and keep the account active.
Yes, there is a cap.
You can deposit it all at once or in small parts — totally up to you.
Yes. Many parents do this.
You’ll manage the account until your child turns 18.
After that, you can withdraw the money or continue the account if you want.
Yes, very safe.
If possible, try to deposit before the 5th of the month.
Your money stays invested longer that way and earns a bit more interest.
No. NRIs can’t open a new PPF account.
But if someone becomes an NRI after opening one, the existing account can continue till maturity.
This is one of the best parts.
The Public Provident Fund (PPF) is one of the most trusted long-term investment schemes in India. It offers guaranteed returns, tax benefits under Section 80C, and complete safety since it is backed by the Government of India. If you want to start investing, here’s a simple step-by-step guide on how to open a PPF account through a bank or post office.
Before you start, keep the following documents ready:
Most major banks like SBI, HDFC, ICICI, Axis, and others allow you to open a PPF account.
The Post Office also allows you to open and manage a PPF account.
| Feature | Bank Online | Bank Offline | Post Office |
|---|---|---|---|
| Process | Quick, paperless | Requires branch visit | Requires branch visit |
| Time Taken | Instant account number | 1-2 working days | 1-2 working days |
| Access | Net banking, mobile app | Passbook | Passbook / India Post Internet Banking |
| Best For | Tech-savvy users | People preferring manual process | Rural areas or non-digital users |
If you’re an Indian resident, you can open one. That’s it.
You’re allowed to have only one PPF account, but you can also open one for your child as a parent or guardian.
You can open it at a bank or a post office.
Most banks now let you open it online through net banking, which honestly makes things much easier.
Yes, if you already have a savings account with the bank.
As long as your KYC is done and Aadhaar–PAN is linked, the whole process takes just a few minutes.
Nothing complicated. Usually:
If your bank already has your KYC, you might not even need to submit anything again.
You can start with just ₹500.
That’s the minimum to open and keep the account active.
Yes, there is a cap.
You can deposit it all at once or in small parts — totally up to you.
Yes. Many parents do this.
You’ll manage the account until your child turns 18.
After that, you can withdraw the money or continue the account if you want.
Yes, very safe.
If possible, try to deposit before the 5th of the month.
Your money stays invested longer that way and earns a bit more interest.
No. NRIs can’t open a new PPF account.
But if someone becomes an NRI after opening one, the existing account can continue till maturity.
This is one of the best parts.
