NBR sees strong response to online applications for tax return deadline extension
The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has received a strong response from taxpayers in submitting online applications for extension of the income tax return filing deadline for the 2025-2026 tax year. The NBR has made online submission of income tax returns mandatory for all individual taxpayers, except for a few special cases, for the 2025-2026 tax year.
More than 5 million individual taxpayers have already registered in the NBR's e-return system, and over 4.15 million taxpayers have submitted their returns online for the current tax year. The deadline for submission of income tax returns for individual taxpayers has been extended until March 31, 2026. However, taxpayers who submit a written application before March 31, 2026, may receive up to 90 days of additional time from the concerned tax commissioner to file their returns.
To make the time-extension process easy, fast, transparent and convenient, the NBR has introduced a fully online system for submitting applications and approving extensions. Taxpayers can now log in to the e-return system and apply for deadline extension through the "Time Extension" menu, said an NBR press release today. In the last few days, more than 5,000 taxpayers have applied online for extension of the return submission deadline, and most of the applications have already been approved online within a short time.
Based on the online applications, tax commissioners of respective tax zones are approving extension requests digitally. Once the extension is granted, taxpayers can submit their returns within the extended period without paying any penalty or additional tax. Taxpayers who have not yet submitted their returns must apply for extension before March 31, 2026, if they want to avoid penalties and submit returns within the extended period. Those who are not registered in the e-return system must first complete registration using their biometric SIM before applying for the extension.
Taxpayers for whom online return submission is not mandatory can apply for extension either online or by submitting a written application directly to their respective tax circles. The NBR has urged all individual taxpayers to submit their income tax returns through the e-return system by March 31, 2026, to avoid penalties or additional tax. However, those unable to submit within the deadline may apply online for up to 90 days' extension by providing valid reasons before March 31, 2026.
