TAN Application Not Accepting Documents? Here's the Solution
Many Chartered Accountants, Company Secretaries, Tax Practitioners, and other professionals are currently facing serious difficulties while applying for TAN through the DSC route on the Protean portal.
The portal used for online TAN allotment in India often throws document upload errors, causing TAN applications to remain pending for several days. In many cases, professionals are unable to proceed despite uploading valid documents.
The TAN application portal is:
https://tin.tin.proteantech.in/tan2/servlet/NewTanAppDSC
Unfortunately, the portal support team and customer care often do not provide timely resolutions, resulting in delays for clients. Additionally, several manual TAN applications are reportedly being redirected to Protean for processing.
After handling multiple TAN applications and testing various solutions, we have identified a practical workaround that successfully resolves the document upload issue.
Common Error Messages in TAN Application
While uploading supporting documents, applicants may encounter the following errors:
Error 1
"PDF DPI should be 200"
Error 2
"Please Upload a Standard Document"
Even when the uploaded PDF appears perfectly valid, the system may still reject it.
Why Does This Error Occur?
The Protean TAN portal appears to have strict document validation requirements regarding:
Document format
Resolution (DPI)
Color mode
File structure
Many PDFs generated through scanners, mobile applications, or PDF converters do not comply with these internal validation parameters, resulting in upload failures.
Tested Solution to Resolve TAN Document Upload Error
Follow the steps below carefully.
Step 1: Convert PDF into JPEG Images
Instead of uploading the PDF directly:
Open the PDF document.
Convert each page into a separate JPEG image.
Ensure that every page is saved individually.
Example:
Aadhaar Page 1 → aadhaar1.jpg
Aadhaar Page 2 → aadhaar2.jpg
Step 2: Convert JPEG Images into Black & White and Set DPI to 200
This is the most important step.
For each JPEG image:
Convert the image to Black & White (B&W).
Set the image resolution to 200 DPI.
Save the image again in JPEG format.
You can use:
Adobe Acrobat
Photoshop
Microsoft Paint
Online DPI converters
Scanner software
The TAN portal generally accepts images much more reliably when they are:
✔ Black & White
✔ 200 DPI
✔ JPEG Format
Step 3: Upload Documents Page by Page
Do not merge the documents back into a PDF.
Instead:
Upload each page separately.
Upload only JPEG files.
Verify that every uploaded page is visible and readable.
This method has successfully worked for several TAN applications that were previously getting rejected with DPI and document format errors.
Additional Tips for Successful TAN Application Filing
To avoid repeated rejections:
Use Clear Scans
Avoid blurred documents.
Ensure text is readable.
Keep File Size Moderate
Very large files may fail during upload.
Compress images if required without reducing readability.
Avoid Mobile Camera Photos
Whenever possible, use:
Scanner
Adobe Scan
CamScanner
Office Scanner
and then convert to the required specifications.
Rename Files Properly
Use simple names such as:
addressproof.jpg
identityproof.jpg
authorizationletter.jpg
Avoid special characters in file names.
What to Do if TAN Application Is Still Pending?
If the application remains pending despite successful upload:
Track the TAN application status regularly.
Preserve acknowledgement receipts.
Maintain copies of uploaded documents.
Escalate the matter through Protean support channels.
Keep clients informed regarding portal-related delays.
Conclusion
The "PDF DPI should be 200" and "Please Upload a Standard Document" errors have become common issues for professionals filing TAN applications through the DSC route.
Based on our practical experience, the most effective solution is:
✔ Convert PDF to JPEG
✔ Convert JPEG to Black & White
✔ Set resolution to 200 DPI
✔ Upload page-wise JPEG files
This simple workaround has helped successfully process multiple TAN applications that were otherwise stuck due to document validation errors.
If you are a CA, CS, Advocate, Tax Consultant, or Business Consultant facing similar TAN portal issues, this method may save significant time and prevent unnecessary application delays.
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