Why having an Aadhaar card is mandatory and How to get one made -

India has introduced the concept of Unique Identification Number for all its citizens. It will help the government to pass on the appropriate benefits and services in a seamless and efficient manner to them. Such unique number technology can be seen in developed countries like United States of America where it is called Social Security Number. Indian government has also decided to adopt UIN (Unique Identification Technology) to upgrade its old technology and introduce a new age digitised service to boost its development efforts for all its citizens.

Aadhaar is a 12 digit identification number given to every citizen of India based on their biometric and demographic data. The 12 digit number will be unique for every individual. The Aadhaar number is being issued and managed by UIDAI (Unique Identification Authority of India).

Prior to the enactment of the Act, the UIDAI functioned, since 28 January 2009, as an attached office of the Planning Commission (now NITI Aayog). On 3 March, 2016 a money bill was introduced in the Parliament to give legislative backing to Aadhaar. On 11 March, 2016 the Aadhaar Act, 2016, was passed in the Lok Sabha. The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) was established under the provisions of the Aadhaar Act, 2016 on 12 July, 2016 by the Indian Government.

Aadhaar Card Details Aadhaar Card comprises of details about the person enrolled in it. Some details are printed on the card while other are encrypted and stored in a QR code for security purposes and can be accessed only through authorised channels.

Details printed on the card are as follows

Name
Date of Birth
Aadhaar Number
Gender
Photograph
Residential Address
QR code representing the Aadhaar number

Details that are encrypted and stored in database

Finger prints
IRIS Scan

Aadhaar Card Benefits

Pan Card & Income tax – Aadhaar card will help to control black money in the country when it’s linked with the pan card. It will also help in curbing income tax frauds thus, generating money for the government for the development of the country.

Identity Card – Aadhaar card can be used for identity purposes at various government and private institutions.

Aadhaar based Direct Benefit Transfer (LPG Subsidy) – Today Aadhaar card can be used effectively to gain LPG subsidy just by linking Aadhaar number to the LPG consumer number.

Passport in 10 days – If you have Aadhaar number it will help expedite the process of getting the passport and you may even get it within 10 days. Also, government has made having Aadhaar card mandatory for all passport subscribers.

Driving license – There are also plans to link the Aadhaar number with driving license to put a stop to cases of multiple license holders. This will help to further robust the implementation of motor vehicles rules in the country.

Proof of Residence – Aadhaar card is accepted as a valid government document that can be shown as a residence proof to avail various government and private services.

Government Subsidy – To avail government subsidy such as food subsidy, school subsidy, kerosene subsidy and schemes like Pahal, Atal Yojana, linking of Aadhaar with the bank account has been made mandatory by the government.

Bank Accounts – Aadhaar card has also become mandatory if someone wants to open a bank account. Aadhaar and Pan Card have now become the basic requirement for opening a bank account these days.

Mutual Fund – SEBI has made it mandatory to do KYC of all accounts before they can be opened. Aadhaar number helps you to do e-KYC easily for the application process.

Monthly Pension – To avoid fraud in pension system the government has made it mandatory for all pensioners to link their Aadhaar number with the pension account in order to receive pension.

Provident Fund – Employee Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has made Aadhaar number compulsory for PF account holders when submitting an online claim submission.

Phone Connection– Existing and new connections have been asked to link their Aadhaar with the phone connection for safety and security measures.

Jan Dhan Yojana – To open Pradan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana account (PMJDY) in bank Aadhaar is the only document requirement to open the account. It makes opening an account very convenient and easy for the people.

Aadhaar Enrolment

How to Get the Aadhaar Card?

Getting an Aadhaar card is very easy. All you need to do is enrol in the Aadhaar system by visiting an enrolment centre near your residence or to any Aadhaar centre anywhere in India. Enrolment in Aadhaar is totally free of cost.

Find an Aadhaar Enrolment Centre – The list of enrolment centres can be searched online by clicking on this link https://appointments.uidai.gov.in/easearch.aspx.

Fill the form – You will need to fill the Aadhaar application form providing basic details about yourself like name, age, gender, residential address, etc., and submit supporting document to verification.

Photograph and Biometric Data Collection – A photograph of the applicant will be captured and biometric data will be collected. These details will get stored in the secure UIDAI database.

Acknowledgement Slip – After completion of your enrolment you will be issued with an acknowledgement slip verifying your enrolment.

Issue of Aadhaar Card – In a few days’ time the UIDAI system will issue your unique Aadhaar number and card once the verification checks of the documents submitted has been completed.

Dispatch of Aadhaar – Aadhaar card dispatch normally takes 60 to 90 days after the enrolment process. You can check your Aadhaar card status here- https://resident.uidai.gov.in/check-aadhaar-status

Eligibility Criteria for Aadhaar Card

Aadhaar Card for Resident Indians – As per the Aadhaar Act, 2016, only an Indian citizen who has resided in India for a duration of 182 days or more in the 12 months immediately preceding the date of application for enrolment.

Aadhaar Card for Minors – UIDAI is issuing Blue Colour Aadhaar (Namely Bal Aadhaar) for children in the age group of 0 to 5 Years. After the age of 5 years, the child will need to get his/her demographic and biometric details updated against same Aadhaar Number by visiting nearest Enrolment Centre.

Aadhaar for Foreigners – Foreigners who are residing in India are eligible to apply for Aadhaar card if they satisfy the period of stay as per the Aadhaar act, 2016.

Documents Required for Aadhaar Card

Proof of identity and proof of address will be required for enrolment. The list of acceptable documents are:

Election Photo ID card
Ration Card
Passport
Driving License
PAN Card

You can also submit the following documents for address proof if the address is not mentioned on the ID card. The below documents should be less than 3 months old.

Water Bill
Electricity Bill
Landline Telephone Bill

If you don’t have the above proofs, then you can also avail the following documents for proof of ID and address:

Certificate of Identity having photo issued by Gazetted Officer/Tehsildar on letterhead can also be accepted as Proof of Identity.
Certificate of Address having photo issued by MP or MLA /Gazetted Officer/Tehsildar on letterhead or by Village Panchayat head or its equivalent authority (for rural areas) is accepted as valid Proof of Address.

Detail list of documents can be accessed from this link https://uidai.gov.in/images/commdoc/valid_documents_list.pdf

What is an e-Aadhaar Card?

E-Aadhaar card is a secure digital copy of Aadhaar and has a digital signature of the authorised person or authority of UIDAI.

Information Available On e-Aadhaar

e-Aadhaar carries the biometric and demographic information of the subscriber. The subscriber can access the information on UIDAI website. Below is the detail list of information available on e-Aadhaar.

Aadhaar number
Biometric details
Name
Gender
Address
Photograph
Cardholder’s Date of Birth

How to Check e-Aadhaar Status?

After the Aadhaar enrolment process is done, the subscriber can visit the official website of UIDAI to know the status of his e-Aadhaar. You will need to keep the enrolment slip handy as the information on it will be needed to check the status of your e-Aadhaar.

How to download e-Aadhaar from the e-Aadhaar link?

Downloading e-Aadhaar is an easy process. Just follow the following steps.

Steps	Process
Step 1	Visit the official website of UIDAI and click on Download Aadhaar
Step 2	You will be directed to another page where you will be asked to enter personal details like enrolment id/Aadhaar number, full name and post code
Step 3	Click on OPT
Step 4	OPT will be generated and sent to your registered mobile number
Step 5	Once you enter the OPT, the link to download Aadhaar will be accessible
Step 6	Click on Download Aadhaar

Benefits of e-Aadhaar Card

E-Aadhaar offers convenience of downloading the card anytime and from anywhere by just accessing the officially website of UIDAI. Any update or new features on the card will be reflected on the e-Aadhaar card. It helps in reducing frauds, corruption and gives the subscriber access to various benefit schemes from the government.

How to Update Aadhaar Details Online?

Demographic Update About Aadhaar Data – Demographic update can be done online by going to the official website of UIDAI and clicking on “Aadhaar Update Request Online” and following the instructions. You will need POA documents in order to support and authenticate the update. Alternatively, you can also visit Permanent enrolment centre to do the demographic update of Aadhaar data.

Biometric Update About Aadhaar Data – Biometric update about Aadhaar data cannot be done online. For the biometric update you will need to visit the nearest permanent enrolment centre.

Know more about Aadhaar Card

What is UIDAI?

UIDAI is Unique Identification Authority of India. It was established under the provisions of the Aadhaar Act, 2016 on 12 July, 2016 by the Indian Government.

What is Aadhaar Virtual ID?

Aadhaar VID is a temporary 16 digit number which is mapped with the Aadhaar. It can be used instead of Aadhaar whenever e-KYC services are to be performed. It is not possible to generate Aadhaar number from VID.

How to Fill Aadhaar Enrolment/Correction Form?

To enrol and update for the Aadhaar card, same Aadhaar correction/enrolment form is used. The following details need to be filled when enrolling or correcting details in the system.

Enrolment ID
Name
Age
Gender
NPR number
Full Address
E-mail id and mobile number
Document supporting proof of identity, address and DOB
Subscriber signature and fingerprint

What are the documents required while applying for an Aadhaar Card?

For applying for an Aadhaar card proof of identity and address will be required. For complete list of document required visit https://uidai.gov.in/images/commdoc/valid_documents_list.pdf

How to apply for Aadhaar Card?

To apply for Aadhaar card, you will need to visit permanent enrolment centre near your place. You can find the nearest Aadhaar enrolment centres by visiting the official website of UIDAI. You can click on https://appointments.uidai.gov.in/easearch.aspx to find the centre closest to you. You will need to enter information such as state, district and locality to get the right results.

How to check Aadhaar Card update or correction status?

You can get the Aadhaar update or correction status online by logging on to the official website of UIDAI and entering the details of the acknowledgement receipt on the portal.

How to get a duplicate Aadhaar Card?

Duplicate Aadhaar card can be generated by online or offline methods as mentioned below –

Online

Aadhaar card if misplaced or lost can be easily downloaded from the official website of UIDAI and clicking on ‘Download Aadhaar’. All you need to do is follow the process by entering few required details and OTP. After successful verification you will be able to download your duplicate Aadhaar card free of cost.

Offline

You will need to visit the nearest permanent enrolment centre. If you know the Aadhaar number or enrolment number you can request for a duplicate Aadhaar there. If not, then the executive will take your biometrics details and retrieve your record from the system and take your request for duplicate Aadhaar card.

Aadhaar Card Verification Procedure

You can check the validity status of your Aadhaar card by doing the Aadhaar card verification process online. All you need to do is follow this simple procedure

Step 1 – Visit the official UIDAI website

Step 2 –Under Aadhaar services click on verify Aadhaar Number

Step 3 – You need to enter your Aadhaar number and security code reflected below

Step 4 – You will see the result and know if your Aadhaar number is active or not

What is URN number in Aadhaar Card?

Full form of URN is Update Request Number. URN is a 14 digit unique number which is allocated to users who have used the Aadhaar self-services portal to update their Aadhaar card. URN number is required to check the status of the update of Aadhaar card.

FAQs

How to link Aadhaar Number with PAN?

Aadhaar number can be linked with PAN in two ways

Logging in to income tax e-filling portal
Using the SMS service

What is E-Aadhaar?

E-Aadhaar card is a secure digital copy of Aadhaar and has a digital signature by the authorised person or authority of UIDAI

Can I apply for Aadhaar card online?

The Aadhaar request form is available online from the official website of UIDAI. As Aadhaar contains biometrics details of a person it can be done only by visiting a permanent enrolment centre of UIDAI.

How can I take Aadhaar card?

A resident of India can enrol in the process set up by UIDAI at a nearest permanent enrolment centre to get an Aadhaar card.

Can Aadhaar card be made online?

Aadhaar card can be downloaded online only after going through the enrolment process at a permanent enrolment centre.

How to find Aadhaar number?

It is very easy to find Aadhaar number. All you need to do is follow the steps mentioned below

Go on to the official website of UIDAI
Click on “ Retrieve Lost UID/EID?” under Aadhaar enrolment services
You will be asked to enter your name, email or registered mobile number and captcha security code.
An OTP will be sent immediately to your registered mobile number which you need to enter on the website to retrieve your Aadhaar number

How long is the Aadhaar card valid?

Aadhaar card is valid for life time and does not carry an expiry date.

Are e-Aadhaar and the Aadhaar card the same thing?

Yes, e-Aadhaar and Aadhaar card have the same information but available for convenience on two different platforms- online and offline, respectively.

What should I do if I have lost my Aadhaar card?

If you lose your Aadhaar card you can apply for a duplicate one at the permanent enrolment centre of UIDAI. You can also download the online version of Aadhaar card simply by going to the official website of UIDAI

Can I have more than one Aadhaar card?

No, Aadhaar card is limited to only one per person.

What is Aadhaar authentication and what are its benefits?

The process of verifying the details submitted to CIDR authorities is called Aadhaar authentication process. Biometrics, demographics and other details mentioned in the Aadhaar card helps in knowing the true identity of the person thereby making service delivery more transparent and efficient.

When do I need to authenticate Aadhaar Number?

To ensure there are no frauds in the benefits schemes provided by the government people need to authenticate Aadhaar number.

My mobile number is not registered in Aadhaar, how I can get my mobile number updated in Aadhaar?

You will need to visit the Permanent Enrolment Centre near your

You can change the registered mobile number by visiting the Permanent Enrolment Centre. You will need to present your Aadhaar card at the enrolment centre to get the number changed or updated.

How can I know if my update request has been processed?

Every time you request change in the Aadhaar card, URN number is generated. You can use this number to track the progress of your request.

Is it necessary to link bank account with Aadhaar?

As per the March 2018, Supreme Court’s order of linking of bank account with Aadhaar has been stalled. Hence until further update you don’t have to necessarily link your bank account with Aadhaar.

How to link Aadhaar with your mobile number?

You can link Aadhaar with your mobile number through IVR, OTP or even by visiting your nearest telecom provider’s office with your Aadhaar card.

How to link Aadhaar Number with your ration card?

You will need to visit the PDS shop with photocopies of your Aadhaar and ration card. You will be asked to authenticate your identify by fingerprint sensor test to ensure you and your Aadhaar details match.

How to link Aadhaar Number with EPF Account?

You can easily link your Aadhaar card with your EPF account by using the EPFO online facility.

Some agencies are not accepting e-Aadhaar. They insist on original Aadhaar. Why?

E-Aadhaar is perfectly valid document downloaded from official UIDAI website. If any agency does not accept e–Aadhaar, then Aadhaar card holder has the right to complain to the relevant department of the agency.

What is an e-Aadhaar card number?

E-Aadhaar card number is a unique 12 digit card number which is given to every resident of India after capturing their biometrics and demographics data. The number is used to efficiently deliver benefit schemes and services to the citizens of India.

How many numbers are there in an e-Aadhaar card?

E-Aadhaar has unique 12 numbers which is allocated to every individual after he/she goes through the enrolment process set up by UIDAI.

How to check e-Aadhaar status card?

You can check the e-Aadhaar card status online on the official website of UIDAI by putting the details of the acknowledgement slip which will be the enrolment number and date/time of enrolment.