The Aadhaar initiative, introduced in 2009 by former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, has become a foundation of identity for Indian citizens. Derived from Hindi, “Aadhaar” signifies a base or foundation. On September 29, 2010, Ranjana Sonawane from Nandurbar district in Maharashtra became the first Indian to receive an Aadhaar card. As of now, Aadhaar cards have been issued to around 90% of the Indian population.

Aadhaar Issuing Authority	Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI)
Inception of Aadhaar Card	2010
Aadhaar Card Validity	Lifetime
Total Number of Enrolment Centres	More than 30,000
Total Number of Enrolment (approx)	Over 125 crore
Aadhaar Card Customer Care Number	1947

WHAT IS AADHAAR CARD?

The Aadhaar Card, issued by Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), is a 12-digit identification number allotted to all residents of India, including non-resident Indians, OCI cardholders, LTV holders, and Nepal/Bhutan nationals. Resident foreign nationals are also eligible for this number. READ MORE ABOUT AADHAR CARD FOR NRIs. Individuals obtain their Aadhaar number by providing their biometric data such as iris scan and fingerprints, as well as demographic details like date of birth and address at authorized government Aadhaar Enrolment Centres or Aadhaar Seva Kendras (ASKs). CHECK AADHAAR CARD CENTRES NEAR ME.

HOW TO APPLY FOR AADHAAR?

Enrolling for AADHAAR is completely free, without any fees or charges. During the enrolment process individuals need to provide their demographic and biometric information (iris scan, fingerprints scan, and photograph). Multiple enrolments are not allowed, as a deduplication process using demographic and biometric data ensures that only one AADHAAR is issued per individual. This system helps prevent fake identities, making AADHAAR a reliable and valid Proof of Identity document. READ MORE ABOUT HOW TO APPLY FOR AADHAAR CARD ONLINE.

WHAT IS THE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR AADHAAR?

According to the Aadhaar Act of 2016, all Indian residents are eligible to obtain an Aadhaar number. The act stipulates that individuals must have resided in the country for a minimum of 182 days in the preceding 12 months at the time of applying for an Aadhaar card. READ ABOUT THE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA OF AADHAR CARD. As per the Supreme Court’s ruling on Aadhaar, it is not necessary to link your Aadhaar number with bank accounts and mutual funds. However, it remains mandatory to link your PAN (Permanent Account Number) with Aadhaar or provide your Aadhaar number when filing income tax returns (ITR) or applying for a new PAN card. READ MORE ABOUT THE AADHAR PAN CARD LINK PROCESS.

WHAT ARE BENEFITS OF AADHAAR?

The Aadhaar card serves as a proof of identity nationwide and offers various benefits, including being accepted as an identity card by both government and non-government entities, providing proof of address for verification purposes, enabling access to government subsidies, facilitating bank account opening along with PAN, being mandatory for income tax payment and return filing, serving as proof of identity and address for phone connections, gas connections, and simplifying mutual fund investment processes. READ MORE ABOUT BENEFITS OF AADHAR CARD.

HOW TO DOWNLOAD & UPDATE AADHAAR CARD ONLINE?

In addition to the physical Aadhaar card, an e-Aadhaar card (the electronic or online version of an Aadhaar Card) can also be used by downloading it from the official UIDAI website. Once downloaded, it is valid for your entire life. The Masked Aadhaar Card is a recent feature that allows individuals to conceal their Aadhaar card details when downloading the e-Aadhaar. In this format, the first eight digits of the Aadhaar number are replaced with “XXXX-XXXX,” revealing only the last four digits for identification purposes. CHECK HOW TO DOWNLOAD AADHAAR CARD. Indians can update their Aadhaar Card both online and offline. CHECK HOW TO UPDATE AADHAAR CARD. 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT AADHAAR CARD:

Q. What is my Aadhaar card password?

A. The password consists of the first four letters of your name in uppercase followed by your year of birth in YYYY format.

Q. How to check Aadhaar application status online?

A. Visit the official UIDAI website, enter your Enrolment Number and date/time of enrolment to check the status. READ MORE ABOUT HOW TO CHECK AADHAAR STATUS.

Q. Who can enroll for Aadhaar?

A. Aadhaar is for every resident of India, including newborns. Even children below age 5 can obtain a Baal Aadhaar Card. To read more about Baal Aadhaar, CLICK HERE.

Q. I am not in India and don’t have an Aadhaar Card. Can I apply for an Aadhaar card from outside India? 

A. You cannot apply for Aadhaar from outside India. Biometric details must be provided at an Aadhaar Enrolment Centre in India. To read more about how to lock/unlock Biometric details, CLICK HERE.

Q. What is Aadhaar authentication and its benefits? 

A. Aadhaar authentication involves the verification of demographic, biometric, and other submitted information by CIDR authorities. It helps establish identity, improve service delivery efficiency and transparency, and enables future demographic and address verification. READ MORE ABOUT AADHAAR AUTHENTICATION.

Q. What are the fees for Aadhar card download/e Aadhaar card download? 

A. There are no fees to download Aadhaar. Fees apply only for certain updates.

Q. How can I link my Aadhaar Number with a Bank Account? 

A. There are various options to link accounts with Aadhaar, such as their mobile app, internet banking, IVR, ATM visit, or branch visit. To learn more about how to link Aadhaar with bank account, CLICK HERE.

Q. What is the URN number in an Aadhaar Card? 

A. The Update Request Number (URN) is generated upon successful submission of an Aadhaar update or correction request. It is used to track the status of the request.