Know Everything about Aadhaar Card

Aadhaar is a one-time issued identity card by the Indian government. This document is unique to an individual and assigned to every Indian resident citizen. There is no fee charged to apply for this document. An Aadhaar number contains 12 digits. These are random numbers that keep a record of a person’s demographic and biometric data. It was in 2016, when the UIDAI (Unique Identification Authority of India), constituted the Aadhaar program.

It is the UIDAI that issues every Aadhaar card. It collects the biometric and demographic data of an individual and keeps a record of the same. The Aadhaar information is used to provide citizens with certain government subsidies and benefits through a transparent and streamlined method.

As Aadhaar Card is a government-recognized document, people can use it as a proof of address and proof of identity. It can be used to open a bank account, apply for a loan, avail government subsidies, etc.

Information in an Aadhaar Card

The document consists of the following details:

Demographic Details

• Resident’s name
• Address
• Age/Date of birth
• Barcode
• The enrolment number - EID

Biometric Details

• Resident’s photograph
• Fingerprints of all the 10 fingers
• Iris scan of both the eyes

Aadhaar Card Eligibility Criteria

The eligibility criteria of Aadhaar card is mentioned below:

• The applicant must be a citizen of India to apply for this document.
• Non resident Indians (NRIs) who have resided in India for a period of 182 days continuously can apply for this document.

Enrolment for Aadhaar Card

The aadhaar card application process is completed at any of the authorized aadhaar enrolment centre or permanent enrolment centre. visit the official website of uidai to find an updated list of the enrolment centres. uidai has authorized more than 10,000 bank branches and post offices as permanent enrolment centres. an individual can complete the enrolment process by following the mentioned steps

• Find the nearest enrolment centre.
• Fill the application form and submit it with the required documents.
• Complete the biometric process.
• Collect the acknowledgement.

If an applicant does not have the necessary documents, then he/she can follow the below-mentioned arrangement by the UIDAI:

• Introducer-based Application: An Introducer is appointed by a Registrar. He/she can help people who have no valid proof of address or identity, in the enrolment process. One can contact an Introducer through an Aadhaar Enrolment Centre.
• HoF (Head of Family) Based Application: Here, the head of the family who has a valid Aadhaar can complete the enrolment process. The HoF has to submit the documents that prove his/her relationship with the applicant (who lacks the required papers). After a successful verification of these details, the applicant’s enrolment is processed.

Baal Aadhaar Card

If the applicant is a minor, and below the age of 5, then the application process is as follows:

• At the time of enrolment, it is the biometric details of the parent that will be captured for verification.
• The documents of the parent and the parent’s Aadhaar have to be provided with the application form at the enrolment centre.
• When the child turns 15 years, it is at this time that he/she has to visit the centre to update his/her biometric data.

Check Aadhaar Application Status Online

An applicant who wishes to track or check status of Aadhaar application online can visit the official UIDAI website. The applicant has to provide his/her enrolment ID, mentioned on the acknowledgement slip issued after the submission of the application, to get the application status update.

Download or Print Aadhaar Card

There is a facility by UIDAI for the storage and retrieval of Aadhaar details, electronically. This is known as the e-Aadhaar. This document is available in PDF format. One can download it from the website of UIDAI. An individual can access his/her e-Aadhaar from UIDAI official website by using any of the following ways:

• With enrolment ID (EID)
• With virtual ID (VID)
• With Aadhaar number

Different Services for Aadhaar Card

Here is a brief summary of different services made available for Aadhaar:

1. Verification of Email or Mobile Number Registered with Aadhaar It is advisable to provide an accurate and valid mobile number or email address when applying for an Aadhaar card. This helps in receiving updates and accesses to certain services. By enabling mobile number and email address with this document, one can receive information about Aadhaar and notifications, remotely.

2. Verification of Aadhaar NumberOne can verify if their Aadhaar card has been deactivated or active by following the mentioned steps:

• Click ‘My Aadhaar’ tab on the website of UIDAI.
• Click ‘Verify Aadhaar Number’ option.
• Enter the Aadhaar number with the security CAPTCHA.
• The screen will display the current status of the Aadhaar card.

3. Check Status of Aadhaar Linking

To access government schemes and subsidies, the applicant must link his/her bank account with Aadhaar card to ensure disbursement of the subsidy. One can check the status of the linking process by visiting UIDAI’s website, and navigating to ‘My Aadhaar’ tab.

• Now, select ‘Aadhaar Services’, and provide the VID/Aadhaar number with the security code.
• An OTP will be send to the registered mobile number.
• The generated OTP has to be entered so that the screen can display the current linking status.

4. Retrieval of Aadhaar Number

If a person has lost or misplaced Aadhaar Card, then he/she can retrieve the same. One can retrieve his/her VID, EID, or Aadhaar card electronically. To retrieve this information it is mandatory have a registered mobile number updated with Aadhaar.

5. Lock or Unlock Biometrics

The Aadhaar card contains the holder’s biometric and demographic details. This information is useful to authenticate the person’s identity when he/she wishes to avail certain services. There is a chance of misuse of information when sharing Aadhaar information with a merchant or vendor for verification. Thus, to ensure security of the data, UIDAI allows the card holder to lock access to biometric data. The data can be unlocked at the discretion of the card holder.

6. Generation of VID (Virtual ID)

UIDAI has initiated Virtual ID to protect the information provided under Aadhaar. The VID gives limited access to KYC to merchants and vendors that ask for Aadhaar information for different services.

7. Verification of Aadhaar Offline

Aadhaar paperless e-KYC is a secure document that one can share for offline verification of Aadhaar identification. The document holder can share it as a proof of address or identity in a secure manner. The data is available in tamper-proof format for the service providers and vendors. Generation of Aadhaar paperless offline e-KYC is done in the following way:

• Click ‘My Services’ tab on the official website of UIDAI.
• Click ‘Aadhaar Paperless Offline e-KYC’ from ‘Aadhaar Services’ tab.
• Provide the security code and Aadhaar number.
• An OTP will be sent to the user’s registered mobile number.
• After entering the OTP, the verification will be completed successfully.
• Now, the person can download the available XML file.

Check Authentication History

Every time a person submits his/her Aadhaar card for a purpose, the information of the AUA (Authorized User Agency) accessing the details gets logged onto the Aadhaar system. One can check this authentication history of the AUA and the data it has accessed. By doing so, one can verify who access their Aadhaar data. Thus, the feature of checking authentication history helps to manage the security of the information.