How to Apply for Aadhaar Card

You have come to the right place if you want to find out about how to apply for Aadhaar Card. You will learn about each stage of the process. You will also learn what to do if you come across problems along the way. For example, what to do if you cannot locate the nearest card centre. We will provide lots of helpful tips and guidance and links to take you through the application process.

What do you need to know about application

People often see Aadhaar as being complicated and confusing, and they just assume that the application to get one is going to be confusing and complicated too. It really isn’t!

You are bound to have lots of questions, however. We will do our very best to answer those questions with the content of this article, and we will break down what you need to know into clear sections. There is some FAQ that people often have about Aadhaar Card. For example:

• Can you apply for an Adhaar Card online?
• What are the documents required for Aadhaar Card?
• What is involved in the application process?
• What is the verification process/appointment?

We will deal with each of these questions in turn.

 

 

Can you apply for an Adhaar Card online?

 

You may have heard of the Digital India initiative. This was launched by the Government of India in 2015. The aim of it is to improve the country’s infrastructure online and increasing connectivity to the web across the entire country.

The government also want every person across the entire country to be enrolled in Aadhaar, so the UIDAI (Unique Identification Authority of India) – the official body that oversees Adhaar Card administration and access on behalf of the government, has put many processes in place for much of the application to be completed online. Indeed, the online portal allows people who have enrolled in the scheme to do virtually everything to do with Adhaar on the website.

However, you cannot complete all of the application online.

What can be done online, and what cannot?

 

Most of the application can be accessed and completed through the . For example, you can:

• Visit the official site:
• Read guidance on how to complete the guide and find information about what supporting documents are needed.
• Book a verification appointment at a Aadhaar card centre.
• Get update statuses about your application.
• Make changes/corrections to your personal details.

An important part of the process has to be completed offline and in person. 

To complete your registration for an Adhaar Card, you will need to attend an appointment at an authorized Aadhaard card center.

Why do you have to have an appointment at an authorised Aadhaar enrolment centre?

 

The reason for this is all down to the issue of security. There are many other official forms of documentation that are used in India. From passports to PAN cards, there are many documents that are widely accepted as a proof of identity and address. The Adhaar Card is different from all of these in terms of the level of security involved.

Unlike other forms of ID, for an Adhaar, fraud prevention measures mean that you need to attend an enrolment centre in person so that your photograph can be taken and verified by an official. During this appointment, your biometric information will also be gathered. Your fingerprints are taken and a retina scan is carried out too.

The rules for verification of identity are strict to guarantee that the details contained on a card are absolutely unique to each individual. Fingerprints and retina scans are like a person’s DNA – they are totally unique to one particular person. They cannot be copied and they offer complete proof of someone’s identity.

What are the required documents for Aadhaar?

There is an extensive list of documents that you can choose to submit with your application to prove your identity. The complete list of accepted documentation is provided for you. Please click here

As you will see from the link, there are plenty of different types of required documents. You will not have all of them, but you don’t need all of them. The list is only so large so that it gives residents of India the opportunity to enrol.

There will be virtually nobody in the country who will not be able to access at least some of them, with 18 Proof of Identity and 33 Proof of Address documents to select from. Some of the most common supporting documents that are often chosen are below:

 

Proof of Identity and Proof of Address:  Election Photo ID Card, Driving License, Ration Card and Passport.

Proof of Identity: Government ID cards, PAN card.

Proof of Address: Utility bills (Water, electricity) or telephone bills (from the last three months).

What to do if you haven’t got common proofs

If you cannot produce these common proofs of identity or address, it does not stop you being able to enrol for Aadhaar. You also have the following options:

• Certificate of Identity having a photo – can be issued by a Gazetted Officer or Tehsildar on a letterhead.
• Certificate of Address having photo  – can be issued by a Gazetted Officer, Tehsildar, MP or MLA
• Proof of Address can also be validated on letterheaded paper by a Village Panchayat head or, in rural areas, the equivalent authority.
• When an individual has no documents available, they can use the assistance of Introducers.  Introducers are on hand at an enrolment centre and are notified by the Registrar.

How to apply for Aadhaar Card – The Application Process

Here, we set out the steps of the application process:

1. Download the application form from a card centre or from this link: .
2. Follow the instructions on the form carefully. Remember to collect your chosen supporting documents.
3. Book your appointment at an enrolment centre. In most cases, this can be done online: online: https://appointments.uidai.gov.in/.
4. If you choose the online option, you will need to add in your details, choose the centre you want to attend, select ‘Date’ and ‘Time’. Lastly, click on the ‘Fix Appointment’ tab.

Verification

The verification appointment is where you attend an enrolment centre at the arranged time to have your documents and your identity verified – your fingerprints, retina scan and photograph will be taken at this time.

Remember to take your supporting documents with you arrive at the card centre about an hour before your appointment time. At the end of the meeting, you will be issued with an enrolment number – this is a totally unique number that you can use to check on the status of your application online.

After verification

Normally, it takes about a month for your Adhaar Card to arrive in the post to the address you registered with your application. Remember to keep your acknowledgement slip safe as it is much easier to get updates on your application status if you have the number on it to hand. In the unlikely event that your card does not arrive, if you have this enrolment number you can easily download a duplicate card.

Common Frequently Asked Questions about Aadhaar Application

 

As well as questions such as: Where do I get an application form from? What documents do I need? What is the verification process? There are other issues that may be causing you concern. For example:

How to apply for Aadhaar Card if there is no Centre in my location?

It’s quite possible that you don’t know where your nearest authorized Aadhaar enrolment center is – especially if you lie in a remote location. There probably is a centre near to you – and it’s easy to find it! All you need to do is visit the Aadhaar online portal. It’s also known as ‘The Kiosk’: Aadhaar Kiosk.

On the homepage, you will see a variety of options. It is clearly separated into 2 different sections, labelled as ‘Haven’t Got’ and ‘Have Got’ Adhaar Card. Underneath each heading, you will find tabs offering advice about the common and typical questions that people who want to enrol want the answers to. Similarly, once you have applied and received your Adhaar card, under the ‘Have Got’ tab, there is more help available about getting the most out of your card.

So, if you are not sure where your nearest centre is, click on the ‘Aadhaar Kiosk’ link above. Next look for the ‘Haven’t Got’ title. Below this you will see a tab that reads ‘Locate Enrolment Centre‘. If you click on the tab, you will be able to find where your nearest centre is.

Of course, depending on where you live, you might find that you may still have to travel some distance to your card centre. Unfortunately, there isn’t much you can do about this. In recent years, there have been some areas of India reporting issues with a lack of centres available in that location.

The UIDAI has been improving its efforts to ensure that the coverage of card centres right across the country is complete and comprehensive.

If you cannot find the information you require about where your local or nearest authorized center is, then a couple of other options that you could try:

1. You could email UIDAI with your query. The email address is:
2. You could also write to the UIDAI Headquarters in New Delhi or to your UIDAI Regional Office, according to your State.

The addresses can be found on the ‘Aadhaar Kiosk’ page of the website. (Just follow the link above).

Scroll down to the bottom of the homepage on the site and you will see the address for the national headquarters to the left-hand side. In the middle of the page, you will see a tab to choose your State. Once you have chosen your region, the address of the regional headquarters will be displayed.

3. Your other option is to telephone the UIDAI directly. The number is 1947. This number is toll-free.

Can NRIs or foreigners living in India apply for Aadhaar?

Yes. Aadhaar is aimed at every citizen or resident of India over the age of 1.

That means that even if you are a NRI (Non Resident Indian) – so, you are an Indian citizen but currently live in a different country, or if you are a foreigner or migrant currently living in India, Adhaar Card is still open to you.

The Government of India really wants the scheme to be universal and inclusive. After all, in order to gain access to services, whether home or abroad, proof of identity is needed. There is no better proof of identity than Aadhaar because of the protection against fraud that it offers.

Whether you are a resident foreign national or a non-resident Indian, the application process is absolutely the same. You will even find that many banks offer services specifically for NRIs too.

What is the application process for children?

Any child over the age of 1 can have an Aadhaar. The application method is very similar to an adult application. However, there are a few small differences. For example:

1. A child’s Date of Birth proofs must be submitted alongside the same documents from the parent. The parent must already have an Aadhaar.
2. Biometrics of a child under 5 are taken but nor registered. Biometrics will be re-taken at 5 years old and again at 15 years old
3. Children under the age of 5 have their Adhaar Card linked to their parent/guardian’s Aadhaar.

Finding out more information about Adhaar Card

In this post we have covered all the information you need to know about the process of how to apply for an Aadhaar Card. We have also provided some of the most useful links to some key information. For example, the list of documents that are accepted in supporting your application and where to find your nearest enrolment centre.

We have also covered some of the most common and frequently asked questions that people tend to have about applying. Of course, it is impossible to cover everything you could want to know in a single post. Please read our other articles to find more detailed information about specific aspects of Aadhaar.

We hope you find this (and our other) posts helpful. The key thing to remember about Aadhaar card is that is not mandatory. It is not compulsory or law to become enrolled. It is completely voluntary.

However, it is difficult to think of any good reasons for not enrolling!

It might appear, at first, to be a confusing or daunting prospect – but it really isn’t. The UIDAI has tried its very best to cover and address every single issue or concern that people might have. For example, they are working across the country to ensure that every single district of the entire country of India, no matter how remote, is adequately covered with sufficient Aadhaar enrolment centres.

Steps have been put in place to help those that may not have all the necessary documents. The Government of India really wants everybody to be enrolled in Adhar card. The reason for this is so that every single citizen of the country can feel the benefits.

Other benefits to consider

 

The primary aim of the Adhaar Crad is to allow all Indian residents to identify themselves anywhere in India at any time – and to offer complete protection against fraud.

As well as this, the UIDAI is continually working to increase the benefits and to make everything to do with Adhaar card even more efficient and effective. For example, it has partnered with all the banks across the country and the National Payments Corporation of India to introduce two new platforms:

1. APB (Aadhaar Payments Bridge) – This enables all payments for all welfare schemes to be transferred seamlessly to the recipient’s bank account
2. AEPS (Aadhaar Enabled Payment System) – This enables the use of microATMs to ensure that even the poorest and most regions of the country – those that are financially excluded – are not disadvantaged.