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Eligibility for Aadhaar Card

Any resident of India, regardless of age or gender, is eligible to apply for an Aadhaar card. This includes newborns, children, and the elderly. The primary eligibility criteria require you to be a resident who has lived in India for at least 182 days in the past 12 months before application.

Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) with a valid Indian passport can also apply for Aadhaar, provided they have stayed in India for at least 182 days in the preceding year.

Foreign nationals residing in India are eligible under specific conditions:

• OCI (Overseas Citizen of India) cardholders with valid foreign passports
• Long Term Visa (LTV) document holders
• Nationals from Nepal and Bhutan
• Other resident foreigners who have lived in India for more than 182 days in the past year

Documents Required for Aadhaar Enrollment

To enroll for Aadhaar, you need to provide three types of documents:

1. Proof of Identity (POI) – Passport, PAN card, Voter ID, etc.
2. Proof of Address (POA) – Utility bills, bank statements, etc.
3. Proof of Date of Birth (DOB) – Birth certificate, school certificate, passport, etc.

For children below 5 years of age, a special Baal Aadhaar Card is issued without biometric verification. When they turn 5, their biometric information needs to be updated.

How to Download Your Aadhaar Card Online

Having a digital copy of your Aadhaar card (e-Aadhaar) is convenient as it’s legally equivalent to the physical card. Here are the different methods to download your e-Aadhaar:

Method 1: Using Your Aadhaar Number

1. Visit the official UIDAI website (https://uidai.gov.in/)
2. Go to the “My Aadhaar” section and click on “Download Aadhaar” under “Get Aadhaar“
3. Select “Aadhaar Number” option
4. Enter your 12-digit Aadhaar number and the security captcha
5. Click on “Send OTP” to receive a one-time password on your registered mobile number
6. Enter the OTP and verify
7. You can choose to download a masked Aadhaar (showing only the last 4 digits) for enhanced privacy
8. Click on “Verify & Download” to get your e-Aadhaar in PDF format

Method 2: Using Your Enrollment ID (EID)

If you’ve applied for Aadhaar but haven’t received your number yet, you can download using your enrollment ID:

1. Visit the UIDAI website
2. Select “Download Aadhaar” and choose the “Enrollment ID” option
3. Enter your 14-digit Enrollment ID, date and time of enrollment, and the security captcha
4. Follow the OTP verification process similar to Method 1
5. Download your e-Aadhaar

Method 3: Using Virtual ID (VID)

The Virtual ID is a temporary 16-digit code that can be used instead of sharing your actual Aadhaar number:

1. Visit the UIDAI website
2. Select “Download Aadhaar” and choose the “Virtual ID (VID)” option
3. Enter your 16-digit VID and follow the verification process
4. Download your e-Aadhaar

Method 4: Using the mAadhaar App

The mAadhaar app is UIDAI’s official mobile application for Aadhaar services:

1. Download the mAadhaar app from Google Play Store or App Store
2. Register using your Aadhaar number and the OTP sent to your registered mobile
3. Once logged in, tap on “Download Aadhaar” under the services section
4. Choose whether you want to download using Aadhaar number, VID, or EID
5. Complete the verification process and download your e-Aadhaar

Method 5: Using DigiLocker

DigiLocker is a government platform for storing digital documents:

1. Download the DigiLocker app or visit the website
2. Sign up using your Aadhaar number and verify with OTP
3. Once logged in, select “Issued Documents”
4. Search for “Aadhaar Card” and request access
5. Your e-Aadhaar will be available for download

Important Notes on e-Aadhaar

• The downloaded e-Aadhaar is a password-protected PDF file
• The password is a combination of the first 4 letters of your name (in CAPITAL letters) followed by your year of birth in YYYY format
• For example, if your name is Rahul Kumar and birth year is 1990, the password would be RAHU1990
• The e-Aadhaar is digitally signed and holds the same validity as the physical Aadhaar card

How to Update Your Aadhaar Card Details

You may need to update your Aadhaar information if your personal details change. Updates can be done both online and offline, depending on what needs to be updated.

Online Update Method

Currently, only address updates and document updates can be done online:

1. Visit the official UIDAI website (https://uidai.gov.in/)
2. Go to “My Aadhaar” section and click on “Update Your Aadhaar”
3. Log in using your Aadhaar number and OTP verification
4. Select either “Address Update” or “Document Update” based on your requirement
5. Enter the new details and upload the required supporting documents
6. Pay the update fee of Rs. 50 using online payment methods
7. Submit your request and note down the Service Request Number (SRN) for tracking
8. Updates typically take up to 30 days to process

Offline Update Method (Visiting Aadhaar Enrollment Center)

For updates that cannot be done online (name, date of birth, gender, biometrics, mobile number), you need to visit an Aadhaar Enrollment Center:

1. Locate your nearest Aadhaar Enrollment Center using the UIDAI website or Bhuvan portal
2. Download and fill the Aadhaar Update Form or get one at the center
3. Submit the form along with supporting documents for verification
4. Complete the biometric authentication process
5. Pay the update fee (Rs. 50 for demographic updates, Rs. 100 for biometric updates)
6. Collect the acknowledgment slip with the Update Request Number (URN)
7. Track the status of your update using the URN