How To Apply for Aadhaar

Aadhaar Card is a unique identification number issued to every resident of India. Aadhaar contains a 12-digit number, generated based on factors such as demographic and biometric data specific to each individual. The statutory body for Aadhaar is The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), Government of India.

All individuals must apply for an Aadhaar card as it is widely accepted and used as an identification proof. It also serves the purpose of address proof.

Process to Apply for Aadhaar Card

To apply for an Aadhaar Card, you can visit the respective Aadhaar enrolment center near you. You will be required to fill a form at the enrolment center.  Another requirement would be to submit your biometric details along with essential documents. These documents are required for the verification of proof of identity and the proof of address.

These particular prerequisites enable the process of the application for the Aadhaar card. The UIDAI also has options for those who do not have valid proofs. The UIDAI provides an updated list from which a resident would be able to know where to enroll for the Aadhaar card.

Aadhaar Card is now a mandate in order to file income tax returns from FY 2016-17. All the monetary benefits of government schemes, pension benefits, LPG subsidy will be transferred to Aadhaar linked bank accounts of the individuals. As stated earlier, it serves as a proof of identity and address for every Indian individual including children and infants in India.

Thus, one must definitely apply for it. Now, the Government has also enabled people to apply for an Aadhaar card online. The easy-to-follow steps to apply online have been mentioned below.

Step 1: Locate the nearest Aadhaar enrolment center near you.

Step 2: Upon finalizing your center, you are required to book an appointment online. The booking of an appointment online saves on a lot of time as you will not have to wait in long queues for your turn.

Step 3: One of the most essential prerequisites would be to keep handy a few important supporting documents that would be essential for your verification. These documents include a proof of identity, proof of address for example, voter ID card, PAN card, ration card etc.

Step 4: Along with the submission of your documents, you would also be required to submit your biometrics and photograph.

Step 5: The next step would be you receiving an acknowledgment slip of your enrolment having a 14-digit number on it, which can be referred to while checking the status of your enrolment. Moreover, your income tax return can be filed by mentioning this Aadhaar enrolment ID.

Step 6: The last stage of the application procedure would be to track your enrolment via the enrolment number provided, as well as keeping in mind the time mentioned on the acknowledgment slip.

Upon successful verification of all the data, your Aadhaar number will be sent to your address via post. It can take up to 90 days for the Aadhaar card to be sent to you.

If an individual has enrolled for Aadhaar card but has not received the physical copy yet, he/she can download it online from the UIDAI website. There is a PDF version of Aadhaar card that is available and can be downloaded from the portal. The e-Aadhaar can be printed and it is equally accepted everywhere. The individual can either download and print the Aadhaar soft copy or use it in its digital version.

Check Your Aadhaar Enrolment Status

The simplest way to check your Aadhaar enrolment status would be to:
 

• Log into the official UIDAI Website.

• Click on the Aadhaar Status under the Aadhaar enrolment tab.

• Enter your enrolment number that was provided to you at the time of enrolment.

 

It may take up to 3 months for one to receive the Aadhaar card after your application. However, at times, people do not receive it even after the stipulated time-frame. If you have not received your Aadhaar card at your address at the said time, you can get it online as well as offline. However, make sure that your Aadhaar has been generated. To ensure that your Aadhaar has been generated, you can check your Aadhaar status. The status of your application of Aadhaar card can be checked upon visiting the UIDAI Website. From here, you may make use of the enrolment ID provided to you during the application and enter it in the space given.

In some situations, one may have to re-apply for an Aadhaar card. The instances in which this may be necessary have been stated below:

 

• The application for Aadhaar card has been done prior to 1st April 2012.

• The application has been rejected by the UIDAI.

 

Customer Support Details

If you are facing any issue in getting your Aadhaar details, you may seek help directly from the Government. You can either seek help through the helpline numbers or the website. Some of the important contact information, which one may require are given as follows:

 

• Call Centre – 1800 180 1947

• Fax number – 080 2353 1947

• Email – [email protected]

• Postal Address – Post Office Box 1947, GPO – Bangalore – 560001

 

Get the Aadhaar Letter 

With the world evolving on to digitization of procedures for every other task, numerous processes are being put into effect to ensure that all citizens’ information and data is compiled under a single central database. Now, even the Aadhaar card has an electronic version. This e-version can be downloaded online by submitting the individual’s Aadhaar or the enrolment ID. What’s best is that this version is as valid as the physical card.

An e-Aadhaar, like its physical copy, contains an individual’s personal information. Individuals can visit the UIDAI website to see their Aadhaar information such as -
 

• Aadhaar number

• Photograph

• Name

• Date of birth

• Address

• Sex

To attain your e-Aadhaar letter you can refer the following procedure mentioned below:

• Visit the UIDAI website and click on ‘Check your Aadhaar Status’ from the menu bar.

• The page then redirects you to provide your enrolment ID with the date and time printed on your acknowledgment slip.

Before submitting the form, you should fill the verification code shown just below the text field.

• You will be notified (after a few seconds via text message) about whether your Aadhaar card has been generated or not.

• In case it has been dispatched already, you will be notified for the same.

• If your Aadhaar card has been generated, click on the link provided below.

• You will be required to fill your details again within a new window that pops up.

• The submission of this form can be done once you enter the OTP that has been generated.

• Use your postal PIN code for the downloaded E-Aadhaar Letter.

 
You can use this E-Aadhaar Letter for regular use now. Even opening a bank account is possible through the valid E-Aadhaar Letter.

The online server or web systems are coded or prepared in such a way that after the registration process, a “One time password” (OTP) is sent on particular user’s registered mobile phone within minutes. You have to fill that OTP in blank box to proceed further.

What is Aadhaar Card Password?

Once you get your E-Aadhaar Card, you’ll see that it is password protected. The password to the E-Aadhaar PDF file is of 8 characters. It is a combination of the first 4 letters of your name in upper case letters and your year of birth. A few examples to understand this better are enlisted below.
 

Reasons Why You May Have Not Received the Aadhaar Card OTP

There are various reasons as to why your OTP hasn’t been received by you yet. Following are the possibilities that you could consider:

1. Unregistered Mobile Number: If you haven’t registered your mobile number while applying for the Aadhaar card, your One Time Password will not be sent to your phone. This is an integral step that must be taken.

2. Blocked Number: If in case you haven’t used the registered mobile number for over 2 months, it is blocked automatically. It will require you to first carry out the procedure for unblocking. 

3. Network Issue: The area around which you are might have bad network coverage. Due to this reason the OTP must not have reached your registered mobile number.

4. Mobile Storage Issues: A full phone memory leads to non-receiving of text messages. One might have to go through casting off some data before carrying out this important task. 

5. Heavy  Traffic on UIDAI: Sometimes when the traffic is heavy on the official UIDAI website, one request might take a long time to be processed. If it takes too long, the request might expire. 

6. Wrong Number: It is better to be aware of which number one has registered with Aadhaar if he/she holds more than one mobile numbers.