NRI Aadhaar Card: Eligibility, Documents and Application Process
Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) with a valid Indian passport can apply for an Aadhaar card during their visit to India without first completing the 182-day residency requirement. The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has specifically stated that this residency condition does not apply to NRIs holding a valid Indian passport.
However, Aadhaar enrolment cannot be completed entirely online or by sending documents from abroad. The applicant must personally visit an Aadhaar Enrolment Centre because photographs and biometric information have to be captured during the process.
Who Can Apply for NRI Aadhaar?An NRI, whether an adult or minor, can enrol for Aadhaar if they hold a valid Indian passport. The 182-day residency condition applicable to resident enrolment does not apply to eligible NRIs.
A valid Indian passport is mandatory as proof of identity for NRI applicants. If the applicant wants to register an Indian address different from the one mentioned in the passport, UIDAI allows the submission of another valid proof-of-address document from its approved list.
Documents and Details RequiredThe applicant needs to carry the original valid Indian passport and the required supporting documents to the enrolment centre. UIDAI requires the applicant’s name, date of birth, gender, address and email address as mandatory demographic information.
A mobile number is optional for NRI enrolment. An international mobile number can be provided, but UIDAI states that SMS messages are not delivered to non-Indian mobile numbers.
During enrolment, the centre captures the applicant’s photograph, fingerprints of all 10 fingers and iris scans. The completed enrolment form and supporting documents are submitted to the enrolment operator for verification.
How NRIs Can Apply for AadhaarNRIs need to visit an Aadhaar Enrolment Centre in India and submit the prescribed enrolment form along with their supporting documents. The Enrolment and Update Form can also be downloaded from the UIDAI website before visiting the centre.
At the centre, the operator records the required demographic details and captures the applicant’s photograph and biometrics. The original documents are returned after the enrolment process, along with an acknowledgement slip.
The acknowledgement contains the enrolment number, date and time of enrolment. The enrolment details can subsequently be used to check the status of the Aadhaar application through UIDAI.
The Enrolment ID (EID) consists of a 14-digit enrolment number along with a 14-digit date-and-time stamp, making it a 28-digit identifier in total.
Disclaimer: