How to Apply for a New Aadhaar Card (Aadhar)?

Which route fits you?

The steps depend on the age of the person and whether they live in India. Answer a few questions to find your route.

What does the whole process look like?

Who can apply for a new Aadhaar?

• Residents of India. A resident is someone who has spent 182 days or more in India in the 12 months before applying.
• NRIs (Indian citizens living abroad) are exempt from the 182-day rule. They can enrol when they arrive in India.
• Foreign nationals who meet the 182-day rule, including OCI cardholders. See the section for people abroad.
• People of any age, from newborn babies to the elderly. Children follow separate rules.

Enrolment is free, and UIDAI says charges are the same at every centre. It is done in person only: there is no online or postal enrolment. Your original documents are scanned and handed back to you.

A normal cyber café or CSC cannot enrol you. In our experience, such shops can only order a PVC card, print or download an e-Aadhaar.

Which documents do you need for a new adult Aadhaar?

Take one proof of identity (PoI) with your name and photo, one proof of address (PoA), and a date-of-birth (DoB) proof. One document can count for more than one proof. In our experience, many centres now ask for a birth certificate for a new enrolment (this can vary), so carry it if you have one.

• Originals only. In our experience centres don't accept a DigiLocker copy on your phone. A printout of an e-document (such as an e-voter ID) works if it shows a valid digital signature.
• Names must match. Your name and date of birth must be the same on every document. Your name is entered exactly as written, without titles.
• No address proof? See Aadhaar without documents.

The full list, with a filter, is in Documents required for Aadhaar. To test one document before you go, use the Aadhaar document checker.

How do children get a new Aadhaar?

• Both parents' Aadhaar numbers are needed, or one if the child lives with a single parent or guardian.
• The child's address is taken from the parent's Aadhaar.
• For under-5s, children in a Child Care Institution and foreign nationals are exempt from the HoF route.
• Children must update their biometrics at age 5 and again at 15. The update is free at 5–7 and at 15–17; between 7 and 15 it is free until 30 Sep 2027 (otherwise ₹125). See Child biometric update, or work out the dates with the child update due-date calculator.

Full details: Baal Aadhaar for children.

How do you find a centre and book an appointment?

• Find a centre on the Bhuvan Aadhaar portal or in the Aadhaar Seva Kendra list on uidai.gov.in.
• Booking is free at bookappointment.uidai.gov.in. In our experience, centres listed on the portal take online appointments; centres not listed are walk-in only. UIDAI says you don't need an Aadhaar-linked mobile to book, and allows at most 2 appointments a month.
• You can reschedule up to 24 hours before your slot. If you miss the slot, you have to book again.
• Timings: Aadhaar Seva Kendras usually open on Sundays too. They close on about 10 holidays a year, such as Republic Day, Independence Day and Gandhi Jayanti.
• Most work from 9:30 am to 5:30 pm with a lunch break from 1 to 2 pm, so avoid arriving at 1 pm. Check your centre before you go.

Home enrolment for elderly and disabled people

In our experience, a home visit can be arranged for eligible senior citizens, disabled persons and some special cases. Prior permission from the UIDAI Regional Office may be needed. It is not free, even for bedridden or disabled people, so ask about the charge first. See Aadhaar for elderly, disabled and bedridden people.

More on booking: Book an Aadhaar appointment · Aadhaar centres: what to expect.

What happens at the Aadhaar centre?

UIDAI's service standard is a session of up to 20 minutes at the centre. Queues can make the visit longer.

1. Fill in the enrolment form

   Adults, and NRIs with an Indian address, use Form 1; NRIs with only a foreign address use Form 2. Children aged 5 to under 18 use Form 3, and children under 5 use Form 5. Foreign nationals use Form 7 (18+) or Form 8 (under 18). See the form, field by field.

   Name, date of birth, gender and address are compulsory. Mobile number and email are optional for residents.

   Give a mobile number you will keep. Without a registered mobile you can't download e-Aadhaar later.

2. Hand over your original documents

   The operator scans them and returns them to you. Your name is entered exactly as written on the document.

3. Give your photo, fingerprints and iris scans

   For anyone aged 5 or more, the operator takes a photo, all 10 fingerprints and both irises. For a child under 5, only a photo is taken.

4. Check every detail on the screen

   Read your name, date of birth, gender, address and mobile number before the operator finishes. A mistake now means a ₹75 update later, and name, gender and date of birth can be changed only a limited number of times.

5. Keep the acknowledgement slip

   The slip shows your 28-digit enrolment ID (EID): a 14-digit enrolment number plus a 14-digit date and time stamp. The EID is not your Aadhaar number.

   You'll know it worked when you have the slip with the EID. Photograph it and keep the paper safe.

How long does a new Aadhaar take?

These are UIDAI's service standards from its Citizen's Charter (January 2024).

Do some states verify adults before the Aadhaar is issued?

Yes. News reports describe extra checks for new adult Aadhaar in these places. UIDAI has not confirmed them on its website.

What happens after you enrol?

• Check the status with your EID. See Enrolment status and Aadhaar not received.
• Download e-Aadhaar with your EID once it is generated. The OTP goes to your registered mobile. See Download e-Aadhaar.
• Lost the slip? Use Retrieve EID/UID with your name and the mobile number or email you gave. If you gave neither, go to a centre. See Find a lost Aadhaar number or EID.

Why should you enrol only once?

UIDAI allows only one enrolment per person. A second enrolment is rejected unless UIDAI advises otherwise. Where duplicates exist, the earliest Aadhaar with biometrics is kept.

Don't re-apply if your first enrolment may already have produced an Aadhaar. This matters if you enrolled years ago, lost the slip, or changed your mobile number. Use Retrieve EID/UID first, or ask at a centre.

What can go wrong, and how do you fix it?

Bottom line

A new Aadhaar is free and needs one visit. Adults must go to a designated centre with original documents whose names match. Keep the EID slip, check the status, and don't enrol twice. For help, UIDAI's free helpline is 1947.