When and How to Do Your Child's Aadhaar (Aadhar) Biometric Update at 5 and 15?

What is a child's mandatory biometric update (MBU)?

When a child under 5 gets a Baal Aadhaar, UIDAI records only a photo. Fingerprints and iris scans are taken from age 5. So the Aadhaar has to be updated as the child grows. UIDAI calls this the mandatory biometric update, or MBU.

• MBU-1 at age 5: the child's photo, all 10 fingerprints and both irises are captured.
• MBU-2 at age 15: the child's photo, fingerprints and irises are captured again.

It is the same kind of update as an adult's photo or fingerprint change, but with its own free age windows. For adults, see Photo & biometric update.

When is the child biometric update due, and what does it cost?

The fees below come from UIDAI's fee chart for 1 October 2025 to 30 September 2028.

Is your child just turning 7 or 17? Confirm the fee at the centre before the update starts.

Want the exact dates for your child? Use our child update due-date calculator. For every Aadhaar fee, see Aadhaar fees & charges.

Is your child's update due now?

Answer two quick questions to see what your child needs.

Where can you get a child's biometric update done?

Photo, fingerprint and iris updates can't be done online, on myAadhaar or in the Aadhaar App. You have three choices.

News reports say the school drive completed over 2 crore MBUs in 1.56 lakh schools by August 2026. For doorstep service, see Aadhaar services at home (IPPB). 155299 is IPPB's general contact line, not a booking line.

• Timings: Aadhaar Seva Kendras usually open on Sundays too, which can suit school children. 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.

Before your visit, read Aadhaar centres: what to expect.

How do you do the child's biometric update at a centre?

1. Check which update is due and the fee

   Use the age table or our due-date calculator. Ages 5–7 and 15–17 are free; ages 7–15 are free until 30 Sep 2027, then ₹125.

2. Choose a centre and book a slot

   Find an Aadhaar centre on the Bhuvan map. Booking on bookappointment.uidai.gov.in is free for listed centres. Unlisted centres take walk-ins.

3. Take the child and the child's Aadhaar

   The child must come in person, since the fingerprints, iris and photo are captured on the spot. Carry the child's Aadhaar letter, e-Aadhaar print or PVC card.

   Lost the child's Aadhaar number? Find it first with Retrieve EID/UID, using the registered mobile or email.

4. Ask for the mandatory biometric update on its own

   Say clearly that it is the child's mandatory biometric update. UIDAI says an MBU must be a stand-alone transaction. If you also want to change the address or mobile number, that is a separate request (₹75).

   For adults, a ₹125 biometric update includes other changes free. We haven't confirmed how this works for a child's update at ages 7–15, so ask the centre.

5. Let the operator capture the biometrics

   The operator takes a new photo, all 10 fingerprints and both iris scans. If a fingerprint doesn't read, clean the finger and let the operator try again.

6. Check the fee and keep the update slip

   At ages 5–7 and 15–17, and at 7–15 until 30 Sep 2027, you should pay nothing. Keep the acknowledgement slip.

   You'll know it worked when you leave with the slip. You need its number to check the status.

How do you check that the child's biometric update was done?

Use the number on the centre's slip. It works the same way as any other Aadhaar update.

1. Open Check Enrolment or Update Status

   Type myaadhaar.uidai.gov.in yourself or use the button below. Don't open status links sent on WhatsApp.

2. Enter the slip number and read the status

   Type the number from the slip digit by digit; the page accepts the enrolment number or EID, SRN or URN. The page shows whether the request is in progress or rejected.

   Lost the slip? Update History (beta) on myAadhaar is reported to list past updates with the date and type. It needs an OTP on the child's registered mobile.

3. Follow up if it is slow

   We don't have a confirmed processing time for an MBU. If it still shows "in progress" after 30 days, call 1947 with the slip number.

Status meanings, rejection reasons and escalation: Update status & rejection fixes.

What happens if you miss the child's biometric update?

• The Aadhaar may be deactivated. If MBU-1 isn't done after age 7, the Aadhaar "may be deactivated". A missed child MBU is one of the deactivation reasons in UIDAI's rules.
• SMS reminders: UIDAI is reported to send SMS reminders about the pending update.
• Exams and scholarships can get stuck. Families report that a missed MBU blocked NEET, JEE or CUET registration and scholarship applications.
• Free now, paid later. UIDAI has extended the free update for ages 7–15 until 30 September 2027; after that it costs ₹125, so don't wait.

The fix is the same in every case: take the child to an Aadhaar centre and do the biometric update as soon as you can. If the Aadhaar has already been deactivated, see Aadhaar deactivated? Reactivate.

What problems come up with a child's biometric update, and how do you fix them?

Bottom line

Mark two birthdays: 5 and 15. Take your child and their Aadhaar to a centre or a school camp. The update is free at 5–7 and 15–17, and at 7–15 until 30 Sep 2027. Keep the slip and check the status. For help, UIDAI's free helpline is 1947.