Is e-Aadhaar, PVC or Masked Aadhaar (Aadhar) Valid? Which One to Use?

Is e-Aadhaar valid like the original Aadhaar card?

Yes. UIDAI says e-Aadhaar is as valid as the physical Aadhaar letter. This comes from a UIDAI circular dated 28 April 2017. The PDF is digitally signed by UIDAI, so anyone can check that it hasn't been changed.

• e-Aadhaar: the password-protected PDF you download. In our experience a printout of it is accepted too.
• PVC card: UIDAI says it has the same validity as the e-Aadhaar and the letter.
• Masked e-Aadhaar: the same signed PDF, with the first 8 digits hidden.
• DigiLocker and UMANG: in our experience, the e-Aadhaar from these apps is accepted at banks and offices.

The signature is issued by "(n)Code Solutions CA 2014". On a fresh download, Adobe Reader shows a question mark until you validate it. That doesn't mean the file is fake.

How do the five Aadhaar formats compare?

Our customers care most about two things: where a form is accepted, and what it costs and how fast they get it. This table answers both. Scroll sideways on a phone.

"Shop print" is our idea of a fair charge for printing an e-Aadhaar, not an official fee. A biometric-authenticated print at an Aadhaar centre costs ₹30–₹40 (UIDAI's own Seva Kendras list ₹40).

Which Aadhaar format do you need?

Pick where you need to show Aadhaar. The answer comes from UIDAI's rules plus what we see at our counter every day.

What is masked Aadhaar, and when is it enough?

A masked Aadhaar is an e-Aadhaar that shows only the last 4 digits of your Aadhaar number. The first 8 digits are hidden. UIDAI offers it only as an e-Aadhaar download; there is no masked PVC card or letter.

Where does a masked Aadhaar work?

How do you download a masked Aadhaar?

1. Open the official download page

   Type myaadhaar.uidai.gov.in yourself and choose the e-Aadhaar download. The full steps are in our e-Aadhaar download guide.

2. Enter your number and confirm with the OTP

   Use your Aadhaar number, Enrolment ID or Virtual ID. The OTP goes only to the mobile registered with your Aadhaar.

3. Tick the masked option before downloading

   Choose masked Aadhaar, then download. If you forget, simply download again and tick it.

   You'll know it worked when the PDF shows only the last 4 digits of your number.

4. Open it with the PDF password

   The password is the first 4 letters of your name in CAPITALS plus your year of birth, for example SURE1990. Stuck? Try our PDF password helper.

Is the Aadhaar PVC card without a hologram valid?

Yes. UIDAI stopped putting a hologram on PVC cards from 17 October 2025 (UIDAI office memo). It says the PVC card has the same validity as the e-Aadhaar and the letter. So a card without a hologram is not fake.

• Fee: ₹75, including GST and Speed Post. It went up from ₹50 on 1 January 2026, as reported.
• Delivery: by Speed Post to the address on your Aadhaar. UIDAI's PVC order page says up to 30 days; in our experience it takes 15–30 days.
• Tracking: use the SRN from your order, or the Speed Post number on indiapost.gov.in.
• No registered mobile: you can order with another mobile number for the OTP, but you see no preview. We have sometimes seen such cards arrive with wrong details.

In our experience, a PVC card without a hologram is sometimes doubted, and we have seen it refused at the passport office. This is an early note from our counter, not a UIDAI rule. To order one, see our PVC card guide.

What should you do if an office doubts your PVC card?

Going to the passport office? In our experience it's better to take a full e-Aadhaar print with a green tick from the start.

Can you show the Aadhaar App instead of a card?

UIDAI's new Aadhaar App (launched 28 January 2026) can hold up to 5 profiles on one phone. It offers QR check-in, offline verification and selective sharing. Businesses that register with UIDAI as OVSE (offline verification entities) at ovse.uidai.gov.in can verify you through the app. More than 100 had registered by April 2026, as reported.

In practice, it's not there yet. In our experience, the app's QR or profile is not yet accepted as ID at airports, railways or hotels. Some hotels scan the QR code on your card or print; others still take a photocopy.

• Use the app to view and download your e-Aadhaar. That's what most of our customers use it for.
• Keep a print or PVC card with you for travel and check-ins.
• The old mAadhaar app has been retired, as reported, and no longer shows in the Play Store. Its data doesn't move to the new app; register again. See our Aadhaar App guide.

UIDAI said in December 2025 (as reported) that businesses storing Aadhaar photocopies break the Aadhaar Act. Hotels are expected to register as OVSE and verify instead. In our experience many haven't switched yet.

How do you validate the signature on e-Aadhaar before printing?

Banks and the passport office ask for an e-Aadhaar print with a validated signature. A fresh download shows a yellow question mark ("Validity Unknown"). After you trust UIDAI's certificate in Adobe Reader, it turns into a green tick. Here is the short version; the full 6-step guide with pictures is on our download page.

1. Open the PDF in Adobe Acrobat Reader

   Use the free Adobe Acrobat Reader on a computer, and enter the PDF password.

2. Trust UIDAI's certificate

   Right-click the question mark, choose Validate Signature, then Signature Properties. Click Show Signer's Certificate, open Trust and click Add to Trusted Certificates.

3. Validate again and print

   Click Validate Signature once more. Print from Adobe Reader with Document and Markups selected.

   You'll know it worked when the paper shows a green tick and "Signature valid".

How can anyone check that an Aadhaar is genuine?

Scan the Secure QR code on the Aadhaar. UIDAI says only the Aadhaar App, the Aadhaar QR Scanner app or UIDAI's Windows QR reader can read it, and it works offline. News reports say fake e-Aadhaar PDFs, including AI-made ones, can be caught this way.

The QR holds: the last 4 digits of the Aadhaar number, name, address, gender, date of birth, photo, and a masked mobile number and email.

Businesses that verify customers often should read our guide to verifying an Aadhaar.

What goes wrong with Aadhaar formats, and how do you fix it?

When should you visit an Aadhaar centre?

• No registered mobile and you need a copy today: ask for a biometric-authenticated e-Aadhaar print. It costs ₹30–₹40 (UIDAI's own Seva Kendras list ₹40).
• No registered mobile for the future: update your mobile number at the centre (₹75). Then download e-Aadhaar or a masked copy at home.
• Wrong details on your card: correct them first, then download or reorder.

Aadhaar Seva Kendras usually open on Sundays too and close on about 10 holidays a year. The centre we visit works 9:30 am–1 pm and 2–5:30 pm. Check your centre before you go.

Bottom line

Every official format is valid. Choose by where you're going. Use a masked copy for everyday use. In our experience banks want an e-Aadhaar print with a green tick, and the passport office wants a full (not masked) one. Get a PVC card if you want something tough for your wallet. For help, UIDAI's free helpline is 1947.