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What Are the New Aadhaar (Aadhar) Rules in 2026? Deadlines & Changes
As of 15 October 2026, Aadhaar fees stay at ₹75 for changing details and ₹125 for biometrics until 30 September 2028. Email updates in the Aadhaar App are free until 31 December 2026. Online document updates stay free until 14 June 2027, and a child's biometric update at ages 7–15 until 30 September 2027.
- Next deadline
- 31 Dec 2026 (free email update in the app)
- Child 7–15 biometric
- Free till 30 Sep 2027
- Online document update
- Free till 14 Jun 2027
- Current fees
- ₹75 / ₹125 till 30 Sep 2028
- Last checked
- 15 Oct 2026
On this page
Which Aadhaar deadlines are coming up?
This page is updated whenever UIDAI changes a rule. Each row says where the fact comes from: UIDAI (its website, fee chart or office memo), Government (another official site) or News report (not yet confirmed on uidai.gov.in). Days left are counted from 15 Oct 2026, soonest first.
| Deadline | What ends or starts | Who it affects | Time left | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free email update in the Aadhaar App ends. After that it costs ₹75. | Anyone who wants to add or change their email | 77 days left | UIDAI (office memo, 18 Jun 2026) | |
| In Assam, SC/ST, tea-garden and Divyang adults stop being exempt from the new state approval for a first Aadhaar. | Adults in Assam applying for a new Aadhaar | 167 days left | News report | |
| Free document (proof of identity and address) update on myAadhaar ends. At a centre it already costs ₹75; after this date our counter team expects ₹75 online too, unless UIDAI extends it. | Anyone whose Aadhaar documents are old, especially 10+ years | 242 days left | UIDAI (fee chart; extension of 13 May 2026) | |
| Free biometric update for children aged 7–15 ends. After that, ₹125. | Parents of children who missed the update at 5–7 | 350 days left | UIDAI (Seva Kendra page, reviewed 9 Oct 2026); news reports | |
| Next fee cycle. Reported: ₹75 becomes ₹90 and ₹125 becomes ₹150. | Everyone paying for an update | about 2 years | News report (not confirmed by UIDAI) |
Some deadlines never move: a child's mandatory biometric update at 5–7 and 15–17 is always free, and a new Aadhaar is always free. For every current fee, see Aadhaar fees & charges or work out your total with the fee calculator.
UIDAI's older fee chart still shows the free child update for ages 7–15 ending on 30 Sep 2026. UIDAI's newer Seva Kendra page (reviewed 9 Oct 2026) says free till 30 Sep 2027. If a centre asks ₹125 for a child aged 7–15, mention that page or call 1947. Details: Child biometric update.
What changed in Aadhaar rules in 2025 and 2026?
Newest first. "News report" means the change was reported in the media but we could not confirm it on uidai.gov.in yet.
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· Source: Government (News On AIR)
LPG needs biometric Aadhaar authentication. It is now mandatory to book subsidised LPG refills. You can do it at delivery, at the gas showroom or in the oil company apps. Ujjwala (PMUY) customers do it once per financial year.
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· Source: UIDAI (Seva Kendra page); news reports
Free child biometric update extended. Ages 7–15 stay free until 30 Sep 2027 instead of 30 Sep 2026. See Child biometric update.
-
· Source: News report (Business Today, Outlook)
New rules for name changes (reported). Five categories: minor change, data-entry error, a woman's surname after marriage or divorce, removing an alias ("urf"), and a complete change, which needs a Gazette notification. Some need an affidavit from an annexure. See Change your name.
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· Source: News report
Face Authentication SDK launched (reported). According to news reports, banks can build Aadhaar face authentication into their own apps.
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· Source: News report; our counter
mAadhaar app retired (reported). Its data does not move to the new Aadhaar App, so you register again there. In our experience the old app no longer shows in the Play Store.
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· Source: UIDAI (office memo)
Email update in the app made free from 1 Jul to 31 Dec 2026. After that, ₹75.
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· Source: News report
Assam: state approval for a first adult Aadhaar (reported). News reports say no new adult Aadhaar has been issued there since 1 Oct 2025 except through the District Commissioner in "rarest of rare" cases. SC/ST, tea-garden and Divyang applicants are exempt until 31 Mar 2027. Under-18s are not affected.
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· Source: UIDAI (fee chart); news reports
Free online document update extended to 14 Jun 2027. The earlier deadline was 14 Jun 2026. See 10-year document update.
-
· Source: UIDAI (enrolment and update forms 1–8, 2026)
New enrolment and update forms. UIDAI's 2026 forms replace the 2024 set. For a Head of Family address update, the HoF can be your mother, father, legal guardian, spouse, child/ward or sibling, aged 18+. For a new enrolment through a HoF, only a parent or legal guardian. A non-Indian mobile number gets no SMS. See Aadhaar form, field by field.
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· Source: UIDAI (official document list, checked 15 Oct 2026)
New list of accepted documents. It is split into List I (age 0–5), List II (5–18), List III (new Aadhaar, 18+) and List IV (updates). PAN is in no list. A bank photo passbook counts for updates only. A marksheet proves name and date of birth, never address. See Documents required for Aadhaar.
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· Source: Government (MeitY)
Card redesign rumour denied. Stories said Aadhaar cards would show only a photo and a QR code. The IT ministry (MeitY) denied this.
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· Source: UIDAI; Government (PIB)
New Aadhaar App launched (beta since Nov 2025). It updates mobile, address and email, locks biometrics, and holds up to 5 profiles per phone. In our experience you can also order a PVC card in it. See The new Aadhaar App.
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· Source: News report; UIDAI PVC page
PVC card fee up from ₹50 to ₹75, including GST and Speed Post. See Order an Aadhaar PVC card.
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· Source: Government (CBDT notifications 25/26 of 2025, incometax.gov.in); news reports
PANs taken with an Aadhaar Enrolment ID. People who got a PAN using an Aadhaar Enrolment ID (before 1 Oct 2024) had to give their Aadhaar number by 31 Dec 2025. News reports say such PANs became inoperative from 1 Jan 2026 if not updated. See our PAN guide: inoperative PAN.
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· Source: UIDAI (SOP)
New rules for date-of-birth updates. If your date of birth is "declared" or approximate and you are under 18, only a birth certificate is accepted. Date of birth can still be changed only once. See Change date of birth.
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· Source: News report
Businesses told not to store photocopies (OVSE, reported). According to news reports, UIDAI said that storing Aadhaar photocopies violates the Aadhaar Act. Hotels and similar businesses are expected to register as offline verification entities (OVSE) and verify through the app. More than 100 had registered by Apr 2026.
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· Source: News report (Outlook)
"Everything online from 1 Nov 2025" was wrong. On 3 Nov 2025 the myAadhaar portal itself offered only the address update online.
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· Source: UIDAI (office memo)
PVC cards issued without a hologram. One UIDAI page still mentions an "official hologram", but the office memo and the card's feature list don't.
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· Source: UIDAI (fee chart)
New fee cycle (to 30 Sep 2028). ₹75 for a demographic update (name, gender, date of birth, address, mobile, email) and ₹125 for a biometric update. Changes made with a biometric update are included free.
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· Source: UIDAI
Birth certificate mandatory for anyone born on or after 1 Oct 2023.
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· Source: UIDAI; our counter
"Report death of a family member" on myAadhaar. It works only in states and UTs connected to the Civil Registration System (25 as of Nov 2025). The family member logs in, then enters the deceased's Aadhaar number and death registration number.
Which "new Aadhaar rules" are myths?
| Myth | Fact |
|---|---|
| "From 1 Nov 2025 every Aadhaar update is online." | Wrong. Online you can update address (myAadhaar and app), mobile and email (app). Name, date of birth, gender, photo, fingerprints and iris need a centre. |
| "The free child biometric update ended on 30 Sep 2026." | It was extended. Ages 7–15 are free until 30 Sep 2027. |
| "The free online document update ended on 14 Jun 2026." | That was the old deadline. It is free on myAadhaar until 14 Jun 2027. |
| "Aadhaar cards will show only a photo and a QR code." | Denied by MeitY on 3 May 2026. |
| "A PVC card without a hologram is fake." | No. UIDAI has issued PVC cards without a hologram since Oct 2025. |
| "Aadhaar fees have gone up to ₹90 and ₹150." | Not now. ₹75 and ₹125 apply until 30 Sep 2028. The higher figures for Oct 2028 are only reported. |
| "My mAadhaar profiles will move to the new app." | They don't. Register again in the new Aadhaar App. |
| "PAN card works as ID proof for Aadhaar." | PAN is not in any of UIDAI's four document lists. |
| "If you skip the 10-year document update, your Aadhaar is cancelled." | UIDAI says holders "may" update. In our experience the Aadhaar is not deactivated, but some services or KYC can get stuck. |
"A forwarded message says it, so it must be a new rule." Check the date and look for the rule on uidai.gov.in or on this page before you pay anyone or share any detail.
What should you do now?
Answer a few questions to see which change affects you first.
| Your situation | What to do, and by when |
|---|---|
| Child aged 7–15 who needs a biometric update | Centre or school camp, free until 30 Sep 2027. Due date: child update calculator |
| Aadhaar documents 10+ years old | Update on myAadhaar, free until 14 Jun 2027 |
| Want to add or change your email | Aadhaar App, free until 31 Dec 2026 |
| LPG customer | Biometric Aadhaar authentication, required since 1 Oct 2026 |
| Old mAadhaar user | Install the new Aadhaar App and register again |
Who must act, and who can relax?
| Change | Who must act | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| Child 7–15 free until 30 Sep 2027 | Parents | Don't pay ₹125 for a child aged 7–15 before then. The updates at 5–7 and 15–17 are always free. |
| Free online document update until 14 Jun 2027 | People with old documents on Aadhaar | Do it online with OTP and save ₹75. It doesn't change your details, it only refreshes your proofs. |
| Email free in the app until 31 Dec 2026 | Anyone without an email on Aadhaar | Add it now in the app. In our experience a linked email also lets you retrieve a lost Aadhaar number. |
| LPG biometric authentication | LPG customers | Mandatory for subsidised refills. In our experience gas agencies ask all customers, not only subsidised ones. |
| mAadhaar retired, new Aadhaar App | Old mAadhaar users | Register again. The app needs Android 9+ or iOS 16+ and good light for the face check. |
| New document list (May 2026) | Anyone applying or updating | Check your proof before you go. PAN is not accepted; a bank passbook works for updates only. |
| DOB SOP (Dec 2025) and name SOP (Sep 2026, reported) | Anyone changing name or date of birth | Read the rules first: date of birth can be changed only once, a name twice. Both need a centre. |
| OVSE / no photocopies | Hotels and businesses; you | Offer a masked Aadhaar or let them scan the QR code instead of handing over a photocopy. |
| PVC ₹75, no hologram | Anyone ordering a PVC card | Pay only ₹75 on myAadhaar or, in our experience, in the Aadhaar App. A card without a hologram is genuine. |
| Assam state approval | Adults in Assam without Aadhaar | If you are SC/ST, from a tea garden or Divyang, apply before 31 Mar 2027 (reported). |
| Death reporting on myAadhaar | Families of a person who has died | Report it online if your state is connected to the Civil Registration System. |
| Fee cycle until Sep 2028 | No one | ₹75 and ₹125 stay. Anyone asking more is overcharging. |
The old mAadhaar app no longer shows in the Play Store; the new Aadhaar App appears in its place, and our customers haven't been confused by it. They mostly use the new app to download e-Aadhaar and to update mobile or address. LPG authentication is being asked of all customers, not only subsidised ones. And the no-photocopy rule isn't followed everywhere yet: some hotels scan the QR code, others still take a photocopy.
What problems come up with the new rules, and how do you fix them?
| Problem | Why it happens | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Centre asks ₹125 for a child aged 7–15 | UIDAI's older fee chart still shows 30 Sep 2026 | Point to UIDAI's Seva Kendra page (free till 30 Sep 2027) or call 1947 |
| Profiles missing in the new Aadhaar App | mAadhaar data does not migrate | Add each person again (up to 5 per phone) |
| Face check fails in the new app | Poor light, or an old enrolment photo (for example, one taken as a child) | Try again in good light. If it keeps failing, update at a centre instead |
| LPG booking blocked | Biometric authentication not done | Complete it at delivery, the showroom or the oil company app |
| Document refused at the centre | It is not on the 2026 list (for example PAN) | Check accepted documents or the document checker and bring another proof |
| Can't change name or date of birth online | These still need a centre | Visit a centre with the proof the new SOP asks for |
| Charged more than ₹75 or ₹125 | Overcharging | Complain on 1947 or [email protected] |
What the new rules mean if you live abroad
- The free document update on myAadhaar (until 14 Jun 2027) works from abroad if your registered Indian mobile still receives SMS.
- Biometric updates, including a child's free update at 7–15, need a visit to India. Plan your trip before 30 Sep 2027.
- Name and date-of-birth changes under the new SOPs also need a centre in India.
- Non-residents are exempt from PAN–Aadhaar linking (see link PAN with Aadhaar if you choose to link).
Region not right?
Fake "new Aadhaar rule" messages
- Ignore SMS or WhatsApp links that promise "Aadhaar update from home" under a "new rule". Our counter team has seen these scams.
- Hang up on callers who say "your Aadhaar will be blocked" and ask for your OTP or Aadhaar number. Never tell anyone your OTP.
- Never install an app or screen-sharing app (AnyDesk-type) because a caller tells you to. Use only UIDAI's Aadhaar App.
- A message that says a free deadline "ends today" and asks you to pay through a link is a warning sign. Check the dates on this page or on uidai.gov.in.
Frequently asked questions
Is the child biometric update still free in 2026?
Yes. For ages 7–15 it is free until 30 Sep 2027, according to UIDAI's Seva Kendra page. At ages 5–7 and 15–17 it is always free. Other biometric updates cost ₹125.
Until when is the online document update free?
Until 14 Jun 2027 on myAadhaar. At a centre it costs ₹75.
Have Aadhaar fees gone up?
No. ₹75 for a demographic update and ₹125 for a biometric update apply until 30 Sep 2028. News reports say ₹90 and ₹150 from Oct 2028, but UIDAI hasn't confirmed this.
Is my PVC card fake if it has no hologram?
No. UIDAI has issued PVC cards without a hologram since Oct 2025. The card costs ₹75, including GST and Speed Post.
Does the mAadhaar app still work?
No. News reports say it was retired around 30 Jun–1 Jul 2026. Use the new Aadhaar App and register again; old profiles don't carry over.
Can I now change my name or date of birth online?
No. Name, date of birth and gender still need a centre. UIDAI says they "may be added in phases" to the app.
Is the Aadhaar card being redesigned?
No. MeitY denied the "photo and QR code only" story on 3 May 2026.
Do I need Aadhaar authentication to book LPG?
Yes, biometric Aadhaar authentication is mandatory for subsidised refills from 1 Oct 2026. In our experience gas agencies ask all customers.
Can a hotel keep a photocopy of my Aadhaar?
According to news reports, UIDAI said in Dec 2025 that storing photocopies violates the Aadhaar Act. In our experience some hotels still take one. Offer a masked Aadhaar or ask them to scan the QR code.
How do I know if a "new Aadhaar rule" is real?
Look for it on uidai.gov.in or call 1947. We list every change on this page with its source.
Bottom line
Three free windows are open now: email in the app until 31 Dec 2026, online document update until 14 Jun 2027, and a child's biometric update at 7–15 until 30 Sep 2027. Fees stay at ₹75 and ₹125 until Sep 2028. When a "new rule" sounds odd, check UIDAI's free helpline 1947.
Sources
- UIDAI – Aadhaar Seva Kendra (child biometric update free till 30.9.2027) (accessed 15 Oct 2026)
- UIDAI – Aadhaar Enrolment & Update charges (PDF) (accessed 13 Oct 2026)
- UIDAI – List of acceptable documents for enrolment and update (PDF) (accessed 15 Oct 2026)
- UIDAI – Updating data on Aadhaar (accessed 15 Oct 2026)
- UIDAI – Aadhaar App FAQ (in the Aadhaar App and on uidai.gov.in) (accessed 13 Oct 2026)
- UIDAI – Order Aadhaar PVC card (accessed 15 Oct 2026)
- UIDAI – Aadhaar Online Services (accessed 15 Oct 2026)
- UIDAI office memos: PVC without hologram (17 Oct 2025); email update free (18 Jun 2026); DOB update SOP (24 Dec 2025) (accessed 13 Oct 2026)
- Government sources: PIB (new Aadhaar App, Jan 2026); MeitY (card redesign denial, 3 May 2026); News On AIR (LPG authentication); Goa government press release PR-392 (free email update) (accessed 13–15 Oct 2026)
- News reports: Business Standard (PVC fee, 2026 document list); Outlook Money, 20 May 2026 (document update extension); Madhyamam, 29 Sep 2026 and Times Bull, 15 Oct 2026 (child update extension); Business Today and Outlook, 5 Oct 2026 (name SOP); Outlook, Nov 2025 ("everything online" claim) (accessed 13–15 Oct 2026)
- UIDAI – Enrolment and update forms 1–8 (2026); Income Tax Department (PAN with Enrolment ID, CBDT notifications 25/26 of 2025) (accessed 15–16 Oct 2026)
- Anika Digital Seva counter team: expert answers B13-1, B13-2, G12, G19, J16, J20, Z06, Z11, Z12, Z20, Z25, F02 (14/15 Oct 2026)
Page history: 15 Oct 2026, first version. 16 Oct 2026: accuracy and link review.