Aadhar has emerged as a veritable document of proof of identity and proof of address for Indian residents. What if your son or daughter is a minor; are they eligible to apply for the Aadhar card too or do we need to wait till they become majors before they can apply for an Aadhar card. In a way, the Aadhar is like a passport and there is no age limit for you to apply for the Aadhar card. There are some differences in biometric rules for children but otherwise the rules for Aadhar are all the same. The fact is that you certainly apply for Aadhar on behalf of minors too. Here is how to apply for Aadhar card for minors.
How to apply for Aadhar card if your child is below the age of 5
If your child is below the age 5, then they will be infants and will not be required to go through the biometric proofing. In fact, Aadhaar card can be generated for all children below 5 years including new-borns. Some of the key highlights of getting a new Aadhar card for minors are as under:
Biometrics of the child is not taken in this case.
However, once the child turns 5, you will have to take them to an Aadhar authorized centre and get the biometrics done
Only the child’s photograph is taken for Aadhaar but it is compulsory to provide Aadhaar of any one of the parents, either mother or father
In case both parents don’t have Aadhaar, they have to get enrolled for Aadhaar first and only after that the child can be enrolled for Aadhar
How to apply for Aadhar Card when the child is between 5 and 15 years of age?
The process is almost the same when the child is between 5 and 15 years, except that the biometric test is taken. Also a child needs to renew their Aadhar card at the age of 5 and again at the age of 15. This is to ensure that the biometric details are updated. Following are some of the key features:
Aadhar card for children between 5 years and 15 years is issued in a similar manner as that of adults. The process of enrolment is similar to that of adults
The child has to get the biometric data (all 10 fingerprints, iris scan and photograph) updated when he or she turns 15 years of age
The birth certificate of the child issued by the local municipality has to be provided in all cases
The biometric data can be updated again in the later stages of life in case biometrics do not match in future
Process flow for Aadhar for children
The process flow for Aadhar for children below 5 and for children between 5 and 15 is the same, except for the biometric details. Following is the detailed process to apply for Aadhar on behalf of children:
Visit a nearby Aadhaar Enrolment Centre. You can also do the enrolment at your local bank or the post office for your convenience
Fill the Aadhaar Enrolment Form of your child mentioning the parent’s Aadhaar number as well. Aadhar of any one of the parent is good enough.
The child’s photograph is taken by the Aadhar equipment at the centre
The address and other demographic details are filled from the parent’s Aadhaar card only. No separate proof for the child is required.
Birth certificate by the local municipality for children is mandatory document
The fingerprints and iris scan is not taken for children below 5 years but is mandatory for children between the ages of 5 and 15
In case of children below 5, only parent’s documents are sufficient for Aadhar. However, for children between 5 and 15, a copy of the school ID card and a bona fide letter from the school confirming the child’s study should also be enclosed.
You are issued an enrolment acknowledgement slip which can be used to check the status on the UIDAI website. The parent’s mobile can be used for all future OTP generation.
Once the following process is completed, the Aadhar card of the child will reach you within 90 days. Of course, you don’t need to wait that long. The online card is uploaded on the website much earlier and you can download and start using the same.
Please note that the Aadhar enrolment process for children is entirely free and there is no cost either for the enrolment or the biometric testing. However, when you go to update the Aadhar details or for any subsequent biometric submission then a nominal fee of Rs.30 is charged. The entire process is very simple and hardly consumes more than 15-20 minutes.