The world’s largest biometric identification system, Aadhaar provides a verified proof of identity and address to Indian residents. Therefore, it is imperative that all the information in your Aadhaar card is accurate and up to date. Therefore, in today’s guide, we will delve into the ins and outs of Aadhaar card biometric.

Without further ado, let’s begin!

On applying for an Aadhaar card, enrollment collects demographic information like name, address, contact number, biometric details such as fingerprints, and images of both eyes and facial photos. This data is linked to the Aadhaar card and is essential for authentication and availing of Aadhaar-based services.

Updating biometrics is necessary if changes occur due to illness, accidents, or other reasons. UIDAI suggests updating the Aadhaar data every ten years to maintain a clean database. This creates credibility for the users of the healthcare delivery systems.

Let's now look at how you can update your Aadhaar biometrics.

Updating one’s demographic information in Aadhaar is rather simple and mostly done digitally. However, when it comes to an update in the Aadhaar biometric, you have to take the offline route. 

Here are the steps to follow:

Aadhaar Biometric Update via Aadhaar Enrollment Centre

You can easily locate an Aadhaar enrollment centre in your vicinity through UIDAI’s official website or the mAadhaar mobile application.

On the official UIDAI website

Step 1: Visit the website:- https://uidai.gov.in/en/ and find the option ‘Get Aadhaar.’ 

Step 2: Select the option of ‘Locate an Enrollment Centre.’

Step 3: Your screen will show 3 options for locating the same, namely ‘Search Box,’ ‘Postal Code,’ and ‘State.’ Here, you can choose any of these three options. Simply enter the relevant details, and the website will display a list of the nearest Aadhaar enrollment centres.

On the mAadhaar mobile application

Step 1: Open this app and select ‘Enrollment Centre.’

Step 2: Now, select ‘Advanced Search’ or ‘Search by Text.’

Step 3: If you choose ‘Advanced Search,’ you can locate an enrollment centre by entering your state, district, or pin code. Alternatively, when opting for ‘Search by Text,’ you are required to enter the centre’s name to locate it.

Aadhaar Biometric Update

Once you successfully locate an Aadhaar enrollment centre near you, you can then update your Aadhaar card biometric by following these steps:

Step 1: Visit the Aadhaar enrollment centre and ask for a form to update biometric in Aadhaar.

Step 2: After you fill and submit the Aadhaar biometric form, authentication is required. Here, you can submit your fingerprints or go for an iris scan, whichever has not changed. The authentication process is complete when you submit any of these biometric data.

Step 3: Once this authentication process is done, your changed biometrics are recorded. For instance, let’s say you use your fingerprints for authentication. Then, this stage calls for an iris scan.

Step 4: These recorded biometrics are then locked and updated in the database of UIDAI.

Age is a critical criterion when enrolling a child under Aadhaar. For instance, children under 5 years receive Baal Aadhaar, in which the child's biometrics are not entered. Instead, the biometrics of a child’s parents are recorded.

So, a child aged below 5 years enrolling for an Aadhaar card should undergo an update twice. Likewise, when a child aged 5-15 years applies for an Aadhaar card, he/she must update biometrics once.

The procedure for this update is the same as that for adults. Therefore, you can take your child to the nearest Aadhaar enrollment centre, submit an Aadhaar biometric form, and provide your child’s changed biometric details.

A biometric update comes with a fee. In the case of adults, fees for the Aadhaar card biometric update amount to ₹50, which is inclusive of GST. One can update these details as many times as they want. However, each update will accompany this charge.

In the case of children, a first-time update is free of cost. Therefore, a child’s first biometric update at the age of 5 years can be done for free. Likewise, when biometrics are updated, a child reaches the age of 15 years, and he/she does not need to pay any fee either. However, if this child updates his/her biometric data again, it calls for a fee of ₹50.

With the launch of India’s Aadhaar program in 2009, the country set out to accomplish a world-first: assigning each citizen a unique identification number. The aim here was to do away with the decentralised identification system previously in place, the relevant documents of which were subject to damage or misplacement.

As a result, Aadhaar knits India’s enormous and poorly documented populace into a single and centralised database. Every resident of India receives an Aadhaar card with a 12-digit ID number. Moreover, this number is biometrically verifiable, which can be conveniently cross-referenced with the biometric data in UIDAI’s database.

Preventing Fraud and Improving Financial Systems

As Aadhaar card biometric data is also linked to an individual’s Aadhaar number, it effectively weeds out potential misuse or fraud. Upon locking the biometric, an Aadhaar cardholder will not be able to use his/her biometrics for authentication, and neither can someone else. Additionally, this linkage also increases the efficiency of taxation, ultimately enhancing the country’s financial standing.

With that, we have reached the end of this article on the nitty-gritty of the Aadhaar card biometric. The information provided in this guide will help you understand the process of updating your biometric data. It should also tell you how it differs from other Aadhaar updates. We hope that this knowledge comes in handy when you update the biometrics.