Our mission is to develop a community of NRI’s who wish to make wise financial decisions.
Investing in Debt & Equity Markets, Mutual funds, PMS, Real Estate, Insurances, Managing Indian Compliances, Taxation, Succession Planning & WILL etc. are few of the Subjects that this blog aims to cover and educate on.
As an NRI, you will need a valid Government of India issued identity document to make any financial transactions in India. An Aadhaar card or its digital version e-Aadhaar is one such document. This article explains how you can apply for an Aadhaar card and its benefits.
What is Aadhaar?
Aadhaar is a 12-digit unique identification number issued by the UIDAI on the government’s behalf, and it is linked to the biometric data of the owner.
Though the Aadhaar card is one of the most important documents, however not
- It is not Proof of Indian citizenship, and
- It does not provide the right to stay in India.
What are the benefits of holding an Aadhaar?
Today Adhaar is one of the best documents which can be used for offline/online identity verification across the country.
Its linkage with the Mobile Number and Biometrics of the holder results in Adhaar being used for authentication and verification in many transactions.
Since it is an online document, authentication and verification can happen anywhere and anytime. It is easy to open bank accounts, verify your ITR, Update or Register your KYC for investments, apply for driving licences etc.
So Today, Adhaar is used as valid documents for major transactions and its feature of providing confirmation using OTP and/or Biometrics makes it more useful.
Can an NRI get an Aadhaar Card?
Initially, the Aadhaar Card was accessible only to Indian residents. An NRIs who wanted to have an Aadhaar card had to reside in India for a minimum of 182 days before they could enrol for it.
However, in July 2019, the Government removed the earlier Mandatory 182 stay clause for NRIs and now NRIs who have a valid Indian passport can apply for an Aadhaar on arrival to India.
Is it mandatory for NRIs to have an Aadhaar?
It is not mandatory for NRIs to have Aadhaar.
However it is advisable to take Adhaar as having will benefit various identification and Financial Transactions, Like E-KYC, Opening Online accounts, tax e-verifications, other approved verifications etc.
How can an NRI get an Aadhaar Card?
The 1st Requirement is that the Individual should be physically present in India. Online Aadhaar Issuance is not permitted.
The procedure and requirements for an Aadhaar Card for an NRI are similar to the ones for Indian citizens.
What is the process for an NRI to acquire an Aadhaar?
The process is:
- Visit any Aadhaar Kendra of your convenience or you can book an appointment online.
- Carry a valid Indian Passport with you
- Fill in details in the enrolment form, if not filled in earlier.
- Giving Email ID is mandatory for NRI.
- Please also see that the mobile number which you are providing should be your permanent Indian Mobile Number or of some trusted person. Since the Mobile Number may be used for authentication for any future transactions.
- The declaration for NRI enrolment is slightly different. Read and sign the same in your enrolment form
- Please ensure that you are Asking the operator to enrol you as NRI
- Give your Passport as Proof of Identity
- You may choose to use your Passport itself as Proof of Address and Date of Birth proof or give some other valid document/s for this (As per https://uidai.gov.in/images/commdoc/valid_documents_list.pdf)
- Complete the biometric capture process
- Check all details on screen (in English and local language) before you allow the operator to submit
- Collect the acknowledgement slip/ enrolment slip that has your 14 digit Enrolment ID and Date & Time Stamp. You can check the status of your Aadhaar from: https://resident.uidai.gov.in/check-aadhaar
Can an International mobile number be linked to the Adhaar Card?
- Currently, International/ non-Indian mobile numbers cannot be linked to the Adhaar Card.
How does an NRI procure Aadhaar for their children who are NRIs?
The child is below 5 years of age:
- One of the parents/ guardians have to authenticate on behalf of the child and also give consent for the enrolment of the minor by signing the enrolment form.
- A valid Indian passport of the child is mandatory as Proof of Identity (PoI)
The child is between 5 to 18 years of age:
- One of the parents/ guardians has to give consent for the enrolment of the minor by signing the enrolment form.
- A Valid Indian passport of the child is mandatory as Proof of Identity (PoI)
e-Aadhaar – How to get it and its benefits
E-Adhaar is the digital version of your Adhaar. e-Aadhaar is accepted as a valid address and identity proof document as it contains all the same details as the physical card including your name, address, photograph and date of birth.
Here’s how you can get your e-Aadhaar:
- Visit the UIDAI website
- Enter your 12-Digit Aadhaar number.
- Click on the tab ‘Get One Time Password’ post which you will receive an OTP on your registered mobile number (RMN). Enter the OTP.
- Enter the first four letters of your name along with your year of birth in YYYY format to open the PDF file containing the e-Aadhaar and download the same on your smartphone or laptop. Please note that you will need Adobe Reader on your laptop or mobile to open the file.
Is it mandatory for an NRI to link the PAN and Aadhaar?
As it’s not mandatory for NRIs to have an Adhaar hence they don’t need to link PAN with Aadhaar.
However, in case you have an Adhaar, it is advisable to link your PAN with Adhaar as having an Aadhaar might make some financial transactions simpler.
How can I link it with PAN?
It’s a very easy process. Visit the Income Tax Website – https://eportal.incometax.gov.in/iec/foservices/#/pre-login/bl-link-aadhaar.
Complete the web form to finalize the transaction. You can check the status here.
Conclusion:
Aadhaar Card and its digital version e-Aadhaar are a quick way of getting your KYC processes done for important transactions within India. It’s an important document and you can use it as an identity/address proof everywhere from opening a bank account to completing property transactions. The process of getting one is quick and straightforward and you can even book an appointment before you travel to India.
"A Good Action Plan Will Make All
The Difference"
HOW MUCH DO YOU WANT TO GROW YOUR INVESTMENTS?
10 TIMES OR 3 TIMES..?
