The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), the issuing body of Aadhaar, recently informed that NRIs will no longer have to wait for 182 days or six months to apply for an Aadhaar card. From now on they can do so as soon as they land in India. All they need for an Aadhaar card, one of the most important pieces of identification for Indians, is a valid Indian passport.
Because of Aadhaar’s heavy-duty linkage to the essential aspects of daily life, it is of paramount significance to both Indian residents as well as non-Indian residents. Previously, NRIs were mandated to wait out for a particular period, but now that has been abolished.
This development by the government of India is a consequence of the proposal of Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to give Aadhaar cards to NRIs on arrival to India without the waiting period of 182 days. Subsequently, this proposal was brought to the table during the Union budget in February. As per the suggestion of the minister to do away with the six-month waiting period for NRIs during the budget announcement, the decision was finally taken on August 26, 2021.
“Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) need not wait for 182 days,” UIDAI tweeted on August 26. “NRIs with valid Indian passport may apply for Aadhaar on arrival.”
If you don’t know the entire application process of enroling for Aadhaar, follow these steps:
- Visit any Aadhaar enrolment centre near you with a valid Indian Passport.
- Fill in the details in the enrolment form provided by the Aadhaar enrolment officer.
- Make sure that you complete the declaration for NRI enrolment, which is slightly different from the usual process. First, read and then sign the same in your enrolment form.
- Once you are done with signing the enrolment form, ask the operator to enrol you as an NRI.
- Next, provide your Passport as Proof of Identity to the enrolment officer who is handling the process. You can choose your Passport to substantiate Proof of Address and Date of Birth or any other valid document.
- Complete the biometric capture process and undergo an Iris scan to add to your biometric data verification.
- Allow the officials to click a picture of yours.
- Check all details on the screen (in English and local language) before you allow the operator to submit your application.
- Finally, collect the acknowledgement slip/ enrolment slip, having your 14-digit Enrolment ID and Date and Time Stamp. And wait for 90 days like other Indian citizens. You can track the progress online by using your enrolment number provided by the centre.
