Update your Aadhaar for free till June 14, or pay later

Hindustan Times

2 days ago

Hundreds of people are visiting the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) regional office in Gomti Nagar daily, with just two days left before the June 14 deadline for free Aadhaar updates.
Authorities have deployed extra staff at the centre to manage the rush and are urging people to come with all necessary documents to avoid delays.
UIDAI (Regional Office, Lucknow) deputy director general Prashant Kumar Singh confirmed that after June 14, document updates at Aadhaar centres will cost ₹50. Online changes will get charged at ₹25, while updates for documents like address proof will remain free. However, demographic changes such as name, date of birth, or gender can only be done at the centre with valid supporting documents.
Changes in demographics which includes name, mobile number, date of birth, or biometrics - fingerprints, iris scan - is charged at ₹50 at Aadhaar centres. If one were to have both demographics and biometrics updated, then a maximum ₹100 would be charged.
A senior official reveals that a proposal has been sent to the state government officials regarding the extension of the deadline for the free services on the online services.
Officials said the office receives around 350 visitors each day, and more than 10,000 people every month, mostly to correct their date of birth, name, and address in Aadhaar, which remained unresolved at Aadhaar centres.
According to a senior UIDAI official, 60–70% of the visitors who visit the regional office of the Aadhaar seek correction in their date of birth, a majority of which were wrongly entered previously by entry operators of the private company during Aadhaar registration. 'We are seeing a heavy rush.
One student came right after finishing Class 12 and had to update his birth details because the wrong date was recorded during enrollment by the operator. He submitted a valid birth certificate with a QR code and got it corrected after verification,' the official said.
Many people realise such discrepancies only when they apply for jobs, passports, or higher education, leading to last-minute rushes. Officials said Aadhaar-related mistakes can delay important applications, making timely updates crucial.
'Aadhaar holders who haven't updated their data in the last 10 years must update their proof of identity and address. This online facility is free only till June 14 while the centre charges the same rate of ₹50,' Singh said.
UIDAI officials also advised citizens to update their biometrics every 10 years, including their photograph, fingerprint, and iris scan, to ensure smooth authentication during services like banking, subsidies, and mobile SIM verification.
People can also lock their biometrics online by logging into the UIDAI portal using their Aadhaar number, which helps prevent unauthorised use. Additionally, users can check their Aadhaar usage history, including the number of OTPs generated or services accessed using Aadhaar.
'There's a lack of awareness about these features. We encourage people to use the transaction history and biometric lock to keep their Aadhaar secure,' said another official.