What is a Blue-coloured Aadhaar card? Here is how to get one

A blue-colored Aadhaar card? Yes, it exists! Aadhaar Card is one of the most important pieces of documents that you can have in India. The 12-digit unique identification number issued by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) contains your biometric and your demographic information and so it is often used as an address proof while applying for various documents such as postpaid telecom cards, banks, passports and for many other official requirements.

But did you know there are two types of Aadhaar Cards? The first one is the regular Aadhaar Card that is issued to everyone. This one is for adults and it comes printed on a White piece of paper. The other one is for children. It is called Baal Aadhaar and it is Blue in colour. Parents of newborn children can apply for Baal Aadhaar Card in India.

Baal Aadhaar Card was introduced by UIDAI back in 2018 for children below the age of 5 years.

Apart from the colour, what distinguishes the regular Aadhaar Card, that is, the one for adults, from the Baal Aadhaar Card is the fact that while adults have to register their biometric data such as their fingerprint and their Iris scan, Baal Aadhaar Card requires no such information. For enrolling a child for the Baal Aadhaar card, all the parents need is the child's birth certificate and the Aadhaar card number of one of the parents. Baal Aadhaar Card is linked to the Aadhaar Card of one of the parents.

Once the child crosses the age of 5 years, the Baal Aadhaar Card becomes invalid, and so biometric data of the child needs to be updated. On doing so, the child is issued a regular Aadhaar Card like adults.

Here is a step-by-step guide to getting a Baal Aadhaar Card:

Step 1: Visit the enrolment centre and fill out the enrolment form.

Step 2: Provide the child's birth certificate and Aadhaar Card number of one of the parents along with a mobile number.

Step 3: A photograph of the child will be clicked.

Step 4: Child's Aadhaar Card number will be linked to the Aadhaar Card number of his/her parents.

Step 5: After confirmation, collect the acknowledgement slip.

Once the registration and verification process has been completed, an SMS will be sent to the registered mobile number and the Baal Aadhaar Card will be issued to the newborn child within 60 days.

How to book the appointment online

UIDAI has mandated that parents need to update the biometric data once the Blue Aadhaar Card expires. “A child below 5 years gets a blue-colored #BaalAadhaar & becomes invalid when the child attains the age of 5 yrs. The mandatory biometric update is required to reactivate it,” had written in a tweet. 

Parents can book an appointment for updating the biometric data for their kids' Aadhaar Card by visiting UIDAI's official website. Alternatively, they can click here to book an appointment.