Aadhar Card (आधार कार्ड) – Get Aadhaar Card Complete Information Online

1.3 The Concept of Enrolment ID

Before receiving an Aadhaar Number, an individual must register with the enrollment agency. This enrollment process involves collecting an individual’s demographic and biometric data, after which an ‘Enrolment ID’ – a unique 28-digit number – is generated.

1.4 Aadhaar’s Role in Tax Returns and PAN Applications

Aadhaar has become an essential element in tax administration. It is now mandatory for those eligible to obtain Aadhaar to include this number in their Income Tax Return (ITR) form and PAN application. If the individual doesn’t possess an Aadhaar number, the Enrolment ID can be quoted instead.

1.5 PAN-Aadhaar Linking – A Necessity

Since 1st July 2017, PAN holders eligible for an Aadhaar number must link their PAN with Aadhaar. The deadline for this linking was extended multiple times, with the most recent deadline being 31st March 2022. If an individual fails to link their PAN with Aadhaar by this date, the PAN will become inoperative. However, the PAN can be reactivated by linking it with Aadhaar after this date, subject to a fee.

2. Benefits of Aadhar Card

3. Documents Required for Aadhaar Card

During the Aadhaar card enrolment process, specific documents are necessary to carry. These documents typically include proof of identity, proof of address, proof of age, and proof of relationship. Below is a comprehensive list of documents that can be provided for each category during the enrolment process:

3.1 Proof of Identity

You can present the following documents as proof of identity during the enrolment process:

1. 1. PAN card
   2. Voter ID Card
   3. Ration card
   4. Photo ID cards issued by the Government
   5. Passport
   6. NREGA job card
   7. Kisan photo passbook
   8. Pensioners’ photo ID card
   9. ECHS/CGHS photo card
   10. Address card containing name and picture issued by the Department of Posts

3.2 Proof of Address

You may use the following documents as proof of address during the enrolment process:

1. 1. Bank statement
   2. Ration card
   3. Passport
   4. A signed letter from the bank on a letterhead containing a photo
   5. Government photo ID cards or PSU-issued service photo identity card
   6. Address card with a photo issued by the Department of Posts
   7. A signed letter with a photo issued by a recognized educational institution on a letterhead
   8. Property tax receipt (not older than a year)
   9. Gas connection bill (not older than three months)
   10. Passbook
   11. Vehicle registration certificate

3.3 Proof of Age

The subsequent documents can be utilized as proof of age during the enrolment process:

1. 1. Passport
   2. PAN card
   3. Mark sheet issued by a government university or board
   4. SSC certificate
   5. State/central pension payment order
   6. Birth certificate
   7. Certificate of date of birth issued by a Group A gazetted officer on a letterhead

3.4 Proof of Relationship

The subsequent documents can be utilized as proof of relationship with the head of the family during the enrolment process:

1. 1. DS card
   2. Family entitlement document issued by the central/state government
   3. MNREGA job card
   4. Birth certificate issued by the Registrar of Birth, municipal corporation, or local Government
   5. Passport

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5. How to Check Aadhaar Application Status Online

To verify the status of your Aadhaar Card application online, you need to use the ‘Enrolment ID’ provided in the Aadhaar Acknowledgement Slip. This ID consists of a 14-digit enrolment number (e.g., 1234/12345/12345) and a 14-digit date and time of enrolment (e.g., yyyy/mm/dd hh:mm:ss).

To verify the status of your Aadhaar enrolment online, follow these straightforward steps:

1. 1. Go to the UIDAI website and select “Check Aadhaar Status” under the “Get Aadhaar” section.
   2. Enter your enrolment number and the security code provided.
   3. If your Aadhaar has been generated, you will receive the Aadhaar details along with the delivery status.

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7. Linking of PAN with Aadhaar

Every person allotted PAN eligible to obtain an Aadhaar number shall link his PAN with Aadhaar. In case the assessee fails to do so, the PAN assigned to the person shall be made inoperative.

If the Aadhaar number isn’t yet linked with PAN, then every time the assessee logins at the e-filing portal, he will be shown a pop-up message to link his Aadhaar Number with PAN. Use the link in the pop-up window to link the Aadhaar with PAN. However, if PAN is not registered at the e-filing portal, the assessee can link the PAN-Aadhaar in the following steps:

7.1 Steps to Link PAN with Aadhaar

Step 1: Visit www.incometaxindiaefiling.gov.in, and under the menu Quick Link, select the option ‘Link Aadhaar’.

Step 2: On the landing page, fill in the details such as PAN, Aadhaar Number, Name as per Aadhaar etc., enter the Captcha and click the ‘Link Aadhaar’ button.

Step 3: The submission pop-up will appear as shown below.

Step 4: To check the status of the PAN-Aadhaar linking request, visit www.incometaxindiaefiling.gov.in and select the option ‘Link Aadhaar’ under the quick link menu. Then click on ‘Click here to view the status if you have already submitted Link Aadhaar request‘.

Step 5: In the ‘Link Aadhaar Status’ dialogue box, enter the PAN and Aadhaar Number and click ‘View Link Aadhaar Status‘.

Step 6: As shown below, the success message will appear when PAN-Aadhaar is linked.

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8. Unable to Link PAN with Aadhaar? Here’s What to Do

The Government of India has mandated linking PAN card with Aadhaar card before the deadline (30th June 2023). Failure to do so before 1st July 2023 will result in the inability to use your PAN card for activities like filing Income Tax Returns. However, there is an option to link your PAN and Aadhaar even after the deadline by visiting the Income Tax website and paying the prescribed fee of Rs. 1,000.

Additionally, it is essential to ensure that your name appears the same on both the PAN card and the Aadhaar card. Any spelling mismatch may prevent the successful linking of an Aadhaar with a PAN Card. If such a mismatch exists, you will need to correct your name, and after the correction, you can easily link your PAN with Aadhaar.

8.1 If you find an incorrect spelling of your name on the PAN card, take the following steps to rectify it:

Step 1: Access the NSDL (now Protean) e-filing website at https://goo.gl/zvt8eV.

Step 2: Choose ‘Changes or Correction in existing PAN data/Reprint of PAN Card (No changes in Existing PAN Data)’ from the drop-down menu.

Step 3: Select the individual category and provide your details.

Step 4: After completing Aadhaar e-KYC, make the necessary payment and submit your form online.

Step 5: Your updated PAN card will be dispatched to your registered address.

Step 6: Once you receive the corrected PAN card, you can link it with your Aadhaar.

8.2 If you happen to notice an incorrect spelling of your name on the Aadhaar card, follow these steps to rectify it:

Step 1: Head to an Aadhaar Enrolment Centre.

Step 2: Bring a self-attested copy of your proof of identity.

Step 3: Complete the Aadhaar Correction Form.

Step 4: Hand in the form along with the necessary documents.

Step 5: Receive an acknowledgement slip containing the update request number (URN).

Step 6: Utilize the URN to check the status of your update request.

Step 7: Once the name correction is processed, you can link your PAN with Aadhaar.

10. Baal-Aadhaar

The Aadhaar card issued for newborns or minor children is the ‘Baal Aadhaar’ card. Unlike the adult version, this card is blue and does not contain biometric information such as fingerprints or iris scans.

To obtain a Baal Aadhaar card for your child, follow these steps:

1. 1. Use the UIDAI website to find the nearest enrollment centre and bring a copy of the child’s birth certificate.
   2. One of the child’s parents must provide their Aadhaar number for authentication. This will link the Baal Aadhaar to the parent’s Aadhaar.
   3. Fill out the Baal Aadhaar application form with all necessary details, including a valid cellphone number for registration.
   4. A photograph of the child/minor will be taken. For children under the age of five, no biometric data is collected.
   5. Once the above steps are completed, collect the acknowledgement slip.
   6. After verification, you will receive an SMS to the registered phone number on the application form, and the Baal Aadhaar will be delivered to the specified address.

11.1 How Does Aadhaar-Based eSign Work?

The Aadhaar-based eSign mechanism follows these steps, utilizing Aadhaar data for digital signatures:

1. 1. 1. Document Upload: Users begin by uploading the document they wish to sign onto the platform supporting Aadhaar eSign.
      2. Aadhaar Number Entry: Next, users enter their Aadhaar details, enabling the system to fetch demographic data from the UIDAI database to verify their identity.
      3. OTP Authentication: After entering the Aadhaar number, users receive a One-Time Password (OTP) on their registered mobile number linked with the Aadhaar. This OTP ensures the user’s identity before proceeding with the signing process.
      4. Electronic Signature Generation: Upon successful OTP verification, the Electronic Signature Service Provider (ESP) generates a digital signature on behalf of the user. It’s important to note that the Aadhaar holder does not manually create the signature; instead, it is done by the ESP.
      5. Document Signing:The generated digital signature is then used to sign the document electronically. The ESP attaches the digital signature to the document, rendering it a legally valid and signed document.
      6. Download/Share:The signed document is ready for download or can be directly shared from the platform, facilitating seamless and secure document signing.

14. How to submit a Grievance if Aadhaar cannot be linked with PAN?

The Income Tax Department has launched a facility to submit a grievance to the AO or various departments through the e-filing portal. The new e-filing portal can receive and address all such grievances under a single window.

A taxpayer can submit the grievance to the following departments:

1. e-filing 

This department deals with the e-Filing of Income Tax Return or Statutory Forms and other value-added services like e-verification & e-proceedings. Grievances related to e-filing portal registration, profile or password, verification of ITR/Forms, e-proceedings, Instant PAN (e-PAN) through Aadhar or Cybercrime (related to income tax) shall be logged under this department.

2. Assessing Officer

Assessing Officers are designated income tax officers who handle the assessment of taxpayers under their jurisdiction and can be contacted for ITR-related specific queries. Grievances related to Refund, Rectification, Demand correction, Appeal order, PAN-related application, or any other miscellaneous application pending with AO shall be filed to the Assessing Officer.

3. CPC-TDS

This department is associated with the e-TDS scheme. Any grievance related to portal access/registration, processing of TDS statements, Defaults, Challan/BIN corrections, Form 26AS, Form 16/27D, TDS Refunds, and TDS on Sale of property shall be logged under this department.

4. UTIITSL

This department deals with the issuance of PAN/ TAN and related queries. Any grievances related to Discrepancies/Errors in PAN application, Allotment of the same PAN to multiple entities, Logistics (Delivery of PAN card), or Aadhar Seeding shall be logged under this department.

5. NSDL

This department deals with the issuance of PAN and related queries. Any grievances related to Rejected/Pending PAN applications, Discrepancy/Errors in PAN applications, Allotment of the same PAN to multiple entities, Logistics (Delivery of PAN card) or Aadhar Seeding shall be logged under this department.

6. CPC-ITR

This department handles Income Tax Returns processing. All grievances related to ITR-V status, Intimations or Notices u/s 139(9) or 143(1), Refund not received, Income Tax Processing Related processes, Social Media grievances, or Feedback shall be logged under this department.

7. SBI

This department deals with issuing tax refunds to the taxpayer post-ITR processing. Any grievances related to Refund Failed, Refund credited in the wrong account, and Refund paid but not credited in the account shall be logged under this department.

8. DIT(Systems)

This department manages Information Technology related systems in the Income Tax department. Any technical issues in the e-Filing website, PAN-related, Tax payment system (OLTAS), Escalation on existing Refund Banker (SBI) issues, Assessment, and Information mismatch shall be logged under this department.

The following steps for submitting the grievance will be followed if Aadhaar cannot be linked with PAN.

Steps to Submit Grievance

Step 1: Visit https://www.incometax.gov.in/iec/foportal

Step 2: Log in using your registered PAN and password.

Step 3: Go to Grievances>Submit Grievance.

Step 4: You will be redirected to the ‘Submit a Grievance’ page. Select the relevant department with which the grievance is to be submitted

Step 5: After selecting the relevant department, select the category and subcategory of grievance from the drop-down list and click on ‘Continue’.

Refer to the snapshot below to check the details required to be filled while filing a grievance if Aadhaar cannot be linked with PAN. The assessee can also upload the files from the list or other documents. Upload the file by clicking on ‘Upload Attachment’ and click ‘Submit Grievance’ for submission.

The grievance will get submitted, and an acknowledgement message of submission will be displayed on the screen.

15. Aadhaar Services

To enhance transparency and efficiency in the Aadhaar process, UIDAI offers various services related to Aadhaar processes and features. Here’s a brief overview of each:

1. 1. Verify Aadhaar Number: Applicants can check the status of their Aadhaar card, whether it is active or deactivated.
   2. Verify Mobile Number or Email: Registering an email address and mobile number during the Aadhaar application to receive updates and notifications on services is advisable. Users can verify their registered mobile number and email address.
   3. Retrieve Aadhaar Number: If you have misplaced or lost your Aadhaar card, UIDAI provides a simplified retrieval process to retrieve your Aadhaar number, VID, or EID electronically. A registered mobile number is necessary for this retrieval.

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   4. Check Aadhaar Linking Status: Applicants must link their Aadhaar card to their bank account to access government subsidies and schemes. The status of this linking process can be checked on the official UIDAI website.
   5. Generate Virtual ID (VID): The UIDAI introduced VID to protect data and provide limited KYC access to vendors/merchants seeking Aadhaar information for various services.
   6. Lock/Unlock Biometrics: Individuals can lock their biometrics or temporarily unlock them using the Virtual ID for enhanced privacy. This feature is available on the official UIDAI website.
   7. Check Authentication History: Each time Aadhaar information is used, details of the Authorized User Agencies accessing it are logged. Users can check their authentication history to monitor who has accessed their Aadhaar data, ensuring information security.

16. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)