Unique Identification Authority of India issues Aadhaar cards to residents of India without any age restriction. This means even a newborn baby can be enrolled for Aadhaar through the Baal Aadhaar scheme.
Baal Aadhaar is specially designed for children below five years of age and serves as an important identity document for school admissions, government schemes, healthcare services, and other official purposes.
Parents can apply for their child’s Aadhaar free of cost at authorised Aadhaar enrolment centres.
Documents Required for Baal Aadhaar Registration
To enrol a child below the age of five years for Aadhaar, parents generally need:
- Child’s Birth Certificate
- Hospital discharge slip in case of newborns
- Aadhaar card of one parent or guardian
Apart from these, UIDAI also accepts several other documents under different categories such as identity proof, relationship proof, date of birth proof, and address proof.
Proof of Identity Documents Accepted for Baal Aadhaar
The following documents can be used as Proof of Identity (POI) for Aadhaar enrolment:
- Passport
- PAN Card
- Voter ID
- Driving Licence
- Ration Card with photograph
- Government photo ID cards
- NREGS Job Card
- Educational institution photo ID
- Bank passbook with photograph
- Pensioner photo card
- Kissan photo passbook
- CGHS or ECHS card
- Disability ID card
- Jan Aadhaar or Bhamashah card
- School Leaving Certificate with photograph
- School Transfer Certificate
- Gazette notification for name change
- Marriage certificate with photograph
UIDAI also accepts certificates issued by gazetted officers, village panchayat heads, MPs, MLAs, and recognised institutions in prescribed formats.
Proof of Relationship Documents for Child Aadhaar
For children below five years, parents may need to submit Proof of Relationship (POR) documents showing the connection between the child and the Head of Family.
Accepted documents include:
- Birth Certificate
- Passport
- PDS Card
- Pension Card
- Army Canteen Card
- Government-issued family entitlement documents
- Marriage Certificate
- Hospital discharge slip for newborn child
- Jan Aadhaar or Bhamashah Card
Certificates issued by local authorities or government officials may also be accepted.
Date of Birth Documents Required for Aadhaar
The following documents are accepted as valid proof of date of birth:
- Birth Certificate
- Passport
- PAN Card
- School records
- School Leaving Certificate
- Marksheet issued by government board or university
- Government-issued ID containing date of birth
- Educational institution ID card
- EPFO certificate
The Birth Certificate remains the most commonly used document for children below five years.
Proof of Address Documents Accepted
Parents or guardians may also need to provide address proof while applying for Baal Aadhaar.
Accepted Proof of Address (POA) documents include:
- Passport
- Bank passbook or statement
- Post office account statement
- Ration Card
- Voter ID
- Driving Licence
- Electricity bill
- Water bill
- Telephone bill
- Gas connection bill
- Insurance policy
- Registered rent agreement
- Vehicle registration certificate
- Parent’s passport in case of minors
- School identity card
- Jan Aadhaar card
Certificates issued by government authorities, village panchayats, municipal councillors, or educational institutions are also accepted in some cases.
Important Things Parents Should Know
Children below five years are not required to provide biometric details such as fingerprints or iris scans during initial enrolment. Only a facial photograph is captured at the time of registration.
Once the child turns five years old, biometric details must be updated mandatorily. Another biometric update is required again after the age of 15 years.
How To Apply for Baal Aadhaar
Parents can visit the nearest Aadhaar enrolment centre with the required documents and complete the application process.
The enrolment process usually includes:
- Filling the Aadhaar enrolment form
- Providing parent or guardian Aadhaar details
- Submitting supporting documents
- Capturing the child’s photograph
After verification, the Baal Aadhaar is generated and delivered to the registered address.
Parents are advised to carry original documents for verification during the enrolment process.
