Quick answer: A child can be enrolled for Aadhaar at any age, including as a newborn. For children under 5, the card is called Baal Aadhaar (the “blue Aadhaar”): no fingerprints or iris scans are taken, and the child is enrolled through a parent’s Aadhaar using the birth certificate as proof of relationship. Enrolment is free, and the child must give fingerprints and iris scans at the mandatory biometric updates at age 5 and again at 15.
What is Baal Aadhaar?
Baal Aadhaar is the Aadhaar issued to a child below 5 years of age by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI). It differs from an adult’s Aadhaar in three ways:
- Photo only. Only the child’s photograph is captured. Fingerprints and iris scans are not, because they are not stable at that age.
- Linked to a parent. Enrolment is “Head of Family” (HoF) based. The child is linked to the mother’s and/or father’s Aadhaar (or a legal guardian’s), and the child’s address is taken from that parent’s Aadhaar.
- Updated later. At 5, the child’s fingerprints, iris and photo are captured in a mandatory biometric update. The Aadhaar number stays the same.
An earlier version of this article said a child had to be over one year old to apply. That is not correct: UIDAI’s enrolment form for children below 5 (Form 5) applies from birth.
Does my child need Aadhaar?
Aadhaar for a child is useful but often not compulsory. The rules have changed since this guide was first written:
- 2017: The Ministry of Human Resource Development notified (on 28 February 2017) that children would need Aadhaar, or proof of having applied for it, to receive mid-day meals. This article originally reported that meals would not be free without Aadhaar. The government then said in Parliament that no child would be denied a meal for lack of Aadhaar and that schools should help children enrol.
- 2018: In Justice K.S. Puttaswamy (Retd.) v. Union of India, the Supreme Court held that Aadhaar cannot be made compulsory for school admission and that children cannot be denied the benefits of schemes for lack of Aadhaar. Enrolling a child needs the parents’ consent.
- Today: Aadhaar can still be asked for under government schemes covered by Section 7 of the Aadhaar Act, and many schools and scholarship schemes ask for it, so most parents find it practical to enrol their children.
Documents needed for a child under 5
According to UIDAI’s list of acceptable documents (updated June 2026), enrolment through a parent (Head of Family) is mandatory for children below 5, except for children in child care institutions and foreign nationals. You need:
- The child’s birth certificate issued under the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969. It serves as proof of relationship to the parent and proof of date of birth. For a child born on or after 1 October 2023, the birth certificate is the only accepted proof of date of birth.
- The parents’ Aadhaar numbers. Both parents’ numbers are required, unless the child lives with only one parent or with a legal guardian.
- A parent or guardian in person. One parent (or the guardian) must authenticate with their own biometrics at the centre.
- For an NRI child: a valid Indian passport can serve as proof of relationship, and an email address is mandatory.
The address on the parent’s Aadhaar becomes the child’s address, so update the parent’s address first if it is out of date. See our guide on updating your Aadhaar address.
Documents for children aged 5 to 18
Children aged 5 and above are enrolled with Form 3. UIDAI encourages Head of Family enrolment using proof of relationship, such as a birth certificate. If that is not possible, the child can enrol with their own proof of identity, proof of address and proof of date of birth. UIDAI’s list for this age group includes documents such as a birth certificate, a valid Indian passport, a domicile certificate issued by the state government and an SC/ST/OBC certificate; the list shows which proof each one can be used for. Fingerprints, iris scans and a photograph are taken at this age.
How to apply for your child’s Aadhaar, step by step
- Find a centre that enrols children. Use “Find Aadhaar Centre” on uidai.gov.in, which opens the Bhuvan Aadhaar locator. Filter by “Enrolment of Child less than 5 years” or “more than 5 years”. Our guide to finding an Aadhaar centre near you explains the options.
- Book an appointment if you like. UIDAI-run Aadhaar Seva Kendras take free online bookings at bookappointment.uidai.gov.in (up to two a month per person) as well as walk-ins. An earlier version of this article described an online form ending with a “Fix Appointment” button. That form is the appointment booking only; it does not apply for Aadhaar.
- Fill in the enrolment form. Use Form 5 for a child under 5 or Form 3 for ages 5 to 18 (Forms 4 and 6 are for NRI children with an address outside India). You can download the forms in advance from uidai.gov.in; see our guide to the Aadhaar enrolment and update forms.
- Visit the centre with the child, the parent and original documents. The operator verifies the documents, the parent authenticates, and the child’s photo (plus fingerprints and iris for children 5 and above) is captured.
- Collect the acknowledgement slip. It carries the Enrolment ID, which you need to track the application.
Enrolment is free at every centre.
When will you receive the child’s Aadhaar?
UIDAI’s Citizen’s Charter says Aadhaar for children (0 to 18 years) is normally generated within 30 days of enrolment. The Aadhaar letter is then printed and handed to India Post for delivery. The earlier version of this article said the card arrives within 60 days of an SMS. Today you do not need to wait for the post: once the number is generated, download e-Aadhaar on myaadhaar.uidai.gov.in with the Enrolment ID and an OTP sent to the registered mobile number. The downloaded e-Aadhaar is as valid as the printed letter.
Mandatory biometric updates at 5 and 15
A child’s biometrics must be refreshed twice:
- At age 5: fingerprints, iris scans and a new photo are captured for the first time. UIDAI treats this much like a fresh enrolment, but the Aadhaar number stays the same.
- At age 15: all biometrics are captured again.
According to UIDAI’s published charges:
| When the biometric update is done | Fee |
|---|---|
| First time, between ages 5 and 7 | Free |
| First or second time, between ages 15 and 17 | Free |
| Between ages 7 and 15 | Free until 30 September 2027 |
| Any other time | ₹125 |
A mandatory biometric update must be done as a separate transaction; it cannot be combined with other changes in the same visit. Fees and free windows can change, so check uidai.gov.in before you go.
What a child’s Aadhaar is (and is not) useful for
The earlier version of this guide listed some benefits that need correcting:
- Proof of identity: Aadhaar is an identity number for residents. It is not proof of Indian citizenship, so it does not give a child “identity as a citizen of India”.
- Birth registration: Aadhaar does not register a birth or act as birth proof. It works the other way round: the birth certificate is the key document for a young child’s Aadhaar. With the parents’ consent, the new Aadhaar number can be shared with the Registrar of Births and Deaths.
- School admission: Schools may ask for Aadhaar, but the Supreme Court has held that admission cannot be refused for lack of it.
- Government schemes and scholarships: Aadhaar is commonly used to deliver benefits to children, such as scholarships paid by Direct Benefit Transfer.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get Aadhaar for a newborn baby?
Yes. There is no minimum age. Enrol the baby with the birth certificate and a parent’s Aadhaar at a centre that offers child enrolment.
Are fingerprints taken from a child under 5?
No. Only a photograph is taken. Fingerprints and iris scans are captured at the mandatory update at age 5.
Does the Aadhaar number change when the child turns 5?
No. The biometric update adds the child’s fingerprints and iris data to the same Aadhaar number.
Can a child be enrolled without the father’s Aadhaar?
Yes, if the child lives with only one parent or with a legal guardian. The form records whether the other parent lives with the child. Otherwise, UIDAI asks for both parents’ Aadhaar numbers.
Is there a fee for Baal Aadhaar?
No. Enrolment is free. The first biometric update between ages 5 and 7 is also free.
Rules, documents and fees in this guide were checked in October 2026 against UIDAI’s enrolment forms, its list of acceptable documents, its published charges and its Citizen’s Charter, and the Supreme Court’s 2018 Aadhaar judgment. Check uidai.gov.in for changes before you visit a centre.
