Aadhaar card holders can now update their names only twice, rules UIDAI

NEW DELHI: Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has revised the rules for updating the names, gender and date of birth. UIDAI has now put limits on the number of times you can update/change your name, date of birth and gender details in your Aadhaar card.

UIDAI had already restricted the number of times date of birth can be updated in the Aadhaar card -- which can be done only once.

Here are the restrictions imposed by the UIDAI:

How many times the name can be updated in Aadhaar card?

According to UIDAI's office memorandum, an Aadhaar cardholder can now update his/her name in the Aadhaar card only twice.

How many times the date of birth can be updated in the Aadhaar card?

The rules regarding the updating of date of birth have been further tightened. As mentioned above, the date of birth can be updated only once in the Aadhaar card. In addition to that, the change in date of birth will be allowed to the maximum range of plus or minus three years of the date of birth recorded during Aadhaar enrolment.

Similarly, an individual submitting proof of date of birth at the time of enrolment will be recorded as verified in the UIDAI's records. However, in case the individual does not have a documentary proof for date of birth at the time of enrolment, then the date of birth with the UIDAI will be recorded as declared or approximate.

In future, if the said individual wishes to update his/her date of birth, then he will have to provide documentary proof of his/her date of birth.
Update request from an individual for change in date of birth from 'declared/approximate' to 'verified' will be allowed only once. This can only be done upon the submission of relevant documentary proof. This change is allowed irrespective of range/limit of change.

Individuals whose date of birth is already recorded UIDAI as 'verified' will not be allowed to change their date of birth.

How many times gender can be updated in Aadhaar card?

The UIDAI office memorandum puts the restriction on the number of times gender details can be updated in the Aadhaar card. According to the memorandum, gender details can be updated only once.

What if you want to make changes beyond the mandated limit?

Updation of name, gender or date of birth in the Aadhaar card more than the mandated number of times can only be done through an exception handling process which may require the Aadhaar cardholder to visit the regional office of the UIDAI.

How does the exception handling process work?

In the case of name, date of birth and gender are to be updated more than the prescribed limit, then the process is as follows:

1. The individual will be required to visit Aadhaar enrolment/ update centre to update his name, date of birth or gender.
2. As the update is beyond the prescribed number of times, the individual will be required to send a request to accept the update made at the enrolment centre, via email or post, to the regional office of the UIDAI. The individual is required to explain why such a request should be accepted along with a copy of URN slip, Aadhaar detail and relevant proof detail. The email should be sent at help@uidai.gov.in. Remember, the individual is not required to visit the regional office physically unless specifically asked to visit.
3. The regional office shall do the due diligence and ascertain whether the update request is genuine or not. The regional office may seek additional information from the resident or carry out a field investigation as may be required.
4. If the regional office ascertains that the update request is genuine, then the request will be sent to the tech centre for processing/reprocessing the request.