Free Aadhaar biometric update for children till Sept 30

The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has announced that the mandatory Aadhaar biometric update for children aged 5 to 17 years will remain free until September 30. Parents have been urged to complete the update at ages 5 and 15 to keep records accurate.

New Delhi:  The mandatory Aadhaar biometric update for children aged 5 to 17 years will remain free of cost until September 30, the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has said, while urging parents and guardians to complete the process within the stipulated period.

UIDAI has advised parents to ensure that children undergo the Mandatory Biometric Update (MBU) when they turn five and again at 15 years of age.

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In addition, the update is aimed at keeping Aadhaar records accurate and enabling children to verify their identity smoothly for school admissions, examinations, scholarships and access to government schemes.

“Complete Mandatory Biometric Updates of children when they reach the age of 5 and 15,” UIDAI said in a social media post and noted that the service is free until September 30.

Moreover, Aadhaar enrolment for children below five years captures demographic details and a photograph, while fingerprints and iris scans are not recorded as these biometrics are still developing.

Children are therefore required to provide their biometric information after turning five and repeat the exercise at 15 to ensure their Aadhaar records remain updated.

To encourage wider participation, the UIDAI waived charges for mandatory biometric updates for children aged 7 to 15 from October 1, 2025 for a period of one year. The current free facility is scheduled to continue until September 30.

Additionally, the authority has urged parents and guardians not to wait until the last minute and to visit the nearest Aadhaar centre to complete the update.

The 12-digit Aadhaar number is issued to Indian residents for identity verification and is widely used to access government services and benefits.