- Aadhaar is only for residents of India. NRIs are not eligible to get Aadhaar.
- The service providers like banks and mobile companies have themselves laid down NRI-specific exemptions.
- NRIs should simply tell the banks and other service providers such as credit card companies etc. that they are not needed to provide Aadhaar numbers by virtue of being non-resident Indians.
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NRI’s prohibited from linking mobile connection to Aadhaar
Since NRIs are not eligible to apply for Aadhaar because of its least residential necessities, a large number of overseas Indians have been making representations about facing difficulty in operating their mobile connections procured in India as the telecom operators are insisting on linking Aadhaar number with the mobile number.
All mobile phone service licensees to use an alternative method to re-verify existing customers belonging to certain categories including foreigners (covering PIOs and OCI cardholders) and NRIs.
How NRIs, PIOs and OCIs can re-verify their Indian mobile numbers without an Aadhaar Number
NRI subscribers not having Aadhaar or their mobile number is not registered in their Aadhaar details with UIDAI.
This process is quite related to the alternative option that will be made accessible to senior citizens above 70 years of age or a citizen whose fingerprints are worn out or those who are physically challenged.
- Enter the mobile number on the service provider’s website.
- Fill out the declaration saying:
- I am an Indian National, however currently an NRI.
- I do not have an Aadhaar or my mobile number is not registered with UIDAI.
- The documents uploaded by me are authentic and if found forged, actions as per the law of the land should be applicable to me.
- As per the information, TSPs have been directed to assure that you are not able to continue if the information is not entered.
- You will receive a 4-digit code on your mobile. Next, you enter the code on the service provider’s website, an online Customer Application Form (e-CAF) will be displayed.
- You require to fill out your personal details, scanned copy of passport and visa, upload a scanned photograph.
- After submitting the e-CAF, an 8-digit alphanumeric transaction ID will be revealed on the screen which will be valid for 48 hours. The subscriber requires sharing this transaction ID with a trusted person whose mobile number is registered with Aadhaar. The trusted person can be an NRI or an Indian citizen.
- This trusted person will have to submit the transaction ID and the NRI subscriber’s phone number on TSP’s portal.
- After authenticating the mobile number and the transaction ID, the assigned person needs to enter his Aadhaar number. You can give approval as a trusted person for a maximum of five subscribers.
- TSP is needed to send an Aadhaar OTP request to UIDAI.
- On receipt of e-KYC details from UIDAI, the telecom service providers are required to store the details in the same e-CAF and a send authorization SMS to the subscriber as well as the trusted person declaring “the process has been completed, and we will take 96 hours to verify if the mobile number has been re-verified after checking the all the details and uploaded documents.” In case of discrepancies, the subscriber will be informed accordingly via SMS. If the verification is rejected, the entire process has to be repeated.
Subscriber of foreign national not holding Aadhaar
The subscriber will need to visit the TSPs terminal, or a TSP representative will visit the subscriber.
The TSP representative will authenticate himself through an Aadhaar based e-KYC process as per the current protocol for starting the re-verification process.
The subscriber will receive a TSP initiated 4-digit authentication code on his/her mobile to confirm that the mobile is physically being with the subscriber.
After that, the TSP agent will proceed as follows:
- Validate the authentication code.
- Post authentication, he will fill out the appropriate information in the e-CAF.
- Live photo of the subscriber will be captured, and he will be needed to submit a scanned copy of his passport as well as a visa.
After the successful submission of the e-CAF with details, another confirmation code is sent to the subscriber from the TSP, and the subscriber will share this verification code to the TSP representative along with the declaration that:
- The information provided by me is correct.
- This OTP authentication can be treated as my signature.
- I am the existing user of this mobile number, and its SIM card is under my possession.
After the validation of verification code, the TSP agent once again authenticates himself along with the declaration that “I hereby confirm having seen the subscriber and the details provided by subscriber have been entered in the CAF by me. I have captured the photograph of the subscriber.”
Important Links:
https://care.ideacellular.com/wps/portal/idea-aadhar-link
https://shop.vodafone.in/shop/aadharLink/aadhar-seeding-landing-page.jsp
https://www.airtel.in/verify-mobile-for-aadhaar-reverification/subscribe?category=NRI