Have you visited any new place recently? Well, so you might be busy updating your address on various platforms including e-commerce sites, banks, and others. Amidst all these changes, don’t forget to update your address accordingly. Keeping your Aadhaar address updated ensures uninterrupted access to its associated services and helps the Unique Identification Authority of India – Aadhaar’s governing body – prevent misuse such as identity theft.

In fact, updating Aadhaar is also free now and can be done easily from anywhere through the online portal of UIDAI. UIDAI has extended the deadline for Aadhaar holders to update their details for free. You can now make changes to your demographic information, such as your address, without any charges until December 14, 2024. This is the second extension this year, after the initial deadline in June 2024. However, this free update only applies to demographic details. Like address.

Note, biometric updates, such as changes in fingerprint or iris scan, still require a visit to the Aadhaar center and involve a fee. If you’ve recently transferred your Aadhaar or need to fix errors, here’s a quick guide on how to update it online:

• Visit the Aadhaar self-service update portal myaadhaar.uidai.gov.in.
• Enter your Aadhaar number and use the One-Time Password (OTP) sent on your registered mobile number to log in.
• Once logged in, review the demographic details shown on your Aadhaar profile. If your address or other information is out of date, proceed with the update.
• Upload a scanned copy of valid Proof of Address (POA) document in JPEG, PNG, or PDF format – Maximum size should be 2 MB.
• Submit your request after uploading the documents. You will receive a Service Request Number (SRN) to track the status of your update.

Check the status of your SRN regularly to confirm whether your update has been processed successfully or not.

Notably, UIDAI advises Indian residents to update their Aadhaar details regularly. While address update online is free, changes in biometric information must be done in person at an authorized Aadhaar centre, which involves a fee.

According to UIDAI updating Aadhaar is especially important for children who have Aadhaar generated at a young age and they need to update their biometrics after the age of 15 years. Additionally, individuals who have undergone medical procedures or accidents that have affected their biometric details also need to update their details.

According to UIDAI, keeping your Aadhaar details updated ensures seamless access to services and avoids possible complications.

Here are some reasons why not updating your Aadhaar may cause inconvenience:

– Mismatched addresses or outdated information can create problems during financial transactions, at airports, or accessing government schemes.

– Incorrect demographic or biometric data can lead to authentication failures, making it difficult to use Aadhaar for its intended purposes.

– Regular updates also help the government maintain a secure database, reducing the possibility of misuse or fraud of Aadhaar.