Blue Aadhaar explained: What changes when your child turns 5
Blue Aadhaar is issued to children below five and skips fingerprint and iris scans at enrolment. Know what changes at ages 5 and 15, and when mandatory biometric updates are free.
- Sep 5, 2026,
- Updated Sep 5, 2026 6:15 AM IST
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Blue clue
Aadhaar’s blue colour is not just a design choice. “Baal Aadhaar” is meant for children below five, and the enrolment process skips fingerprints and iris scans, making the child’s Aadhaar fundamentally different at this stage.
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Five-year deadline
Getting a child’s blue Aadhaar is only the beginning. When the child turns five, the first Mandatory Biometric Update kicks in, adding fingerprints, iris scans and a fresh photograph while keeping the Aadhaar number unchanged.
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Second update
The biometric story does not end at five. Another mandatory update is required at age 15, meaning parents have two important ages to remember if they want their child’s Aadhaar record to remain properly updated.
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Free window
Parents may not have to pay for these mandatory updates if they act within the prescribed age windows. The first update is free once between ages 5 and 7, while the second is free once between 15 and 17.
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White confusion
“White Aadhaar” sounds like an official counterpart to Blue Aadhaar, but that is where the terminology gets misleading. UIDAI does not officially classify it as a separate “White Aadhaar” category—the real distinction lies in age and biometrics.
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Fraud check
A child’s Aadhaar is not merely an identity document to file away. Keeping the record updated can matter for authentication, while checking Aadhaar details can also help families spot unexpected or unauthorised activity linked to their identity.