You won't need multiple Aadhaar photocopies soon: UIDAI app to enable secure QR code sharing

Aadhaar holders will soon be able to ditch physical photocopies and share their identity digitally through a new mobile app launched by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), a Times of India report said. The app will allow users to share either a full or a masked version of their Aadhaar via a secure QR code.

This QR code-based system is designed to give users full control over their personal data. UIDAI CEO Bhuvnesh Kumar said, “It offers maximum user control over your own data and can be shared only with consent.” The system is being positioned for common scenarios like hotel check-ins, property transactions, and identity verification during train journeys.

The digital push doesn’t stop there. UIDAI is also set to roll out a new protocol by November that will allow Aadhaar holders to update key details, such as name, address, phone number, and date of birth, from the comfort of their homes. The only in-person requirement will be for submitting fingerprints and iris scans at enrolment centres.

“You will soon be able to do everything sitting at home other than providing fingerprints and IRIS,” Kumar told TOI, adding that around 2,000 out of one lakh Aadhaar enrolment machines have already been migrated to the new app ecosystem.

The broader aim is to cut paperwork, reduce fraud, and speed up service delivery. UIDAI will pull verified data from existing documents like birth certificates, driving licences, passports, PAN, PDS and MNREGA records. Talks are also underway to include electricity bill databases to streamline address verification.

The agency is also focusing on children’s biometric updates. Drives are being planned with school boards like CBSE to complete mandatory biometric enrolments for children aged five to seven and again at 15 to 17. UIDAI estimates eight crore first-round and ten crore second-round updates are still pending.

The digital Aadhaar ecosystem may soon extend further, with hotels, property offices, security agencies, and other service providers currently in talks with UIDAI to integrate the system into their verification processes.