How to Make Aadhar Card for Minor: Enrolment Guide for Children Under 5 and 15

Aadhaar enrolment often becomes relevant when a child needs an identity record for a service or scheme, yet the process changes with age. Parents searching for how to make aadhar card for minor may enrol a child from birth. Below age five, UIDAI records demographic details and a facial photograph; fingerprints and iris biometrics are added after the child reaches five. The enrolment itself takes place at an authorised Aadhaar centre, even where an appointment is booked online. This article explains how to apply for aadhar card for minors, the documents used for different age groups, the centre-based process, biometric updates at ages five and 15, status tracking and the additional document position for NRI children.

What Is Baal Aadhaar and Who Is It For?

Baal Aadhaar is Aadhaar issued to a child below five. Government information identifies it as blue-coloured and confirms that it carries a unique 12-digit Aadhaar number. At this stage, UIDAI captures the child’s demographic details and facial photograph, not fingerprints or iris biometrics. Those biometrics are recorded after age five through the Mandatory Biometric Update process, while the Aadhaar number remains unchanged.

Documents Required for Child Aadhaar Enrolment

UIDAI’s document requirements vary by age and enrolment route. Original documents are presented for verification and returned after electronic capture.

For Children Below 5 Years

• Head-of-Family enrolment generally uses an accepted Proof of Relationship and the Aadhaar of the mother, father or legal guardian.
• For a child born on or after 1 October 2023, a birth certificate is the only acceptable Proof of Date of Birth.
• The child is physically present for the facial photograph. A mobile number is optional for a resident Indian child under UIDAI Form 5.

For Children Aged 5 to 15 Years

• UIDAI-accepted identity, address and date-of-birth documents apply according to the selected document-based or Head-of-Family route.
• The centre captures the child’s photograph, ten fingerprints and both iris biometrics.

A recognised school document is usable only where it appears in UIDAI’s current accepted-document list. For an NRI child, UIDAI states that a valid Indian passport is the only acceptable Proof of Identity.

How to Enrol a Child Under 5 for Aadhaar Step by Step

For parents checking how to get aadhar card for children, the under-five process is centre based:

1. Locate an authorised Aadhaar enrolment centre and book an appointment online where that facility is available.
2. Visit with the child and the parent or legal guardian whose details are being used.
3. Present the applicable original relationship and date-of-birth documents.
4. Provide the child’s demographic details and review them before submission.
5. The operator captures the child’s facial photograph; fingerprints and iris biometrics are not recorded.
6. Collect the acknowledgement containing the Enrolment ID for status tracking.

UIDAI’s current child-enrolment FAQ states that Aadhaar generation for ages 0–18 is normally up to 30 days from enrolment. Aadhaar enrolment itself is free of cost.

How to Enrol a Child Aged 5 to 15 for Aadhaar

The steps for how to make aadhar card for minor above five follow the same centre-based pattern, with full biometric capture. The child visits an authorised centre with the applicable documents, demographic information is recorded, and the operator captures the photograph, ten fingerprints and both irises. After the details are reviewed, an acknowledgement with the Enrolment ID is issued. Schools or government agencies may host Aadhaar camps from time to time, but availability depends on the local programme.

Mandatory Biometric Updates at Age 5 and 15

A child enrolled before five needs biometric information recorded after reaching five, followed by another Mandatory Biometric Update after age 15. UIDAI’s current fee schedule makes the first update free when completed once between ages 5–7 and the later update free within ages 15–17. UIDAI forms also state that failure to provide required biometric updates may result in Aadhaar deactivation under the applicable framework.

Note: As of 19 August 2026, UIDAI also waives biometric-update charges for children aged 7–15 through 30 September 2026. Fee treatment after that date depends on the UIDAI schedule then in force.

How to Track Status and Download Your Child's e-Aadhaar

The request may be tracked through UIDAI’s Check Enrolment & Update Status service using the Enrolment ID. Once Aadhaar is generated, e-Aadhaar may be downloaded through UIDAI. Its PDF password combines the first four letters of the Aadhaar holder’s name in capitals with the four-digit year of birth.

Conclusion

The key difference in child Aadhaar enrolment is age: below five, the record uses demographic details and a facial photograph; from age five, fingerprints and iris biometrics become part of the record. Anyone checking how to make aadhar card for minor also needs to account for UIDAI’s document rules, including the birth-certificate requirement for children born on or after 1 October 2023. The process for how to apply for aadhar card for minors remains centre based even when an appointment is booked online. For families researching how to get aadhar card for children, later biometric updates are equally relevant because the same Aadhaar number continues while biometric information is refreshed. Checking UIDAI’s current document and fee schedule before enrolment helps align the visit with the latest process.

Disclaimer : The information in this blog is for general purposes only and may change without notice. It does not constitute legal, tax, or financial advice. Readers should seek professional guidance and make decisions at their own discretion. IIFL Finance is not liable for any reliance on this content. Read more