Voluntary use of Aadhaar for passport application

Digital ID is voluntarily used to validate applicant identity during passport application processes before the Passport Verification or Granting Officer. Operational since 2015, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), in collaboration with the UIDAI, has accepted Aadhaar as a valid proof of identity and address during passport applications through the Passport Seva portal. Applicants can voluntarily mention their Aadhaar number in the online passport application form, which can then be used by passport seva kendras (PSKs) and passport offices to verify the applicant’s identity and address details against the UIDAI database during document verification. After the Supreme Court’s 2018 judgment on Aadhaar, the use of Aadhaar for passport applications is voluntary, and applicants can submit alternative identity and address proof documents if they choose not to use Aadhaar. However, Aadhaar can simplify the application process as it reduces the number of supporting documents required and accelerates verification. Applicants who provide Aadhaar do not need to submit additional proof of identity, such as a voter ID, a driving license, or a PAN card, and proof of address, such as utility bills or rental agreements, as Aadhaar serves dual purpose of identity and address verification. The Aadhaar integration supports streamlined passport application processing, which enables faster identity and address verification by passport officers, reduces manual scrutiny of multiple physical documents, and prevents duplicate passport applications through Aadhaar uniqueness.