In today’s time, Aadhaar Card has become a very important document for every Indian. Whether it is to do any bank work or to avail any government facility, it is needed everywhere. A person’s Aadhaar contains all kinds of information like his name, date of birth, mobile number, photograph and biometrics. It is also very important to link Aadhaar card to your bank account, PAN card and mobile number. You may already know these things, but do you know that UIDAI (Unique Identification Authority of India) issues 4 types of Aadhaar cards.
According to UIDAI, all these four types of Aadhaar are valid. Let’s know about these four types of Aadhaar…
1. Aadhaar Letter
It is a paper-based laminated letter that contains a secure QR code with the date of issue and date of print. In case of new enrollment or required biometric and demographic updates (except mobile and email), people are sent Aadhaar letters through regular mail. If your Aadhaar letter is lost or damaged, you can order an Aadhaar letter replacement online for Rs 50 by visiting the UIDAI website. After which India Post’s Fast Post Service will deliver it to your address present in the Aadhaar database.
2. e-Aadhaar
eAadhaar is an electronic version of the Aadhaar card, which is verified digitally. It also contains Aadhaar Secure QR code for offline verification and is also password protected. Using your registered mobile number, you can easily download eAadhaar/masked eAadhaar from the official website of UIDAI. Masked eAadhaar shows only the last four digits of your Aadhaar number. With every Aadhaar enrolment or update, eAadhaar is automatically generated. eAadhaar can be downloaded for free.
3. mAadhaar
mAadhaar is an official mobile application developed by UIDAI that can be installed on mobile devices. It provides an interface to Aadhaar holders to keep their Aadhaar records registered with UIDAI. This record includes demographic information and a photo along with the Aadhaar number. It has the facility of Aadhaar tamper proof QR code for offline verification. Like eAadhaar, it can also be downloaded for free. It is also recognized as a valid ID.
4. Aadhaar PVC Card
The latest version of Aadhaar is the Aadhaar PVC Card. The PVC-based Aadhaar card is digitally signed. It contains a tamper-proof QR code, photograph and demographic details along with several security measures. You can apply for it online by paying a fee of Rs 50/- using your Aadhaar number, virtual ID or enrollment ID at uidai.gov.in or https://myaadhaar.uidai.gov.in/genricPVC. The Aadhaar PVC card is delivered to your address registered in the Aadhaar database using India Post’s speed post service.
