Baal Aadhaar: How to Get a Child’s Aadhaar and Update Biometrics at 5 and 15
A child can get an Aadhaar from birth, free of charge, with only a photo. This guide covers the documents, the steps at the centre, and the two biometric updates every child needs at ages 5 and 15.
Enrolment fee
Free
Taken below age 5
Photo only
Biometric update due
At age 5 and 15
Take your child to an Aadhaar centre with your own Aadhaar and the child’s birth certificate. Only a photo is taken, a parent authenticates, and enrolment is free. When the child turns 5, and again at 15, the fingerprints, iris and photo must be updated. The Aadhaar number stays the same.
What Is Baal Aadhaar?
Baal Aadhaar is the Aadhaar issued to a child below 5 years. It is issued as a blue card, and the card says it is valid until the child turns 5. There is no minimum age, so even a newborn can be enrolled.
Below 5
Only the child’s photo is captured. Fingerprints and iris are not taken at this age. A parent or guardian authenticates for the child.
At 5
The first Mandatory Biometric Update (MBU). Fingerprints, iris and photo are recorded, and the child gets a regular Aadhaar with the same number.
At 15
The second biometric update. A child must update the biometrics once more on reaching 15.
Documents for a Child Below 5
A child below 5 is enrolled through a Head of Family, which means a parent or legal guardian vouches for the child. Either parent or the legal guardian can act as Head of Family. For a child aged 5 or above, see the section below.
From the parent
- Your own Aadhaar. The parent must be enrolled before the child. If the parent has no Aadhaar, the child cannot be enrolled yet.
- Aadhaar numbers. UIDAI asks for the Aadhaar numbers of both parents. If the child lives with only one parent or a legal guardian, that person’s number is enough.
- Authentication. Biometric authentication by one of the parents or the legal guardian is mandatory. The parent also signs the consent on the form.
For the child
- Birth certificate issued under the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969. It is mandatory for a child born on or after 1 October 2023.
- Other documents UIDAI accepts: a legal guardianship document issued by a Central or State Government authority, or a valid Indian passport (only for NRIs).
How to Enrol Your Child
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Check your own Aadhaar
Make sure you have an Aadhaar yourself. It is needed first, and you will authenticate with it at the centre.
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Pick a centre and a slot
Find a centre on UIDAI’s centre locator and book a slot on the official appointment page. Booking is free.
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Go with your child and the documents
Carry your Aadhaar and the child’s birth certificate. Aadhaar Seva Kendras are open every day from 9:30 AM to 5:30 PM.
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Complete the enrolment
The operator fills in the form with your documents, takes the child’s photo, and you authenticate as the parent. There is no charge.
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Keep the acknowledgement slip
It has the enrolment number. The Aadhaar is usually generated within 30 days, and you can check the status with that number.
Child Aged 5 to 17: First Aadhaar
A child who has never had an Aadhaar can enrol at any age. From 5 to under 18, UIDAI encourages the Head of Family route, and the child’s fingerprints, iris and photo are recorded at the centre.
Head of Family route (preferred)
- The parent or legal guardian must already hold a valid Aadhaar.
- Both parents’ Aadhaar numbers are needed. If the child lives with only one parent or a legal guardian, that person’s number is enough.
- One parent or the guardian must authenticate with biometrics.
- The child’s address is taken from the Head of Family’s Aadhaar.
Document route (if relationship proof is missing)
If the Head of Family or a proof of relationship is not available, the child can enrol with their own proof of identity, address and date of birth. The child’s name and date of birth must match across these documents, and the name is entered in Aadhaar exactly as written on them.
Documents UIDAI accepts for ages 5 to 17
- Birth certificate issued under the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969
- Valid Indian passport
- Domicile certificate issued by a State Government
- SC, ST or OBC certificate issued by the Central or a State Government
- Document proving legal guardianship
- Third gender or transgender identity card or certificate
- For a child in a child care institution: UIDAI-format certificate from the District Child Protection Officer, with the Form 18 placement order
This is UIDAI’s list for Indian residents. OCI cardholders, Nepal and Bhutan nationals and other foreign nationals have a separate list on UIDAI’s site.
Biometric Update at 5 and 15
Fingerprints and iris are not mature enough to record in a small child. That is why they are taken later, in two rounds, as a Mandatory Biometric Update (MBU).
What happens
- Fingerprints, iris and photo are updated at an Aadhaar Seva Kendra or enrolment centre.
- At 5, the child moves from the blue Baal Aadhaar to a regular Aadhaar. The number does not change.
- An MBU is done on its own. It cannot be combined with another update in the same visit.
Why you should not skip it
UIDAI says a timely update avoids difficulty when the child’s Aadhaar is authenticated for benefits under government schemes, and when registering for exams such as NEET, JEE and CUET. Schools can also see a student’s pending MBU status. If the first update is still pending after the child turns 7, UIDAI has warned that the Aadhaar may be deactivated.
Book the update the same way as an enrolment, on the official appointment page. Not sure what is pending? Our UIDAI guide shows where to find the nearest centre and the helpline.
What It Costs
- Enrolment of a child: free.
- Biometric update at age 5 to 7 (first time): free.
- Biometric update at age 15 to 17 (first or second time): free.
- Biometric update done at any other age: Rs 125.
These are the charges on UIDAI’s own sheet. For name, address or mobile number changes and the full list, see the Aadhaar fees on our hub.
Common Questions
Is Baal Aadhaar valid?
Yes, until the child turns 5. The blue card states this. After the biometric update at 5, the child gets a regular Aadhaar with the same number.
Does the Aadhaar number change at 5?
No. The number stays the same. The update only adds the child’s fingerprints and iris, and refreshes the photo.
Can my child get an Aadhaar if I do not have one?
Usually not. The Head of Family must hold a valid Aadhaar first, because they authenticate for the child. The exception is a child in a child care institution (see below).
Do both parents have to come?
No. Biometric authentication by one parent or the legal guardian is enough. You will still need to give the Aadhaar numbers of both parents, unless the child lives with only one parent or a guardian.
Is a birth certificate compulsory?
For a child born on or after 1 October 2023, yes. UIDAI also accepts a legal guardianship document as proof of relationship, and a valid Indian passport for an NRI child.
How is a child verified if only a photo is taken?
Fingerprints and iris are not recorded below age 5, so a parent or guardian authenticates with their own biometrics at the time of enrolment. The child’s Aadhaar is enrolled through that Head of Family.
My child is 8 and has no Aadhaar. Can we enrol now?
Yes. Enrolment is open at any age. At this age fingerprints, iris and photo are all recorded, and UIDAI prefers the Head of Family route. See the documents for ages 5 to 17.
Can a child in a care institution get an Aadhaar?
Yes. Children in a child care institution are exempt from the Head of Family route below age 5 and enrol with documents instead. UIDAI accepts a certificate from the District Child Protection Officer in its standard format. For ages 5 to 17 it is accepted together with the Form 18 placement order, as proof of identity and address.
What if I missed the update at 5?
Do it as soon as you can. The Rs 125 fee applies when it is done outside the free age windows. UIDAI warns that a pending update can cause trouble with scheme benefits and exam registrations. It has also said an Aadhaar may be deactivated if the first update is still pending after the child turns 7.
Need to change something later? See our guides to update an address, update a mobile number and update Aadhaar. Adults enrolling for the first time can read the new enrolment guide.