NRIs With Indian Passports Can Now Apply for Aadhaar Using Foreign Addresses

(INDIA) Non-Resident Indians with Indian passports and foreign addresses are now eligible to apply for and update Aadhaar, following a major rule change rolled out in 2025 by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI). Effective July 2, 2025, the Aadhaar (Enrolment and Update) First Amendment Regulations, 2025 formally opened the door for NRIs and certain overseas holders to enroll and keep their records current, including adding a foreign address. While Aadhaar remains optional for NRIs, the change responds to real-world needs: banking, taxation compliance, and identity checks in India often ask for Aadhaar, even for citizens living abroad.

UIDAI’s shift marks a break from earlier policy, when Aadhaar was built for residents and NRIs had little or no path to enroll. Under the new rules, an Indian passport holder living abroad can now complete Aadhaar enrollment and later update key details without returning to a strictly India-based address. According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, the updated framework aligns Aadhaar with today’s cross-border lives, where people move often but still maintain ties to India’s financial and civic systems.

The move comes with both digital and in-person parts. NRIs can apply using dedicated forms set up for overseas applicants and complete many updates online. However, first-time enrollment and any biometric change still require a visit to an Aadhaar Seva Kendra in India for fingerprints and iris capture. UIDAI says more online upgrades are coming: from November 2025, holders will be able to change name, address, mobile number, and date of birth fully online, with biometrics remaining an in-person step.

UIDAI has also widened the document list so NRIs can prove identity and address more easily. The updated standards cover proof of identity (POI), proof of address (POA), proof of relationship (POR), and proof of date of birth (PDB). Crucially, the rules allow foreign address proofs for NRIs who live outside India. That means an Aadhaar entry can now show a valid foreign address, subject to verification.

Policy changes overview

UIDAI introduced separate forms and clear procedures for NRIs and OCI cardholders. For adults aged 18 and above, the main application is Form 1, used for both enrollment and updates. NRIs must show a valid Indian passport as primary ID. For address, they may provide either an Indian address (if they keep one) or a foreign address, supported by documents accepted under the updated 2025 standards.

Key points:
– First-time enrollment requires an in-person visit to an Aadhaar Seva Kendra in India for biometric capture and document checks.
– If a mobile number is already linked to Aadhaar, later demographic updates can be done online using OTP.
– If the mobile number isn’t linked, the person must visit a center for any update that needs verification.

UIDAI is also building connections across databases—passport, PAN, and utilities among them—to make address verification faster and more reliable. The authority has signaled that deeper integration may further reduce the need for paper checks and could ease inclusion of foreign addresses across systems.

The government promoted updates by extending the window for no-cost changes of demographic data to June 14, 2025. This applied to all Aadhaar holders, including NRIs who already had a number and needed to refresh details like address or mobile. While that free window has closed, UIDAI’s push toward end-to-end online updates later in 2025 should lower effort for overseas applicants.

Impact on applicants

For NRIs, the policy shift solves a common pain point: proving identity in India while living abroad. Banks often ask for Aadhaar to open or maintain accounts. Tax and telecom processes may also call for an Aadhaar number or e-KYC. With clear approval to enroll and to store a foreign address, an NRI can now keep a single Indian digital identity that matches how they actually live.

Financial and legal professionals expect:
– Smoother checks and fewer document requests during account opening, KYC refresh, and certain tax steps.
– Faster onboarding and reduced administrative friction for employers and banks.

Privacy groups, meanwhile, urge strong safeguards as Aadhaar use expands to more people outside India. UIDAI officials say the 2025 changes aim to improve data accuracy and reduce in-person visits where possible, while keeping biometric security in place for core identity.

Practical takeaway: UIDAI aims to balance convenience for NRIs with biometric security. Expect more online options by November 2025, but plan on at least one in-person biometric visit.

Practical steps for NRIs (current approach)

Here is the current approach for NRIs, based on the regulations now in effect:

1. Prepare documents:
   • Indian passport (identity proof).
   • Address proof: foreign address proof or Indian address proof, depending on your situation.
   • Any supporting documents listed in UIDAI’s updated POI/POA/POR/PDB standards.
2. Use the correct form:
   • Adults use Form 1 for enrollment and updates. It’s available through the UIDAI and myAadhaar platforms.
3. Attend in person for enrollment:
   • Visit an Aadhaar Seva Kendra in India for biometrics (fingerprints and iris) and document verification.
4. Link your mobile:
   • A mobile number linked to Aadhaar is essential for OTP-based online updates later.
5. Update online after enrollment:
   • Use the myAadhaar portal or mobile app to change demographic details.
   • From November 2025, name, address, mobile number, and date of birth will be changeable fully online (biometrics remain in person).
6. Download e-Aadhaar:
   • After verification, you can access a digital copy with a QR code.

The policy also answers a long-standing question: can NRIs with foreign addresses reflect that address in Aadhaar? Yes. NRIs can update their Aadhaar with a foreign address. If their mobile number is linked, they can do it online. If not, they should visit a center. In cases where document checks are needed, UIDAI may require physical verification.

Operational and practical implications

Background helps explain the scale of this shift. Aadhaar launched to serve residents, and for years NRIs were outside the system. As the Indian diaspora grew and cross-border life became common, demands rose to include citizens abroad who still needed to interact with Indian banks, tax systems, and public utilities. The 2024–2025 rule changes formally bring NRIs into the Aadhaar net, with clear steps that reflect both security and convenience.

The rules also make space for OCI cardholders under defined conditions, though the core NRI pathway rests on the Indian passport as the primary identity document. For both groups, clearer document lists and standard forms reduce guesswork at the counter.

From an operations view, UIDAI’s drive to merge data checks across agencies could be a turning point. If passport, PAN, and utility records back up addresses—Indian or foreign—then manual reviews should fall. That helps NRIs who may only fly to India occasionally and want to avoid multiple center visits. It also helps centers cut wait times for everyone.

Real-life examples:
– A family splitting time between Dubai and Mumbai can enroll during a trip, set a foreign address, and later update a new phone number online after moving abroad.
– A young professional in London who keeps an Indian bank account can now provide a single Aadhaar record as the KYC backbone, instead of juggling extra notarized letters.

Employers also gain clarity: HR and compliance teams can process returning employees faster, while sending the worker for biometrics only when needed.

Limits, cautions, and next steps

There are important limits:
– Biometric changes still require an in-person visit.
– Some updates may trigger document checks that can’t be done online if the mobile number isn’t linked or if records don’t match across systems.
– Privacy: people should share Aadhaar only where legally required or clearly helpful.

To start:
– Use the UIDAI website to find Aadhaar Seva Kendras, check document lists, and access the myAadhaar portal for online updates.
– Form 1 for adults is available through the portal, which guides users to the correct enrollment or update path.

Looking ahead, UIDAI plans to keep expanding digital options through late 2025. Officials say the goal is to cut repeat center visits by improving identity matches, tightening OTP flows, and adding more databases to back-end checks. If these steps hold, NRIs could see a mostly online experience for demographic changes, with biometrics remaining an occasional, planned visit during travel to India.

The human story behind this policy is simple: people leave India for work, study, and family, but they keep connections at home. A system that can hold a foreign address and process updates from abroad respects those ties. It also reduces friction at banks, eases tax filings, and gives everyday certainty when someone needs to prove who they are.

Final practical checklist:
– Book a center visit during an India trip for first-time enrollment and any biometric updates.
– Keep a working mobile number linked to Aadhaar to unlock online changes later.
– Save digital copies of passport and address proofs for quick uploads.
– Check UIDAI notices near November 2025 for expanded online tools.

VisaVerge.com reports that the 2025 framework puts Aadhaar on a path that better fits global mobility, while keeping the security base that India built over the past decade. For millions of citizens abroad, that balance could make the difference between stalled paperwork and a simple, predictable process.