Steps to Retrieve Aadhaar if you do not receive it

You may have applied for Aadhaar Card at the enrolment centre. With the enrolment ID and other details, you can make an online Aadhaar status inquiry to know if the document is ready or dispatched already. But, what if it is well over 90 days already and you have still not received Aadhaar on your address? Surely, you are waiting for this document so that you can link Aadhaar number with bank account to avail benefits of government subsidies such as the LPG subsidy, and other facilities. So what should you do next?

Why Was My Aadhaar Not Delivered to Me?

Firstly, it is important to know that many times Aadhaar Card could not be delivered. The delivery of Aadhaar could fail due to technical reasons. Maybe you provided the wrong address, or the document was lost in the transit, or not printed at all due to backlog. The reason for not receiving Aadhaar Card could be many. But even if the document is not delivered to you, it is possible to get all the benefits under the Aadhaar programme as long as you have your Aadhaar number/UID (unique identity) number.

• People who had applied for Aadhaar Card in the initial enrolment days have had complaints of not receiving the document on time.
• For many, this problem has not got fixed till date. The document either has not been delivered yet, or encrypted wrongly, or with Card arrived with incorrect information.
• You can contact UIDAI to launch a complaint about Aadhaar Card nor received and even update/correct details in Aadhaar.r

But, you can also access electronic version of Aadhaar card online on the UIDAI portal. For this, you will need your enrolment number, date and time as on the acknowledgement slip received during the Aadhaar application process. The electronic copy of this document is known as e-Aadhaar. You can also retrieve the Aadhaar number on your mobile phone.

How to Get Your Aadhaar Number or UID Number?

If you did not receive the Aadhaar letter, the same can be obtained on SMS or online. But, before this you have to know if your Aadhaar has been generated or approved. To know this, you have the check Aadhaar status on the website of Unique Identification Authority of India. To check the status, you should have the acknowledgement slip with you.

It is possible to retrieve information about Aadhaar with enrolment ID (EID), date and time of enrolment. These details are on the acknowledgement slip that you get after submitting Aadhaar form and documents at the enrolment centre.

• You can get the soft-copy of Aadhaar in PDF format online, and download your e-Aadhaar. After this, you can take a print of e-Aadhaar and use it as an identity and address proof.
• You can get the Aadhaar/UID number on your mobile phone through an SMS. To avail this service, you must have your mobile number updated in the Aadhaar database.

Download E-Aadhaar if Aadhaar Card is Not Received

If you do not receive your original Aadhaar, or have misplaced it, then you can download the soft-copy of the same in form of e-Aadhaar. This is as valid as the hardcopy. You can download it from UIDAI’s website. Here are the steps to download e-Aadhaar:

• Under ‘My Aadhaar’, select ‘Download Aadhaar’.
• You will be redirected to a page from where you can download e-Aadhaar.
• If you know your UID/Aadhaar number, then choose Aadhaar and enter the details.
• If you have only your enrolment ID, then enter this detail instead
• You can download masked Aadhaar (first 8 digits are decoded and only last 4 digits are shown), or unmasked Aadhaar.
• After this, you can download the Aadhaar PDF file and open it with e-Aadhaar password.
• The password should be the first four letters of your name in Capital letters followed by birth year in YYYY format.

Get Your Aadhaar Details through SMS

You can get your Aadhaar number on mobile phone by following the below-mentioned steps:

• If you wish to know your Aadhaar generation status through mobile, then send an SMS to 51969.
• Your text should be “UID STATUS (your 14 digit enrolment number)”.
• Now send this text to 51969. To send the SMS, use the mobile number that you registered with Aadhaar.

It is not necessary to possess the Aadhaar letter. But, it is your Aadhaar number that is crucial as it is linked to your PAN card and other services. This number is also linked to your bank account so that you can receive the benefits of government programmes and schemes. The banks have to accept the copy of e-Aadhaar if required, as proof of address and identity. So even if you do not have the original Aadhaar, you can submit the printed Aadhaar letter. Or, when Aadhaar number is needed, you can retrieve the same through as SMS and use it.