Aadhaar based electronic-Know Your Customer (Or the Aadhaar eKYC) is a service which is offered by the Unique Identification Authority of India (also known as UIDAI). Aadhaar eKYC serves as a means to authenticate and establish their identity while applying for products/services/government schemes which would require them to authenticate themselves.

The Electronic Know Your Customer, or Aadhaar eKYC is the way of authenticating a resident as sometimes, the Aadhaar Card needs to perform the function of a proof of address to banking companies at the time of applying for products such as loans and credit cards. 

• Aadhaar based e-KYC is a paperless authentication process of an individual’s identity, carried out with his/her consent. When one talks about the Aadhaar Authentication process, one is referring to the process by which the Aadhaar number of an individual, coupled with the demographic information or biometric information of an Aadhaar number holder is submitted to a very specific database.

   

• Aadhaar authentication serves the purpose of enabling the residents to provide their identity for the provider of financial services so that they can supply the services and provide the benefits associated with the customer. Under the current system, the UIDAI has made provisions for Aadhaar Authentication and paperless-offline Aadhaar eKYC/offline verification as well.

If you are wondering how to get your Aadhaar e-KYC done online, the steps for the same are below-

• Step 1: First, share your Aadhaar Card or your Unique Identification (UID) number with the service provider.

• Step 2: Then, they will present a biometric scanner to you, which will capture your finger and retina image.

• Step 3: After that, these details are shared with UIDAI instantly through the internet. The details provided will be matched to the details that already exist on UIDAI’s servers.

• Step 4: If it is a perfect match, your Aadhaar e-KYC process will be successfully completed.

   

Note that UIDAI allows the agent to keep a soft copy of all of your relevant pieces of data on their servers for future reference.

You can also take the offline Aadhaar e-KYC route to complete your process. To do so, you must:

• Scan the QR Code on Your Aadhaar Card: One way to complete the Offline Aadhaar e-KYC process is to simply let the service provider scan the QR code present on your Aadhaar card. It will give them all the information they need.

Alternatively, you can even go with the paperless offline Aadhaar e-KYC method too. For that, you will have to follow the below steps-

• Step 1: First, visit the official aadhar e-kyc portal of UIDAI uidai.gov.in

• Step 2: Then, enter your Unique Identity Number or Virtual Identity Number and then click on the ‘SEND OTP’ button

• Step 3: Post that, you will receive a One Time Password (OTP), which you must enter in the relevant text box on your screen to proceed.

• Step 4: After doing that, you will get to download an Aadhaar XML file, which will include details pertaining to you. This file is also digitally signed by UIDAI and password protected with a 4-digit-long security code.

• Step 5: You can share this XML file with any service provider, who will then verify your identity using the machine-readable details in the file.

To check the status of Aadhaar KYC, follow the steps mentioned below:

• Step 1: First, go to the official website of any KYC registration history (KRA).

• Step 2: Then, feed in your PAN number on the portal.

• Step 3: Post that, you will find out immediately if you are KYC compliant. If you are not, you can complete the process for the same with the help of the Aadhaar-based biometric process.

The advantages or privileges associated with Aadhaar’s Aadhaar e KYC process are right below. Read on to know more.

• Accessibility: The data can be shared by the UIDAI Aadhaar card holder with whomever he or she wishes to directly. And that too without having to make multiple requests to the UIDAI for the purpose of gaining access.

• No form of Biometric scanning is required.

• Dependability: Since the information in question is actually accessed from UIDAI’s master database, all of the information that is provided is as per the government records.

• Security: The Aadhaar related data that is shared with E-KYC user agencies is encrypted by the UIDAI, through which they can prevent any form of misuse of the information pertaining to an Aadhaar holder.

• A Sense of Security: Only the information that is relevant to the KUA in question and the Aadhaar eKYC requirements pertaining to the holders are shared through the system, which actually ensures the privacy of the holder. In addition to the same, biometric data and access to such forms of personal and sensitive information are typically restricted.

• Privacy: When a KUA requests Aadhaar eKYC data, the Aadhaar number of the holder in question is not shared at all. KUAs are actually issued reference IDs instead which they must share with UIDAI, thus ensuring the protection of the card holder’s data.

• The Aadhaar offline eKYC process is, in fact, a breezy and hassle-free way for holders of the Aadhaar Card to have themselves authenticated/verified.

• As a cardholder, an individual can download an XML file containing the eKYC information and provide the same to the agencies/firms that have requested for the same.

• The XML file is later on verified by UIDAI and is tamper-proof, which secures the data that is being shared all the more.

• The offline Aadhaar eKYC data which has been downloaded can be shared with the requesting agencies that are relevant in either physical format or digitally.

• The previously-mentioned ‘Share Phrase’ will always have to be provided to the agency/authority at this time, as the data in question is encrypted.

• It must be noted that for high-resolution copies, sharing information through XML or PDF files are preferable.

The electronic-Know Your Customer (eKYC) is an important step in authenticating your Aadhaar Card for future use. While the process can be conveniently completed online, you can also visit an Aadhaar centre to complete the eKYC process. 

Upon successful verification and authentication, your Aadhaar Card will be a valid proof of address and identity. This means, using the same Aadhar Card you can now apply for services like a house loan from some of the top lenders. At Bajaj Markets, you can easily compare the different options available and choose the one that fits your needs the best.