Aadhaar Card Update: Verify Aadhar Via QR Code, UIDAI Issues Guidelines For OVSEs

Aadhaar Card Update: In the guidelines, the UIDAI said the entities must maintain the log/record of the explicit consent received from residents for any future audit by UIDAI or any other legal agency thereof.

Aadhaar Card Update: The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) on Tuesday Issued guidelines for Offline Verification Seeking Entities (OVSEs) on better safety mechanisms at the user level and ways to enhance residents’ trust while using Aadhaar voluntarily for lawful purposes.

“Entities have been informed to perform verification of Aadhaar after explicit consent of the Aadhaar number holder. These entities need to be courteous to residents and assure them about the security and confidentiality of their Aadhaar while conducting offline verification,’ the UIDAI said in a statement.

For the unversed, the organizations that conduct offline verification of Aadhaar number holder for a lawful purpose are called OVSEs.

Offline verification of Aadhaar is done to carry out identity verification and KYC processes locally, without connecting to the Central Identities Data Repository of UIDAI.

The UIDAI further added that the entities must maintain the log/record of the explicit consent received from residents for any future audit by UIDAI or any other legal agency thereof.

The UIDAI asked OVSEs to verify Aadhaar via the QR Code present on all four forms of Aadhaar (Aadhaar letter, e-Aadhaar, m-Aadhaar, and Aadhaar PVC card) instead of accepting Aadhar in physical form.

The UIDAI also stated that no services are denied to any resident for refusing to or being unable to undergo offline verification of Aadhaar, provided the resident is able to identify himself/ herself through other viable alternatives.

“Verification entities, generally should not collect, use or store the Aadhaar number of the resident after having conducted offline verification of Aadhaar, UIDAI has informed OVSEs. Post verification, if the OVSE finds it necessary for any reason, to store a copy of Aadhaar, the OVSE must ensure that the Aadhaar number is redacted/masked and irretrievable,” UIDAI said.

Moreover, the UIDAI has warned the OVSEs not to perform offline verification on behalf of any other entity or person and ensure full cooperation with the Authority or law enforcement agencies in case of any investigation involving the misuse of Aadhaar.