How to Link Your Mobile Number or SIM Card With Aadhaar: Follow These Steps

The decision of linking SIM Card to Aadhaar will prevent criminals, fraudsters, and terrorists from using SIMs in the name of ordinary citizens.

Written by: India.com Business Desk Edited by: Sandhya Dangwal

Updated: September 11, 2017, 1:15 PM IST

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New Delhi, September 11: The government has made it mandatory to link all SIM cards with Aadhaar numbers before February 2018. Failure to do so before the deadline will cost deactivation of the mobile number. The decision comes after the Supreme Court on Saturday passed the order after hearing Lok Niti Foundation case regarding linking of Aadhaar card and SIM card. Following the order passed by the apex court, SIM cards which will not be linked with Aadhaar cards will be deactivated. Reports state that the decision was taken by the government to prevent criminals, fraudsters, and terrorists from using SIMs in the name of ordinary citizens.

The government has plans to link all mobile numbers with the unique identification number by February 2018. As per recent reports, over 25% of SIM cards have been linked to Aadhaar. Currently, there are about 128 million mobile phone connections in the country. Aadhaar- the 12-digit unique identification number has become one of the most important documents to have as it has become mandatory to avail essential services. The linking the Aadhaar to PAN card has also been made mandatory by the government to file Income Tax returns as well as applying for a new Permanent Account Numbers (PAN) card. Also, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley through an amendment to tax proposals in the Finance Bill for 2017-18 in June had made the Aadhaar number mandatory for filing income tax returns.

There are two scenarios here. The ones who are linking it for the first time and the second ones being, those who have changed their phone numbers and want to update Aadhaar data by replacing the old number with the new one. Reports state that if you have opted for ‘eKYC’ – Aadhaar-based activation- by providing the biometrics while applying for the mobile connection, you do not need to go through the Aadhaar-SIM linking process again.

Here are the steps to link SIM card to Aadhaar card

1. This procedure needs to be done offline by visiting the nearest Aadhaar centre. There will be no OTP as you are linking your number for the first time. Click here to download the form
2. An individual needs to fill out the form correctly and submit it to the concerned person at the centre. One needs to mention on the form that only mobile number is to be updated.
3. While submitting the update form, along with a photocopy of your Aadhaar card you also need to provide a photocopy of an Identity proof document such as PAN Card, Passport, Voter ID card. After the submission is done, your biometrics will be verified at the enrollment centre. Your thumb impression will be verified.
4. After verifying the biometrics, you will be given an acknowledgement slip. Usually, it takes 2-5 working days for the updation to happen but as per the UIDAI helpline, the turnaround time for the updation is 10 days.

How to update the mobile number:

If individual wishes to update the mobile number, it can be done online on UIDAI website. For this, individuals should make sure that their existing mobile numbers are linked to their Aadhaar numbers as the OTP to authenticate the updation would be sent to your existing number. You will be able to link your new mobile number with Aadhaar only after submitting the OTP sent on your old number.

1. Visit the official UIDAI website, uidai.gov.in.
2. Click on the option ‘Aadhaar Update Online’ under Aadhaar Update category which will redirect the users to Aadhaar Self-Service portal.
3. Enter your Aadhaar number and the Captcha text and request for OTP. The OPT will be sent to your existing mobile number.
4. After entering the OTP, the users will be redirected to a page where customers can update the desired details.
5. Under ‘Select field(s) to update’, select ‘Mobile Number’ Now enter your new mobile number that you want to record in the database and submit.