The Aadhaar Address Update Rule has changed how a parent’s, spouse’s or guardian’s name can appear in the address section of an Aadhaar card.
The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has removed the manually entered “Care of” (C/O) field from Aadhaar enrolment and update services, changing how these details are recorded.
The change does not mean that people can no longer have a family member’s name associated with their Aadhaar address.
The Head of Family (HoF)-based address update facility remains an option for eligible applicants who want to update their address using a family member’s details and consent.
Aadhaar Address Update Rule: What Has Changed?
Previously, applicants could enter another person’s name in the optional C/O field while enrolling for Aadhaar or updating their address.
This name could be that of a parent, spouse, guardian or another person, and it would appear alongside the address.
UIDAI removed this field because the name entered was not independently verified as proof of a relationship.
According to the authority’s stated rationale, such entries could be misused when Aadhaar was presented to demonstrate a family relationship.
Under the revised arrangement, applicants cannot manually enter a C/O name through the standard enrolment and update process.
However, the C/O name can still be automatically included in the address when the enrolment or update is completed through the approved Head of Family-based process.
How the Head of Family Facility Works
The Head of Family facility is designed to help Aadhaar holders who do not have address proof in their own name.
If an applicant lives at the same address as an eligible family member, they may request an address update using the Head of Family’s consent and the required details.
This option can be particularly useful for people who live with their parents or spouse but do not have separate address documents.
Instead of relying on a manually entered C/O name, the applicant can use the prescribed family-based process to update their address.
How to Update Your Aadhaar Address
Eligible Aadhaar holders can use the MyAadhaar portal or the Aadhaar app to access the family-member-based address update facility.
Applicants need to provide the required details of the Head of Family and follow the applicable verification and consent process.
The applicant should select the family-member-based address update option, enter the requested information and complete the necessary steps.
The request is subject to the applicable requirements and approval process.
People who do not have suitable documents in their own name may find this facility useful, provided they meet the eligibility conditions. Applicants should check the current requirements before submitting a request.
What Aadhaar Holders Should Know
The removal of the manual C/O field does not automatically remove a parent’s or spouse’s name from every existing Aadhaar card.
The change concerns how names are entered during enrolment and address updates under the revised process.
The Aadhaar Address Update Rule also highlights an important distinction: an address entry containing another person’s name is not, by itself, verified proof of a family relationship.
Anyone planning to update their details should use the appropriate UIDAI procedure and ensure that the information submitted is accurate.
