New Aadhaar App Launches: Faster Verification, Selective Data Sharing

The application allows users to present Aadhaar for verification without showing a physical card or submitting photocopies. Further, users can share only the specific details required on a use-case basis and will speed up identity checks at places such as airports, hotels, hospitals and on various service platforms.

Key features include QR code‑based offline verification for hotel check‑ins and similar services, optional face verification to confirm presence, and age verification for services such as movie bookings.

"Designed for ease of use across the entire spectrum of users, the Aadhaar App supports a wide range of real-life use cases. These include hotel check-ins through Offline Verification Seeking Entity's (OVSE) QR code scanning. It allows optional face verification, age verification for cinema ticket bookings, hospital admissions for visitors and attendants, verification of gig workers and service partners among many such use cases," an official statement said.

The app also lets users lock or unlock biometrics with a single click. Users can view their Aadhaar authentication history and manage up to five Aadhaar profiles on a single device under a "One Family-One App" feature.

In addition to address updates, residents can now update their registered mobile number through the app, reducing the need to visit banks or Aadhaar update centres for minor changes. More update services are planned in the future, the government said.

The government said that Aadhaar numbers will not be stored by verifying agencies when data is shared through the application and only digitally signed and verified data will be exchanged, reducing the risk of misuse and aligning with the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act.

The application, developed by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) was unveiled by Minister of State for Commerce and Industry and Electronics and IT, Jitin Prasada.

Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology Secretary, S. Krishnan, said the new app will promote data minimisation and enhance security and promote selective sharing of information by Aadhaar number holders.

Senior officials at UIDAI said the journey from paper to paperless is a great step forward, adding that the key feature of the app is selective credential sharing. Residents can share only the specific identity fields required for a particular use case through customised QR codes generated by requesting entities.

- IANS