Free Aadhaar biometric update for children aged 5-17 ends September 30
UIDAI is waiving fees for the mandatory biometric update for children till September 30, 2026, after which charges may apply
If your child is between 5 and 17 years old and has not yet had an Aadhaar biometric update, do not delay. Under UIDAI's current rules, the Mandatory Biometric Update (MBU) for children is free till September 30, 2026, leaving parents little time to complete this task.
Many parents assume that once a child's Aadhaar card is made, no further update is needed. But this is not the case for children. When a child under 5 gets an Aadhaar, their photo and other details are recorded, but fingerprints and iris data are usually not taken at that age. As the child grows, their biometric data changes, which is why UIDAI has set up an age-based update system.
According to UIDAI, the first mandatory biometric update is done when the child turns 5. This process records the photo, fingerprints and iris data of both eyes. A second biometric update is then done at age 15. The Aadhaar number stays the same, only the biometric data is updated.
Currently, no fee is being charged for the MBU for children aged 5 to 17. UIDAI has waived this fee for children aged 7 to 15 for one year starting October 1, 2025. The MBU for children aged 5 to 7 and 15 to 17 was already free. Parents whose children's MBU is still pending can complete the process before September 30, 2026.
To get the update done, the child must be taken to a nearby Aadhaar enrolment centre or Aadhaar Seva Kendra. According to UIDAI, the child's Aadhaar number is required for the MBU. Information on the nearest centre is available from UIDAI.
UIDAI has also launched a special drive in partnership with schools. According to UIDAI information issued on August 19, 2026, more than 2 crore mandatory biometric updates have been completed covering around 1.6 lakh schools.
Keeping children's biometric data updated as they grow helps with Aadhaar verification. According to UIDAI, accurate and updated data is needed to make identity-related services easier to use. However, Aadhaar is not automatically required for every school admission or every exam. UIDAI has clarified that Aadhaar is generally not required for school admissions or for exams like CBSE and NEET. So parents need not worry. Still, if a child's mandatory biometric update is pending, it is best to complete it before the current fee waiver deadline of September 30, 2026.
