Aadhaar Care Of Rule has changed how residents can include a parent’s, spouse’s or guardian’s name in their Aadhaar address.
The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has removed the manual ‘Care Of’ (C/O) field from Aadhaar enrolment and update systems, but eligible residents can still include a family member’s name through the Head of Family (HoF) facility.
The change is important for people who use a family member’s address while updating their Aadhaar details.
It does not mean that the names of fathers, mothers or spouses have been completely removed from Aadhaar records.
What the Aadhaar Care Of Rule Means
Previously, applicants could enter another person’s name in the optional C/O field while enrolling for Aadhaar or updating their details.
The name would appear as part of the address, even though UIDAI did not independently verify the relationship between the applicant and the person named.
Under the revised system, the manual C/O field has been removed from enrolment and update interfaces.
The change is intended to prevent people from using an address entry as proof of a family relationship when that relationship has not been verified.
However, the facility to include a family member’s name has not disappeared entirely.
Under the revised arrangement, the C/O name is automatically added to the address when the enrolment or update is completed through the Head of Family-based process.
This distinction is important because an address entry and proof of a family relationship are not the same thing.
The revised arrangement links the inclusion of the family member’s name to the HoF process rather than allowing unrestricted manual entry.
Who Can Be the Head of Family?
The Head of Family facility is designed to help eligible Aadhaar holders update their residential address using the address of a family member.
is particularly useful for people who do not have an acceptable proof-of-address document in their own name.
Eligible family relationships can include parents, spouses and other permitted relatives, subject to UIDAI’s applicable requirements.
The family member whose address is being used must participate in the process and provide the required consent.
The facility can be helpful for people who have moved into their parents’ home, married couples living together or family members who share a residence but do not have individual address documents.
Applicants should check the available relationship options and eligibility requirements before submitting a request.
Not every relative can necessarily be selected under the same conditions, so the applicable options on the official Aadhaar platform should be followed.
How to Update Your Aadhaar Address Through HoF
Residents can use UIDAI’s official Aadhaar services to initiate an eligible family-based address update. The process requires the applicant to provide the relevant family member’s Aadhaar details and obtain approval from that person.
The general process involves the following steps.
First, visit the official UIDAI or myAadhaar website, or use the Aadhaar App where the service is available. Log in and look for the address-update service.
Next, select the Head of Family-based address update option. Enter the required details of the eligible family member whose address you want to use, and select the applicable relationship.
Follow the instructions displayed on the platform to complete the required verification and submit the request.
The Head of Family must approve the request through the prescribed process before the update can be completed.
Applicants should retain the acknowledgement or Service Request Number, where provided, so they can track the request. The process may involve applicable charges and verification requirements, depending on the service used.
What Aadhaar Holders Should Check Before Applying
The most important point is that removing the manual C/O field does not automatically invalidate existing Aadhaar cards or mean that every parent’s or spouse’s name must disappear from an address.
Residents who already have an Aadhaar card should not assume that they need to update it solely because of this change.
Those planning a new enrolment or address update should follow the currently available options and provide accurate information.
The Aadhaar Care Of Rule also highlights why residents should avoid treating the name printed in an address as independent proof of a family relationship.
proof of relationship or consent is required, applicants must follow the applicable procedure.
For anyone who needs to update an address using a family member’s residence, the HoF facility remains the relevant route to check.
Reviewing the latest instructions on UIDAI’s official platform before submitting an application can help avoid mistakes and unnecessary delays.
