Aadhar Card Copy: How to Get a Aadhar Card Copy Online

These days you need your Aadhaar card for many so things, so you tend to carry the card wherever you go. When you do that, there’s a good chance of it being lost or damaged. So what do you do if this happens and you need a fresh copy of your Aadhaar card?

Taking a printout on your own

The easiest way of getting a fresh Aadhaar card is to simply download the card and then take a print-out. In order to do this, you have to download your Aadhaar card from the web site of the Unique Identification Authority of India, or UIDAI, the government body responsible for issuing Aadhaar or UID numbers. Here’s how you do it:

1. Go to the UIDAI web site.


2. Go to the section `My Aadhaar’


3. In the drop-down list and choose `Download Aadhaar’


4. Enter your Aadhaar number, enrolment ID or virtual ID


5. Enter the captcha code


6. Click on send OTP


7. You will get the OTP on your registered phone number


8. Enter OTP on the web site


9. You will then get a copy of your Aadhaar card in a password protected PDF file


10. You can then take a printout of the card

Note that you will need a registered mobile phone number in order to download Aadhaar phone number. If you haven’t registered your phone number you will have to visit the nearest Aadhaar enrolment centre to do so. 

Some people get the Aadhaar card printed and then have it laminated. The UIDAI has warned against this practice, saying that it’s not a good idea to share your Aadhaar number with unauthorised persons while getting it laminated. The print-out of the downloaded Aadhaar card, even in black and white form, is as valid as the original Aadhaar card sent by UIDAI. There is absolutely no need to print it on plastic card or get it laminated, UIDAI said in a press release issued a couple of years ago.

Order an Aadhaar reprint

If you don’t have a printer or want the Aadhaar to be printed on the original paper, you can always order a reprint from the UIDAI web site by paying nominal fees of Rs. 50. Here’s how you do it:

1. Go to the UIDAI web site


2. Go to the section `My Aadhaar’


3. Click on `Order Aadhaar Reprint’


4. Log in using your 12-digit Aadhaar number, enrolment ID or virtual ID (VID)


5. Enter the security or captcha code


6. Click on `Send OTP’


7. The one-time password or OTP will be sent to your registered mobile phone number


8. If you don’t have a registered mobile phone number, click the box `My mobile number is not registered’


9. Enter the mobile number to which you want your OTP to be sent


10. Enter the OTP on the UIDAI site


11. You will get a preview of the Aadhaar card


12. Click on `Make a payment’


13. You will be directed to a payment gateway where you can pay the amount through Internet banking, credit or debit card, UPI etc


14. After payment, you’ll get a receipt


15. The new Aadhaar card will then be mailed to the address that is there in the UIDAI database


16. You should be able to get the card within five working days of the request being made

Download using mAadhaar app

You can download your Aadhaar card or get a reprint using the mAadhaar app. If you haven’t got the app, download it from Google Play Store. According to UIDAI, you don’t need a paper copy of the Aadhaar card for any purpose; an electronic copy is equally valid. 

If you want to share an electronic copy with any service provider here’s what you need to do:

1. Click on `Paperless offline e-KYC’ on mAadhaar. You can also do it on the UIDAI web site here.


2. Enter your 12-digit Aadhaar number or virtual ID


3. Enter captcha code and click on `Send OTP’


4. Enter OTP in the web site


5. Create a share code of four characters


6. A zip file containing your Aadhaar details will be created


7. You can send the zip file and share code to any service provider


8. The service provider can open the zip file using the share code

So, getting a copy of your Aadhaar is quite easy and convenient. But remember that an electronic copy is equally valid, so you don’t have to panic if you lose your card.