What happens if we miss the Aadhaar update at age 5?

The number can be deactivated. Families typically discover this during a board exam or scholarship application. The update is free.

Bal Aadhaar and Infant Passport in India: What to Do and When

Q: Does the child need to be present for Bal Aadhaar?

Yes. A photograph of the child is captured and the linked parent must attend with their own Aadhaar.

1 day ago
4 min read

In short

Bal Aadhaar is the blue card for under-fives. It carries no biometrics, being linked instead to a parent's Aadhaar and a photograph. It is free.

The part almost nobody is told: it must be updated at age 5 and again at age 15. Miss those and the number can be deactivated, which families typically discover during a board exam registration or a scholarship application. Set both reminders the week you enrol.

For an infant passport, the commonest rejection reason is the photograph. Plain white background, no adult hands in frame, shot from directly above with the baby lying on a white sheet.

On this page: what Bal Aadhaar is, the two mandatory updates, infant passport documents, the photograph, special situations, the order to do things in.

What Bal Aadhaar is, and how it differs

	Detail
Who	A child under 5
Card colour	Blue, not the standard design
Biometrics	None captured under age 5. Linked to a parent's Aadhaar and a photograph.
Cost	Free
Where	Any Aadhaar enrolment centre. Many hospitals run camps.
Documents	The child's birth certificate and one parent's Aadhaar
Who must attend	The parent whose Aadhaar is linked, with the child

How to get a birth certificate for a newborn in India, since you need it first.

The two mandatory updates

Age	What happens
5 years	Mandatory Biometric Update. Fingerprints and iris captured for the first time.
15 years	Second mandatory update. Biometrics recaptured as the child has grown.

Missing these can result in the Aadhaar number being deactivated. The update is free within the specified period after each birthday. Set two calendar reminders today, for the 5th and 15th birthdays. It takes ninety seconds and almost nobody does it.

The failure mode here is characteristic of identity infrastructure. The cost of the omission is borne years later, by someone who was not the person who omitted it. A five-year-old cannot manage a biometric update, and a fifteen-year-old discovering a deactivated number during an exam registration did nothing wrong.

Why it matters early

School admission, most government scheme applications including PMMVY, insurance processes and passport applications all run more smoothly with it. Month one to three is the sensible window.

The PMMVY scheme and how to apply

An infant passport

Only when you actually need it, but allow four to eight weeks, and more in peak season.

	Detail
Where	Passport Seva portal, then an appointment at a PSK or POPSK
Validity	5 years for children under 15
Police verification	Often not required if both parents hold valid passports, but this varies by case

Documents typically required

The birth certificate
Both parents' passports, or their ID and address proof
A declaration from both parents consenting to the minor's passport
Address proof
The baby's photograph

Annexure names and forms change. Always check passportindia.gov.in before your appointment rather than relying on any third-party list, including this one.

The photograph, which is the top rejection reason

Plain white background
No adult hands visible in the frame
Shot from directly above, with the baby lying on a plain white sheet
Eyes ideally open, face clearly visible
No shadows across the face
No toys, no dummy, no patterned clothing that blends into white

The method that works. Lay the baby on a white bedsheet in even daylight, stand directly over the baby, and take twenty photographs. Pick the best one. Do not use a studio that props the baby up.

Special situations

Single parent, separated or divorced parents. There is a specific documented route with prescribed annexures and, in some cases, a court order. Use the prescribed forms rather than trying to work around the requirement, because applications that omit them get rejected and re-applying costs weeks.
One parent abroad. The consent declaration can usually be executed and attested abroad. Check the current requirement on the portal.
Adopted child. Court and CARA documentation is required.
Baby born abroad to Indian parents. Register the birth with the Indian Mission or Consulate, ideally within a year, then apply for a passport or OCI depending on citizenship. Consular timelines are slow, so start early.

The order to do things in

Birth certificate, registered within 21 days, and order five copies
Bal Aadhaar, month one to three, free
Health insurance addition, within the insurer's window, often 30 to 90 days
PMMVY at the Anganwadi, if eligible
Passport, only when travelling, allow four to eight weeks
Calendar reminders for ages 5 and 15

Frequently asked questions

Can we get Bal Aadhaar without a birth certificate?

The birth certificate is the standard proof of date of birth for a child's enrolment. Get that first.

Does the child need to be present?

Yes. A photograph of the child is captured, and the linked parent must attend with their own Aadhaar.

Can the baby be added to our passport instead?

No. Endorsing children on a parent's passport has been discontinued. The child needs their own.