Aadhaar Card Alert: Deactivate Relative's Account Immediately After Death; Know Details

New Delhi: The Aadhaar card is one of the most essential documents for Indians. Whether it involves enrolling a child in school, securing a bank loan to purchase a home or vehicle, availing benefits from government schemes, or applying for a passport—an Aadhaar card is the very first document requested for almost every task, big or small. However, when a family member passes away, most people often neglect to deactivate their Aadhaar card, leaving it unattended and vulnerable. This oversight can invite significant trouble. If a deceased person's Aadhaar card falls into the hands of someone with malicious intent, it could be misused, potentially leading to financial loss.

What Alert Did UIDAI Issue on 'X'?

If a member of your household has passed away and you have not yet deactivated their Aadhaar card, you should do so immediately. To raise public awareness regarding this matter, the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI)—the body responsible for issuing Aadhaar cards—has posted a message on the social media platform 'X' (formerly Twitter). In its post on 'X', UIDAI explained why it is crucial to deactivate a deceased person's Aadhaar card following their death, as well as the procedure for doing so.

In its post on 'X', UIDAI stated: "Reporting the death of a family member and subsequently deactivating their Aadhaar card helps prevent its potential misuse. This process can be initiated by visiting the 'My Aadhaar' portal."

How Can You Complete the Process from Home?

Along with the post, UIDAI also attached an image illustrating how reporting a death and deactivating a deceased family member's Aadhaar card serves as a safeguard against its misuse. The entire process is digital, allowing you to complete the task from the comfort of your home. There is no need to visit an Aadhaar center, nor are any physical documents required. You simply need the deceased person's death certificate for uploading purposes; a digital copy (soft copy) will suffice.

What is the step-by-step guide to the entire process?

You can deactivate your family member's Aadhaar card by logging in using your own Aadhaar card number. Before initiating the process, you must have the deceased person's death certificate in your possession. Whether you proceed via phone or laptop, ensure you have a digital copy (soft copy) of the death certificate readily available on your device beforehand to facilitate easy uploading.

1. To begin, visit the My Aadhaar portal (myaadhaar.uidai.gov.in).

2. Log in by entering your Aadhaar number.

3. Here, you will see a variety of options. You need to click on "Report Death of a Family Member."

4. A new page will open before you, where you will be required to fill in the requested details.

5. You must specify the state where the death certificate was issued. Additionally, you will need to enter the deceased's Aadhaar number, the Death Registration Number, the deceased's name, and other requested information—including uploading the death certificate itself.

6. Once you have entered all the required information, click the "Submit" button. In this way, you can deactivate the deceased person's Aadhaar.