Your name, your identity!
Need to update your name in Aadhaar? Know the process in this week’s FAQ.Visit this link for the list of valid documents: https://t.co/eiRjetw8Cq
And for the SOP on name update, visit: https://t.co/lviWJAl00H#Aadhaar #UIDAI #FAQOfTheWeek pic.twitter.com/t3ekM0MYhB
— Aadhaar (@UIDAI) September 7, 2026
Marriage and divorce
For those seeking a name update, the following documents are accepted, according to the “List of Acceptable Documents for Aadhaar Update”:
Marriage certificate, with or without a photograph, issued by the Central or State Government, is valid proof of identity, address and relationship. However, if the certificate does not carry a photograph, a supporting Proof of Identity (PoI) document bearing the old name, along with a photograph, must also be submitted.
Similarly, a divorce decree issued by a family court can be used as proof of identity, but again requires a supporting PoI document with the old name and photograph if the decree itself lacks a photograph.
Full name change
For those seeking to change their first name or full name without any of the above life events, a gazette notification is the only accepted document. This is valid solely as proof of identity and cannot be used for address, relationship or date-of-birth purposes.
Transgender persons
The Third Gender/Transgender Identity Card, or a certificate issued under the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019, is also acceptable, notably, this document is valid for gender changes as well as full name changes, in addition to being usable for identity, address and date-of-birth proof.
Rules for children
For children aged 0-18 years whose name in Aadhaar is recorded as “Baby of…”, the first request for a full name change will be accepted upon submission of a birth certificate issued under the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969.
Additionally, under Head of Family (HoF) based updates, minor changes to a minor’s name, such as addition, deletion or change of surname, correction of spelling due to phonetics, or expansion/abbreviation, provided the primary name remains unchanged, are permitted based on a birth certificate or a document proving legal guardianship bearing the revised name.
Beyond regulation limits
It is important to note that any request for a name update that goes beyond the limits prescribed in Regulation 19(3) must follow a separate Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), issued specifically for name and gender update requests under the exception handling process. UIDAI has provided a QR code and link: https://uidai.gov.in/images/SOP_28.10.2021-
Conditions to keep in mind
Across all update categories, UIDAI has specified certain general conditions, for example, any document submitted must be currently valid, issued in the name of the individual seeking the update, and verifiable from the source. The name of the individual, as mentioned in the supporting document, will be replicated exactly in the Aadhaar record, and no additional information will be considered for inclusion.
Residents are advised to ensure that the name and date of birth remain uniform across all documents submitted as Proof of Identity, Proof of Relationship and Proof of Date of Birth, to avoid rejection of the update request.
The complete list of acceptable documents for both Aadhaar enrolment and update is available on UIDAI’s official website, uidai.gov.in.
Also read: Aadhaar update FAQ: Know the rules for changing your date of birth
