The Unique Identification Authority of India has pronounced a new service called ‘Aadhaar Services on SMS’ for residents who do not have access to internet /resident portal/mAadhaar and others. With this new feature, Aadhaar cardholders will be able to use various Aadhaar services such as VID generation/retrieval, Aadhaar lock/unlock, Biometric lock/unlock and other related services through SMS.
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Process to Avail Aadhaar Services on SMS
To avail Aadhaar Services on SMS, residents are required to send SMS from their registered mobile number to 1947 in the below-mentioned format:
| Aadhaar Services | Process | Example |
| To Generate- Virtual ID | GVID<SPACE>Aadhaar-Number-last-4-digits | If your Aadhaar Number is 9876-5432-1987, then SMS will be GVID 1987 and send it to 1947. |
| To Retrieve- Virtual ID | RVID<SPACE> Aadhaar-Number-last-4-digits | If your Aadhaar Number is 9876-5432-1987, then SMS will be RVID 1987 and send it to 1947. |
| To Get OTP | a) If using Aadhaar Number- GETOTP<SPACE> Aadhaar-Number-last-4-digits. b) If using Virtual ID- GETOTP<SPACE> Virtual-ID-last-6-digits. | a) If your Aadhaar Number is 9876-5432-1987, then SMS will be GETOTP 1987 and send it to 1947. b) If your Virtual ID is 9876-5432-1987-6543, then SMS will be GETOTP 876543 and send it to 1947. |
| To Lock Aadhaar | You are required to send 2 SMS to avail this facility: SMS 1: GETOTP<SPACE>Aadhaar-Number-last-4-digits SMS 2: LOCKUID<SPACE> Aadhaar-Number- last-4-digits<SPACE>OTP-6-digits
Note: 1. For locking Aadhaar Number, you are required to pre-generate VID, else it cannot be locked. 2. In case, multiple Aadhaar Numbers are attached to the same mobile number, and when last 4 digits of the Aadhaar Number are same for at least 2 dependents, then the second SMS to be sent as: LOCKUID<SPACE>Aadhaar Number-last-8-digits<SPACE>OTP-6-digits
| a) If your Aadhaar Number is 9876-5432-1987, then SMS will be GETOTP 1987 and send it to 1947. b) If suppose you receive the OTP as “012345” then |
| To Unlock Aadhaar | You are required to send 2 SMS to avail this facility: SMS 1: GETOTP<SPACE>Virtual-ID-last-6-digits SMS 2: UNLOCKUID<SPACE> Virtual-ID- last-6-digits<SPACE>OTP-6-digits
Note: 1. This service can only be availed bypassing Virtual ID only. 2. In case, multiple Aadhar Numbers are attached to the same mobile number, and when last 6 digits of the Virtual IDs are same for at least 2 dependents, then the second SMS to be sent as: UNLOCKUID<SPACE>Virtual-ID-last-10-digits<SPACE>OTP-6-digits
| a) If your Virtual ID is 9876-5432-1987-6543, then SMS will be GETOTP 876543 and send it to 1947. b) If suppose you receive the OTP as “012345” then |
| To Enable Biometric Lock | You are required to send 2 SMS to avail this facility: If you use Aadhaar Number- SMS 1: GETOTP<SPACE>Aadhaar-Number-last-4-digits SMS 2: ENABLEBIOLOCK<SPACE> Aadhaar-Number- last-4-digits<SPACE>OTP-6-digits
If you use Virtual ID- SMS 1: GETOTP<SPACE>Virtual-ID-last-6-digits SMS 2: ENABLEBIOLOCK<SPACE> Virtual-ID- last-6-digits<SPACE>OTP-6-digits
Note: 1. If your Aadhaar is locked, you cannot avail this facility. 2. In case, multiple Aadhaar Numbers are attached to the same mobile number, and when the last 4 digits of the Aadhaar Numbers are the same for at least 2 dependents, then the second SMS to be sent as: ENABLEBIOLOCK<SPACE>Aadhaar-Number-last-8-digits<SPACE>OTP-6-digits. 3. In case, multiple Aadhar Numbers are attached to the same mobile number, and when the last 6 digits of the Virtual IDs are the same for at least 2 dependents, then the second SMS to be sent as: ENABLEBIOLOCK<SPACE>Virtual-ID-last-10-digits<SPACE>OTP-6-digits. | For Aadhaar Number: a) If your Aadhaar Number is 9876-5432-1987, then SMS will be GETOTP 1987 and send it to 1947. b) If suppose you receive the OTP as “012345” then For Virtual ID- a) If your Virtual ID is 9876-5432-1987-6543, then SMS will be GETOTP 876543 and send it to 1947. b) If suppose you receive the OTP as “012345” then |
| To Disable Biometric Lock | You are required to send 2 SMS to avail this facility: If you use Aadhaar Number- SMS 1: GETOTP<SPACE>Aadhaar-Number-last-4-digits SMS 2: DISABLEBIOLOCK<SPACE> Aadhaar-Number- last-4-digits<SPACE>OTP-6-digits
If you use Virtual ID- SMS 1: GETOTP<SPACE>Virtual-ID-last-6-digits SMS 2: DISABLEBIOLOCK<SPACE> Virtual-ID- last-6-digits<SPACE>OTP-6-digits
Note: 1. If your Aadhaar is locked, you cannot avail this facility. 2. In case, multiple Aadhar Numbers are attached to the same mobile number, and when the last 4 digits of the Aadhaar Numbers are the same for at least 2 dependents, then the second SMS to be sent as: DISABLEBIOLOCK<SPACE>Aadhaar-Number-last-8-digits<SPACE>OTP-6-digits. 3. In case, multiple Aadhaar Numbers are attached to the same mobile number, and when the last 6 digits of the Virtual IDs are the same for at least 2 dependents, then the second SMS to be sent as: DISABLEBIOLOCK<SPACE>Virtual-ID-last-10-digits<SPACE>OTP-6-digits. | For Aadhaar Number: a) If your Aadhaar Number is 9876-5432-1987, then SMS will be GETOTP 1987 and send it to 1947. b) If suppose you receive the OTP as “012345” then For Virtual ID- a) If your Virtual ID is 9876-5432-1987-6543, then SMS will be GETOTP 876543 and send it to 1947. b) If suppose you receive the OTP as “012345” then |
| To Temporarily Unlock Biometrics | You are required to send 2 SMS to avail this facility: If you use Aadhaar Number- SMS 1: GETOTP<SPACE>Aadhaar-Number-last-4-digits SMS 2: UNBLOCKBIO<SPACE> Aadhaar-Number- last-4-digits<SPACE>OTP-6-digits
If you use Virtual ID- SMS 1: GETOTP<SPACE>Virtual-ID-last-6-digits SMS 2: UNBLOCKBIO<SPACE> Virtual-ID- last-6-digits<SPACE>OTP-6-digits
Note: 1. If your Aadhaar is locked, you cannot avail this facility. 2. In case, multiple Aadhar Numbers are attached to same mobile number, and when last 4 digits of the Aadhaar Numbers are same for at least 2 dependents, then second SMS to be sent as: UNBLOCKBIO<SPACE>Aadhaar-Number-last-8-digits<SPACE>OTP-6-digits. 3. In case, multiple Aadhaar Numbers are attached to same mobile number, and when last 6 digits of the Virtual IDs are same for at least 2 dependents, then second SMS to be sent as: UNBLOCKBIO<SPACE>Virtual-ID-last-10-digits<SPACE>OTP-6-digits. | For Aadhaar Number: a) If your Aadhaar Number is 9876-5432-1987, then SMS will be GETOTP 1987 and send it to 1947. b) If suppose you receive the OTP as “012345” then For Virtual ID- a) If your Virtual ID is 9876-5432-1987-6543, then SMS will be GETOTP 876543 and send it to 1947. b) If suppose you receive the OTP as “012345” then |
FAQs
Q. Do I have to generate OTP for all Aadhaar SMS services?
Ans. OTP authentication is required only for for Aadhaar Lock/Unlock and Biometric Lock/Unlock function. You don’t require OTP for VID generation and/or retrieval.
Q. What is VID or Virtual ID?
Ans. VID or Aadhaar Virtual ID is a 16-digit revocable random number mapped with your Aadhaar number. Virtual ID can be used in place of Aadhaar number for authentication or e-KYC. It helps avoid misuse of Aadhaar number and other details.
Q. What is the meaning of Aadhaar Lock/Unlock?
Ans. To enhance security and privacy of your Aadhaar data, UIDAI has introduced a feature to lock and unlock your Aadhaar number. Once you lock your Aadhaar card number, authentication cannot be carried out using your Aadhaar number. Then you can use your Virtual ID, to perform authentication. This helps prevent misuse of Aadhaar number. You can unlock your Aadhaar number to resume the use of Aadhaar number for authentication.
Q. I am unable to send the service request SMS from my phone. What should I do?
Ans. Check if the SMS service is functioning properly. If you still have any issues with respect to the SMS not being sent, contact your telecom service provider. It may be because of poor network, non-functioning SMS service or low balance etc.